Jenny Slate
Photo: Jordan Strauss / Invision / AP / Shutterstock
A character from Nick Kroll’s Netflix animated series Big Mouth is receiving a new voice. Comedian, actor, and author Jenny Slate posted an ad on Instagram today, claiming she will no longer voice it. Big Mouth character Missy who is black. “At the beginning of the show, I reasoned to myself that it was permissible for me to play ‘Missy’ because her mother is Jewish and white, like me. But ‘Missy’ is also black and black characters on an animated show. it should be played by black people, “she wrote.” I acknowledge that my original reasoning was flawed, that it existed as an example of white privilege and unfair rights made within a system of social white supremacy, and that by playing ‘Missy’
Slate’s publication goes on to say that while she cannot correct the mistakes she made during her comedy career, “I can take responsibility for my choices” and “take responsibility for the ways that I am part of the problem.” She ends the note with an apology: “Most importantly, however, to anyone who has hurt: I’m so sorry. Black voices must be heard. Black Lives Matter.”
Kroll also posted an announcement on his Instagram about the decision, which was signed by Kroll alongside Big Mouth co-creators Andrew Goldberg, Mark Levin and Jennifer Flackett. “After thoughtful discussion with us and our black collaborators, Jenny Slate has decided, and we totally agree, that Missy in Big Mouth It should be voiced by a black actor, “he wrote. Kroll apologized for the decision to choose a white actor for the role, saying the show “made a mistake, took our privilege for granted and we are working hard to do better in the future.” He said the show is “proud of the portrayal Missy has offered to sensitive, brain-colored women, and we plan to continue that portrayal and further grow Missy’s character as we re-release a new black actor to portray him.”
Big Mouth’The third season premiered on Netflix in October 2019, and was renewed earlier in the year for three more seasons. Production on the fourth season has already ended, so the show will replace Slate with a new voice actor for Missy for the fifth season.
