The Simpsons creator talks about 'Apu' character, says something ambitious is in the works

The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company and is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. The show is set in the fictional town of Springfield and parodies American culture and society, television, and the human condition. Here is everything you need to know about what the creator of the series had to say about bringing back the character Apu. 

Matt Groening talks about bringing back Apu 

According to a report by USA Today, the very popular animated sitcom, The Simpsons is currently in its 32nd season and has been renewed for two new seasons as well. The character of Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, voiced by actor Hank Azaria left the show last year but it has been reported that audiences might see his character once again. On the occasion of the sitcom completing 700 episodes, the animated series' creator Matt Groening revealed that the team is planning to bring back Apu in the future.

Matt stated that he is proud of Apu's character and that they have something kind of ambitious in the works for him. He added that the character would continue appearing on the show, however, Hank Azaria's replacement, the actor behind Apu's voice, hasn't been finalized yet. Producers announced in June that white actors will no longer voice non-white characters. Of the decision, Groening says it wasn't his idea but he's fine with it. Matt added that diversity is great and that actors were not hired to play specific characters. He also continued saying that the amazing thing is seeing all our brilliant actors who can do multiple voices, do multiple voices and that's part of the fun of animation. He concluded by saying that he thinks the character's stories are fantastic and that he is one of the most nuanced characters on the animated sitcom.

Apu was shown as an Indian immigrant who used to run a Kwik-E-Mart business. His characterization ignited controversy after the release of Hari Kondabolu's 2017 documentary titled The Problem With Apu. It shed light on the treatment and negative stereotypes related to Apu Nahasapeemapetilon. Post the uproar, Hank Azaria stopped being the voice of Apu's character.

Image Credits: The Simpsons Official Instagram Account