Jenny Slate says she will no longer voice biracial animated character on Netflix's Big Mouth

Actress and comedian Jenny Slate will no longer provide the voice of Missy on the Netflix series Big Mouth, saying on Wednesday that as a white woman, she should not play a biracial character.

"At the start of the show, I reasoned with myself that it was permissible for me to play Missy because her mom is Jewish and white — as am I," she said in an Instagram post. "But Missy is also Black and Black characters on an animated show should be played by Black people." Slate added that by voicing Missy, she was "engaging in an act of erasure of Black people," and stepping away from the character is "one step in a lifelong process of uncovering the racism in my actions."

The show's co-creators — Nick Kroll, Andrew Goldberg, Mark Levin, and Jennifer Flackett — released a statement apologizing for "our original decision to cast a white actor to voice a biracial character," and said the role will be recast with a Black actor. Big Mouth has finished production on its fourth season, and the changes will be made in season five, a person with knowledge of the matter told Variety.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up