Hank Azaria Apologises For Voicing Apu In The Simpsons: I Really Didn't Know Any Better

Hank Azaria recently opened up about voicing a person of colour (POC) character Apu in The Simpsons. The actor has apologised for lending his voice to Apu, an immigrant from West Bengal, India. Hank who is white, had voiced the character since the show started in 1989 but stood down last year amidst criticism of racial stereotyping.

Azaria, who appeared on the Armchair Expert podcast hosted by actors Dax Shepard and Monica Padman, opened up about the backlash. He said, "I really didn't know any better. I didn't think about it. I was unaware how much relative advantage I had received in this country as a white kid from Queens. Just because there were good intentions it doesn't mean there weren't real negative consequences to the thing that I am accountable for."

For the unversed, Apu's character in the animated series The Simpsons came under scrutiny after an Indian-American comedian Hari Kondabolu, released a documentary titled The Problem With Apu in 2017.

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Hank Azaria added, "I really do apologise. I know you weren't asking for that but it's important. I apologise for my part in creating that and participating in that. Part of me feels I need to go round to every single Indian person in this country and personally apologise."

Apu from The Simpsons has a doctorate in computer science but runs the Kwik-E-Mart convenience store in Springfield. The storyline surrounding his character also led to controversies.

Hank also shared that he worked with his teenage son Hal to try and understand the problem. "I was speaking at my son's school, I was talking to the Indian kids there because I wanted to get their input [There was] a 17-year-old, he's never even seen The Simpsons but knows what Apu means. It's practically a slur at this point."

Azaria added that he "read, spoke to people who knew a lot about racism, spoke to lots of Indian people and went to seminars. I realised I have had a date with destiny with this thing for 31 years."

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Notably, Hank is also known for voicing characters in films like Smurfs, Happy Feet, Hop and more.