Hank Azaria Opens Up on Quitting Voicing Apu On 'The Simpsons'

Actor Hank Azaria, apart from his stint on Friends, is also known for being the voice of Apu, the only Indian and longest-running character on The Simpsons. However, he has now quit bein the voice of Apu Nahasapeemapetilon.

He opened up on his decision in an interview with The New York Times published Tuesday, Azaria said the uproar over the character really got to him.

“Once I realized that that was the way this character was thought of, I just didn’t want to participate in it anymore,” Azaria told the Times. “It just didn’t feel right.”

Added Azaria, “What happened with this character is a window into an important issue. It’s a good way to start the conversation. I can be accountable and try to make up for it as best I can.”

The show came under fire in 2018 for the way in which it responded to the controversy.

The outcry over the character was addressed in the episode “No Good Read Goes Unpunished," when Marge Simpson reads a book to daughter Lisa that has been changed from its original version to something not so controversial. “Something that started decades ago and was applauded and inoffensive is now politically incorrect. What can you do?,” says Lisa. The show then panned to a picture of Apu.

It is unclear if Apu will continue to be a part of the cartoon, voiced by another actor or retired.

In a statement to the Times, Simpsons executive producers said: "We respect Hank’s journey in regard to Apu. We have granted his wish to no longer voice the character."