The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom that includes six main voice actors and numerous regular cast and recurring guest stars. The principal cast consists of Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria and Harry Shearer. Pamela Hayden, Tress MacNeille, Maggie Roswell, Chris Edgerly, Eric Lopez, Alex Désert, Kevin Michael Richardson, Jenny Yokobori, Kimberly D. Brooks, Dawnn Lewis, Tony Rodriguez, Melanie Minichino, Jonathan Lipow, and Grey DeLisle have appeared as supporting cast members, along with former supporting cast members Russi Taylor, Karl Wiedergott, Marcia Mitzman Gaven, Doris Grau, Susan Blu, Jo Ann Harris, and Christopher Collins. Repeat guest cast members include Marcia Wallace, Phil Hartman, Jon Lovitz, Joe Mantegna, Frank Welker, Kelsey Grammer and Albert Brooks.[1] With the exception of "Old Money", episode credits list only the voice actors, and not the characters they voice.
Both Fox and the production crew wanted to keep their identities secret during the early seasons and closed most of the recording sessions while refusing to publish photos of the recording artists.[2] The network eventually revealed which roles each actor performed in the episode "Old Money", because the producers said the voice actors should receive credit for their work.[3] Every main cast member has won an Emmy for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance. Shearer was the last cast member to win, receiving his award in 2014 for the episode "Four Regrettings and a Funeral."[4] Castellaneta and Azaria have won four, while Kavner, Cartwright, Smith, Shearer, Wallace, Grammer, and guest star Jackie Mason have each won one.[5]
Castellaneta and Kavner were asked to voice the lead roles of Homer and Marge Simpson as they were regular cast members of The Tracey Ullman Show on which The Simpsons shorts appeared.[6] [7] Cartwright auditioned for the part of Lisa, but found that Lisa was simply described as the "middle child" and at the time did not have much personality. She then became more interested in the role of Bart, so Simpsons creator Matt Groening let her try out for that part instead, and upon hearing her read, he gave her the job on the spot.[8] Smith had initially been asked by casting director Bonita Pietila to audition for the role of Bart, but Pietila then realised that Smith's voice was too high,[9] [10] Smith was given the role of Lisa instead.[11] When the show was commissioned for a full half-hour series, Shearer joined the cast and performed multiple roles. Groening and Sam Simon asked Shearer to join the cast as they were fans of his radio show.[12] Azaria was only a guest actor in the first season, but became permanent in season 2.[13] He first appeared in "Some Enchanted Evening", rerecording Christopher Collins's lines as Moe Szyslak. In 2001, Groening remarked that he still considered Azaria the "new guy."[14]
Up until 1998, the six main actors were paid $30,000 per episode. In 1998 they were then involved in a pay dispute in which Fox threatened to replace them with new actors and went as far as preparing for casting of new voices. However, the issue was soon resolved and from 1998 to 2004, they were paid $125,000 per episode. In 2004, the voice actors intentionally skipped several table reads, demanding they be paid $360,000 per episode.[15] The strike was resolved a month later[16] and until 2008 they earned something between $250,000[17] and $360,000 per episode.[18] In 2008, production for the twentieth season was put on hold due to new contract negotiations with the voice actors, who wanted a "healthy bump" in salary to an amount close to $500,000 per episode.[18] The dispute was soon resolved, and the actors' salary was raised to $400,000 per episode.[19]
In 2011, Fox announced that, due to financial difficulties, they were unable to continue to produce The Simpsons under its current contract and that unless there were pay cuts, the show could end.[20] For the negotiations, the studio requested that the cast members accept a 45% cut of their salaries so that more seasons could be produced after season 23, or else that season would be the last.[21] In the end, the studio and the actors reached a deal, in which the actors would take a pay cut of 30%, down to just over $300,000 per episode, prolonging the show to its 30th season.[22] As well as the actors, everybody involved in the show took a pay cut.[23]
| Dan Castellaneta[24] | Homer Simpson | Grampa Simpson | Krusty the Clown | Barney Gumble |
| Groundskeeper Willie | Mayor Quimby | Santa's Little Helper | Hans Moleman | |
| Sideshow Mel | Itchy | Squeaky Voiced Teen | Gil Gunderson | |
| Blue Haired Lawyer | Rich Texan | Kodos | Louie | |
| Arnie Pye | Bill | Mr. Teeny | Scott Christian | |
| Charlie | Gary | Captain Lance Murdock | Mr. Prince | |
| Yes Guy | Jake the Barber | Poochie | Leopold | |
| Rabbi Krustofski | Frankie the Squealer | Coach Lugash | Jack Marley | |
| Julie Kavner[25] | Marge Simpson | Patty Bouvier | Selma Bouvier | |
| Jacqueline Bouvier | Sideshow Mel's wife | Great Mom | ||
| Nancy Cartwright[26] | Bart Simpson | Maggie Simpson[27] | Nelson Muntz | Ralph Wiggum |
| Kearney | Todd Flanders | Rod Flanders | ||
| Richard | Lewis Clark | Nahasapeemapetilon octuplets | Brittany Brockman (daughter of Kent Brockman) | |
| Yeardley Smith[28] | Lisa Simpson | Maggie Simpson[29] | Eliza Simpson | |
| Angelica Button | Grandma Flanders | Cecile Shapiro | ||
| Hank Azaria[30] | Moe Szyslak | Chief Wiggum | Apu Nahasapeemapetilon | Carl Carlson |
| Comic Book Guy | Lou | Prof. Frink | Cletus Spuckler | |
| Superintendent Chalmers | Snake Jailbird | Captain Horatio McCallister | Kirk Van Houten | |
| Wiseguy | Bumblebee Man | Luigi Risotto | Old Jewish Man | |
| Disco Stu | Dr. Nick Riviera | Duffman | Drederick Tatum | |
| Julio | Johnny Tightlips | Coach Krupt | Doug | |
| Chase/Pyro | Legs | Akira | Frank Grimes | |
| Gunter | "Just Stamp the Ticket" Man | The Veterinarian | Khlav Kalash Vendor | |
| Harry Shearer[31] | Mr. Burns | Waylon Smithers | Ned Flanders | Principal Skinner |
| Lenny Leonard | Kent Brockman | Reverend Lovejoy | Dr. Hibbert | |
| Otto Mann | Jasper Beardley | Scratchy | Rainier Wolfcastle/McBain | |
| Eddie | Dewey Largo | Judge Snyder | Kang | |
| Marty | Dr. Marvin Monroe | God | George H. W. Bush | |
| Herman | Dave Shutton | Dr. J. Loren Pryor | Sanjay Nahasapeemapetilon | |
| Cesar | Tom Brokaw | Principal Dondelinger | Benjamin | |
| Richard Nixon | Ronald Reagan | Legs | Radioactive Man | |
| Jebediah Springfield | Mr. Bouvier | Ernst | Nedward Flanders, Sr. | |
| Actor | Character(s) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pamela Hayden[32] (1989–present) | Milhouse Van Houten | Jimbo Jones | Rod Flanders | |
| Todd Flanders | Janey Powell | Sarah Wiggum | ||
| Malibu Stacy | Patches | Ruth Powers | ||
| Wendell Borton | Lewis | Richard | ||
| Lois Pennycandy | Mona Simpson | Dolph | ||
| Amber Simpson | Allison Taylor | Capri Flanders | ||
| Miss Springfield | Weasle | Ham | ||
| Tress MacNeille[33] (1990–present) | Agnes Skinner | Dolph | Brandine Spuckler | |
| Lindsey Naegle | Crazy Cat Lady | Cookie Kwan | ||
| Bernice Hibbert | Mrs. Muntz | Mrs. Glick | ||
| Manjula Nahasapeemapetilon | Lunchlady Doris | Shauna | ||
| Miss Springfield | Ms. Albright | Boobarella | ||
| Opal | Kumiko Nakamura | Gino Terwilliger | ||
| Poor Violet | Ginger Flanders | Brunella Pommelhorst | ||
| Jenny Yokobori (2021–present) | Kumiko Nakamura | Yokobori replaced MacNeille in response to the George Floyd protests in 2020.[34] | ||
| Karl Wiedergott[35] (1998–2010) | Legs | Bill Clinton | Jimmy Carter | |
| Michael Jackson | Kermit the Frog | Ned Flanders (one episode) | ||
| Maggie Roswell (1990–1999, 2002–present) | Maude Flanders | Helen Lovejoy | Elizabeth Hoover | |
| Luann Van Houten | Princess Kashmir | Mary Bailey | ||
| Lewis Clark | Richard | Martha Quimby | ||
| Mona Simpson | Sylvia Winfield | Strawberry | ||
| Russi Taylor (1990–2019) | Martin Prince | Sherri | Terri | |
| Üter Zörker | Wendell Borton | Lewis | ||
| Alex Désert (2020–present)[36] | Carl Carlson | Lou | Alex took over the roles of Carl and Lou, starting with the thirty-second season. | |
| Chris Edgerly[37] [38] (2011–present) | Various characters | |||
| Kevin Michael Richardson (2009–present)[39] | Richardson takes over the roles of Dr. Hibbert and Judge Snyder, starting with the thirty-second season. Prior to this, he voiced various minor characters. | |||
| Doris Grau (1991–1997) | Various minor characters | |||
| Grey DeLisle (2019–present) | Martin Prince | Sherri | Terri | |
| DeLisle takes over the roles of Martin Prince, Sherri and Terri starting with the thirty-first season. | ||||
| Dawnn Lewis (2017–present) | Bernice Hibbert | Lewis takes over the role of Bernice Hibbert, starting with the thirty-second season. | ||
| Marcia Mitzman Gaven (1999–2002) | Maude Flanders | Helen Lovejoy | Elizabeth Hoover[40] | |
| Jo Ann Harris (1989–1992) | Various characters[41] [42] [43] | |||
| Christopher Collins[44] (1989–1990) | Mr. Burns | America's Most Armed and Dangerous Host | ||
| Susan Blu (1990) | Various characters | |||
| Eric Lopez (2020–present) | Bumblebee Man | Lopez takes over the role of Bumblebee Man, starting with the thirty-second season. | ||
| Tony Rodriguez (2021–present) | Julio | Rodriguez takes over the role of Julio, starting with the thirty-second season. | ||
| Kimberly D. Brooks (2021–present) | Lewis | Brooks takes over the role of Lewis, starting with the thirty-second season. | ||
| Jonathan Lipow (2022–present) | Various animals | |||
| Melanie Minichino (2021–present) | Various characters | |||
| Episodes | Actor | Character(s) | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 179 | Marcia Wallace[45] (1990–2021) | Edna Krabappel | Following Wallace's death in 2013, Edna Krabappel was retired from the show. | ||
| 52 | Phil Hartman (1991–1998) | Troy McClure | Lionel Hutz | Following Hartman's death in 1998, McClure and Hutz were retired from the show.[46] | |
| Fat Tony (one episode) | Other one-time roles | ||||
| 44 | Joe Mantegna (1991–present) | Fat Tony[47] | Mantegna has appeared since 1991. | ||
| 29 | Maurice LaMarche (1995, 2006–2018, 2021, 2023) | Cap'n Crunch | Toucan Sam | LaMarche has appeared in several minor roles since 1995. | |
| Various other characters | |||||
| 21 | Frank Welker (1991–2002, 2014) | Santa's Little Helper | Snowball II | Made numerous guest appearances between 1991 and 2002. Dan Castellaneta now provides the voices after Welker left the show, having asked for a raise because the voices were hurting his throat.[48] | |
| Various other animals | |||||
| 24 | Kelsey Grammer (1990–present) | Sideshow Bob[49] | Grammer has appeared since 1990. | ||
| 20 | Jon Lovitz (1991–present) | Artie Ziff | Professor Lombardo | Lovitz has appeared in several episodes since 1991. | |
| Aristotle Amadopolis | Jay Sherman | ||||
| Llewellyn Sinclair and Mrs. Sinclair | Enrico Irritazio[50] | ||||
| 9 | Jane Kaczmarek (2001–2022) | Kaczmarek has appeared as Judge Harm since 2001. | |||
| 9 | Albert Brooks (1990–2023) | Hank Scorpio | Jacques "Brunswick" | Brooks has appeared as one-time characters in several episodes since 1990. | |
| Cowboy Bob | Brad Goodman | ||||
| Tab Spangler[51] | Russ Cargill | ||||
| 11 | Glenn Close (1995–2021) | Close has appeared as Homer's mother Mona since 1995. The character was killed off in 2008, but has made several appearances in flashbacks since then. | |||
| 12 | Jackie Mason (1991–2022) | Mason first appeared as Krusty's father, Rabbi Krustofski, in 1991. The character was killed off in 2014. Dan Castellaneta voiced the character in several episodes. | |||
| 6 | Jan Hooks (1997–2002) | Hooks was the original voice of Manjula, and portrayed her between 1997 and 2002. Tress MacNeille currently voices Manjula. | |||
| 4 | Stephen Hawking (1999–2010) | Hawking has made the most appearances of all the guest stars who have appeared as themselves on the show. | |||
| Year | Actor | Award | Category | Role | Episode | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Nancy Cartwright | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Voice-over Performance | Bart Simpson | "Separate Vocations" | Won[52] | |
| 1992 | Dan Castellaneta | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Voice-over Performance | Homer Simpson | "Lisa's Pony" | Won | |
| 1992 | Julie Kavner | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Voice-over Performance | Marge Simpson | "I Married Marge" | Won | |
| 1992 | Jackie Mason | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Voice-over Performance | Rabbi Hyman Krustofski | "Like Father, Like Clown" | Won | |
| 1992 | Yeardley Smith | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Voice-over Performance | Lisa Simpson | "Lisa the Greek" | Won | |
| 1992 | Marcia Wallace | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Voice-over Performance | Edna Krabappel | "Bart the Lover" | Won | |
| 1993 | Dan Castellaneta | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Voice-over Performance | Homer Simpson | "Mr. Plow" | Won[53] | |
| 1995 | Nancy Cartwright | Annie Award | Voice Acting in the Field of Animation | Bart Simpson | "Radio Bart" | Won[54] | |
| 1997 | Maggie Roswell | Annie Award | Best Voice Acting by a Female Performer | Shary Bobbins | "Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala(Annoyed Grunt)cious" | Nominated[55] | |
| 1998 | Hank Azaria | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Voice-over Performance | Apu Nahasapeemapetilon | Won[56] | ||
| 2001 | Hank Azaria | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Voice-over Performance | Various | "Worst Episode Ever" | Won[57] | |
| 2003 | Hank Azaria | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Voice-over Performance | Various | "Moe Baby Blues" | Won[58] | |
| 2004 | Dan Castellaneta | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Voice-over Performance | Various Characters | "Today I am A Clown" | Won[59] | |
| 2006 | Kelsey Grammer | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Voice-over Performance | Sideshow Bob | "The Italian Bob" | Won[60] | |
| 2007 | Julie Kavner | Annie Award | Best Voice Acting in an Animated Feature | Marge Simpson | The Simpsons Movie | Nominated[61] | |
| 2009 | Hank Azaria | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Voice-over Performance | Moe Szyslak | "Eeny Teeny Maya Moe" | Nominated[62] | |
| 2009 | Dan Castellaneta | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Voice-over Performance | Homer Simpson | "Father Knows Worst" | Won[63] | |
| 2009 | Harry Shearer | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Voice-over Performance | Mr. Burns, Smithers, Kent Brockman and Lenny | "The Burns and the Bees" | Nominated | |
| 2010 | Hank Azaria | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Voice-over Performance | Moe Szyslak, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon | "Moe Letter Blues" | Nominated[64] | |
| 2010 | Dan Castellaneta | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Voice-over Performance | Homer Simpson, Grampa Simpson | "Thursday with Abie" | Nominated | |
| 2011 | Dan Castellaneta | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Voice-over Performance | Homer Simpson, Barney Gumble, Krusty, Louie | "Donnie Fatso" | Nominated[65] | |
| 2012 | Hank Azaria | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Voice-over Performance | Moe Szyslak, Duffman, Mexican Duffman, Carl, Comic Book Guy, Chief Wiggum | "Moe Goes from Rags to Riches" | Nominated[66] | |
| 2014 | Harry Shearer | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance | Kent Brockman, Mr. Burns, Smithers | "Four Regrettings and a Funeral" | Won | |
| 2015 | Dan Castellaneta | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance | Homer Simpson | "Bart's New Friend" | Nominated | |
| 2015 | Hank Azaria | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance | Moe Szyslak, Pedicab Driver | "The Princess Guide" | Won | |
| 2015 | Tress MacNeille | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance | Laney Fontaine, Shauna, Mrs. Muntz | "My Fare Lady" | Nominated | |
| 2017 | Nancy Cartwright | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance | Bart Simpson | "Looking for Mr. Goodbart" | Nominated | |
| 2018 | Dan Castellaneta | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance | Homer Simpson, Krusty the Clown, Groundskeeper Willie, Sideshow Mel | "Fears of a Clown" | Nominated | |
| 2019 | Hank Azaria | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance | Moe Szyslak, Carl, Duffman, Kirk | "From Russia Without Love" | Nominated | |
| 2020 | Hank Azaria | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance | Professor Frink, Moe, Chief Wiggum, Carl, Cletus, Kirk, Sea Captain | "Frinkcoin" | Nominated | |
| 2020 | Nancy Cartwright | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance | Bart Simpson, Nelson, Ralph, Todd | "Better Off Ned" | Nominated |
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