A big change is coming to Family Guy, as the actor who voices Cleveland Brown quits in order to allow a Black actor to take over the role. The decision is just the latest in an avalanche of White voice actors leaving roles that should be played by Black voice actors. This decision may be the most seismic yet, however, as Cleveland has been voiced by the same actor for over two decades now.
The character of Cleveland – one of very few in the Family Guy universe – began as a recurring role when the show started in 1999. As the focus shifted increasingly to Peter Griffin’s neighbors, however, Cleveland became a main character and has remained as such ever since. However, he did take a break for his own spinoff, The Cleveland Show, which aired on Fox from 2009 to 2013. Mike Henry, who voices the character, also voices Herbert and Consuela on Family Guy, among other various characters to pop up in Quahog.
However, Cleveland specifically will soon be voiced by another actor. Henry took to Twitter on Friday afternoon to announce his resignation from the role. Henry professed a deep love for the character, but took a nod from the other similar moves that have come on animated programs this week, stating that “persons of color should play characters of color.” This has the appearance of being a coordinated effort by Fox to end the whitewashing of their animated programming, with The Simpsons announcing around the same time they would no longer have white actors play non-white roles.
Henry’s tweet is currently the only public statement about Cleveland, so it’s unclear where the character and show go from here. His tweet implies he believes the role should be recast with a Black actor. It’s also possible the show – set to start its 19th season in the fall – could stop utilizing the character, much like when The Simpsons essentially stopped featuring Apu, although that decision would likely generate further controversy.
Henry’s choice fits into the larger shift going on in animation this week. Jenny Slate kicked things off by announcing on Instagram that she would be leaving the role of Missy on Big Mouth. Central Park quickly followed suit by removing Kristen Bell from the role of Molly, although she’ll voice a new character down the road. We likely haven’t seen the end of Henry’s time with Family Guy – he still voices other roles, after all. But his departure is a long overdue shift for Family Guy to hand over the reigns of their most prominent Black character to a Black actor.
