Family Guy‘s Mike Henry Stepping Down as Voice of Cleveland: ‘Persons of Color Should Play Characters of Color’
After two decades, Mike Henry is stepping down as the voice of Family Guy‘s Cleveland Brown, the actor announced on Twitter.
“It’s been an honor to play Cleveland on Family Guy for 20 years,” Henry tweeted on Friday. “I love this character, but persons of color should play characters of color. Therefore, I will be stepping down from the role.”
Henry, who is not Black, has voiced Cleveland, who is Black, since the character was introduced in Family Guy‘s 1999 series premiere. He also headlined The Cleveland Show for four seasons (2009–2013) on Fox.
Cleveland now joins a growing list of high-profile animated characters that have been recast this week. Jenny Slate announced on Wednesday that she will no longer voice biracial tween Missy on Netflix’s Big Mouth, while Kristen Bell is also being recast as the voice of a young biracial character on Apple TV+’s Central Park.
See Henry’s announcement in full below:
It’s been an honor to play Cleveland on Family Guy for 20 years. I love this character, but persons of color should play characters of color. Therefore, I will be stepping down from the role. pic.twitter.com/FmKasWITKT
— Mike Henry (@mikehenrybro) June 26, 2020
UPDATE: Fox on Friday released a statement announcing that The Simpsons “will no longer have white actors voice non-white characters.”
I get it but his voice as Cleveland was perfect. Hopefully they have fun with his voice change though.
Who’s going to voice Brian now?
Brian is white. Seth MacFarlane is also white.
But he’s not a dog. That’s speciesism to have a human voice him.
I don’t know if you know this, but real dogs can’t talk, JB. Unless you’re on something really trippy, but that’s on you, boo boo.
Exactly my point. Seth needs to step aside and bring in a real dog to “voice” Brian. If animated characters should be voiced by the beings that they represent then Brian should be barked by a dog. Not voiced by a white human male.
This comment can be sarcastic or logical. Dogs can’t talk silly.unless of course you’re just a lunatic.
Let me know when you figure out which one it is. Or maybe, possibly they can actually be both. 🤯
Tell that to Scooby Doo!
(This comment is neither sarcastic or logical, just silly)
holy shiz hahah you aren’t the brightest in the barrel are you? OP was being facetious; and their joke went clear over your head. If their humor was a snake, you’d be dead.
LOL. Liberals are so ridiculous.
That this is ruffling so many feathers is kinda the point some of us have been making all our lives… Why is such a small accommodation.. That should have been in place well beforehand anyway.. So hard to let go of… You think ppl weren’t side-eyeing the fact that Cleveland was voiced by a white guy all these years? That such a small indignity took two GD decades to address and correct illustrates how hard real change is… But no instead of some introspection and amazement that it took so long so many of you are complaining that its PC culture run amok.. Smh
But who are they accommodating by doing this? I’ve never heard one person complain about this. Maybe whoever replaces him will be better, maybe not.
It IS PC culture run amok. Family Guy prides itself on being very anti-PC, so by going this route, they are indeed showing that PC culture has run amok.
They’re accommodating the ppl who asked why Cleveland was voiced by a white man fr the get-go… Whatever bubble you may have lived in maybe it wasn’t a big deal.. But it was noticed and talked about.. And as so many other things with regards to black America.. It was ignored… Folks were told its not a big deal.. And mike Henry was doing a great job so stop complaining amid other excuses.. But that never invalidated the fact that Cleveland should been voiced by a competent black V/O actor..
Would’ve, could’ve, should’ve. The point is, Henry shouldn’t have to step down after all these years just to appease an angry mob. That’s discrimination against HIM.
Maybe thecsolution is to write off all black characters from every show. Then we won’t have to have these dumb arguments. If the BLM anarchists don’t like what’s being portrayed on TV, then create their own shows instead of destroying what we do have.
This may be one of the most inane responses to this topic I’ve ever read.
Well, if Cleveland were to be recast with a black actor, would you be okay with him playing the part exactly as Mike Henry did it? If so, then all this is really just senseless whining. I get it if you were offended by the character itself, but IT’S A CARTOON!!! Your seeing animation and hearing voices. Complaining about the race of the actor alone is beyond ridiculous.
dude its a cartoon LOL don’t take it so seriously. Not everything needs to be about race… go racebait on twitter or something
Thank you. They can’t accept this, yet swear it doesn’t matter because it’s just a cartoon. It matters and the squealing proves it.
“It matters and the squealing proves it.” This logic makes zero sense. We’re not mad that a black man is going to replace a white man as Cleveland. We’re mad that Cleveland’s voice is going to change, period. Having a black man do it is obviously better than having a white man other than Mike Henry do it, but Mike Henry made the character hilarious and lovable at the same time, probably the most lovable character on the show. So the next step is what? Have a black man try to duplicate Mike Henry’s voice? If so, what’s the point of recasting Cleveland? And if not, then just kill off the fricken character because he won’t be Cleveland.
Exactly right. This PC Bullsh*t has gone to far.
I honestly believe they should just kill off the character. I stopped watching Family Guy to be fair because it stopped being funny and started being political. It would be one thing if Cleveland was just some two bit character who they only just added but for them to recast him now is just asinine.
This isn’t about PC culture run amok. This is about flawed logic and reason, allowing mob rule, virtue signaling, and hypocrisy. If this was 1961 and 20th Century Fox just announced the casting of Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra then it would absolutely be right for people to stop and say, “Are you *really* sure that is the right choice?” And any calls for them to cast a Macedonian Greek with some Persian ancestry would be sound. But animation is not the same as live action. It is a different medium. One in which the voice of the actor, regardless of race, sex, gender, religion, political affiliation, class, etc., is one of the fundamental building blocks of a successful character. What made Cleveland so lovable as a character was Mike Henry’s excellent voice work, not the color of the cartoon character’s skin. Animated characters are “brought to life” and made multidimensional by 2 main things, the animation and the voice work. Mike Henry’s voice informed us of who Cleveland was. You take that away and the character loses a big part of what made him who he was. The argument that he should have been voiced by a black actor in the first place is irrelevant at this point. Maybe that’s true, maybe it isn’t. But it’s a different conversation than the one at hand.
I’d also like to add that all this does is reinforce the old stereotype that black people are able to be distinguished from other races because of their voice. Because they “sound black”.
One side’s trying to encourage more diversity and opportunity for people who haven’t had much of it, the other side is freaking out and complaining because a white person may not be voicing a non-white character anymore. I’ll let you try and figure out which side sounds more ridiculous.
No, we’re complaining because Mike Henry won’t be voicing Cleveland anymore and for a ridiculous reason. I’d be just as bummed out if he said “I won’t be voicing Bruce any more because gay men should be voiced by gay men”. None of this is about encouraging opportunity, because if they went and got Will Smith or Tyler Perry to play the part, we wouldn’t hear a peep about opportunity.
Your first mistake is believing people like that have logic. Your second is believing they can be reasoned with.
The joke of The Cleveland Show was that Cleveland was voiced by a white guy and the uber racist white guy was voiced by a black guy. I’m pretty whatever on this move.
Can we just stop all this madness now?
Absolutely ridiculous! What a hilarious reason!
Are they going to recast Bart Simpson now because a girl can’t voice a boy? Why can’t they keep him and add another character that is a person of color and voiced by person of that same color? or just write him out – and add another diverse character
If a white man can’t play a black man in a fricken cartoon, then a woman can’t play a boy. In fact, nobody can do fake accents at all. So no Brits playing Americans, no Boston yankees putting on Alabama drawls, and no Americans making “eh?” Canadian jokes.
The world has gone full re-tard.
I agree Mel. Plus I don’t see POC stepping down if they voice a white character. Then it would be racist.
🤦
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So are Asians going to be voicing all the yellow Simpson characters? If not it’s racist to have white/black/brown actors voicing them.
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When is Yeardley Smith stepping down so an adolescent boy can voice Bart? She’s taking away a job from a young male actor. Talk about white privilege.
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Is Krusty the Clown *finally* going to be voiced by an actual clown now? Only a real clown can bring the gravitas it takes to faithfully represent clown lives.
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What about Brian? Or Stewie? Or Roger? That’s taking jobs away from babies, dogs, and Roswellian Aliens trying to make it in show business. Having a straight white cis man playing them is just reinforcing the patriarchy.
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At this point why don’t be just pull reruns of Buffy the Vampire Slayer because she used excessive force against vampires and demons while killing them. The show was very just anti-demon propaganda. #vampirelivesmatter
Well, Cookie “NUMBA ONE ON DA WEST SIDE” Kwan is a whole other discussion. The show hasn’t been that great at avoiding stereotypes…
That’s kind of the point.
How many screen names do you have? Just coincidence you all take the same position and do that idiosyncratic thing with periods to separate paragraphs? Interesting
I have one screen name. And you can ask TVLine. They will call you out and even delete your comments if they see you are commenting under multiple usernames.
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And I didn’t create or come up with the “idiosyncratic thing with periods to separate paragraphs”. I actually learned it FROM other TVLine commentors years ago.
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Is it really that shocking that there would be other people who agree with my viewpoint? That they might express themselves in a similar manner? If it bothers you so much why are you not going around and accusing other users here who are making similar points that are different than mine of being duplicates? Is it because it’s YOU? Or because if it’s somebody who agrees with you then they get a pass?
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If you were so gosh darn clever you would discern that there are plenty of people who *don’t* agree with some of my views who also use the “idiosyncratic thing with periods to separate paragraphs”. But don’t let facts get in the way of your righteousness EEE-ahn. Or is EYE-an? Either way, nice try but no.
Nancy Cartwright does the voice of Bart and Nelson, not Yeardley Smith :)
My bad. YS voices Lisa. Thank you for correcting me. She did audition for Bart though back when The Simpsons were Tracey Ullman Show shorts. And I think she voiced Maggie at some point as well although NC is her main voice actor.
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I think it’s the fact that I try to block out actors who are known Scientologists.
So are the gonna hire a paraplegic to play Joe, a actual pedophile to play Herbert and a dog to play Brian?
Herbert hasn’t been in the show for like a season and a half. Disney tossed him.
And gay characters should be played by gay actors. But that doesn’t always happen.
And straight characters should only be played by straight actors yet that doesn’t happen either.
So if a black person voices a white character that also has to stop? If a black person auditions for a white character but is turned down because hes not white is that racist?
This is getting out if hand. VOICE ACTORS SHOULD VOICE WHOEVER THEY WANT.
wow that is tragic…as an African American woman I am applauded by this.he did a sensational job.behind the scenes I wasn’t seeing color at all.I saw a human being who brought a cool personality to a character we loved. who cares what race the voice was.that’s a shame that our world is like this.yeah I think I will be cool on the show.
Right? Cleveland is probably the most lovable character on the show. And that doesn’t just come from the writing. I’m not mad that they’ll be replacing him with a black actor because if they absolutely MUST recast, then a black actor is obviously the best option; I’m mad that it won’t be Mike Henry anymore.
I’m thinking either Ron Funches or Tim Meadows, or if they want someone to flat out do the impression, maybe like a Jay Pharoah.
You mentioning the possibility of Tim Meadows just made this crummy day somewhat bright again. Thank you!
This is just stupid. I would rather Cleveland be killed off than Henry stop voicing him. This is what will happen…the “new” Cleveland will say his first line, and the other characters will have an odd reaction or say something snarky. It will just draw more attention and point out how ridiculous this is. These crybaby anarchists need to stop ruining our pop culture, starting with TV. You made your point…enough is enough.
What a joke. Since when does it matter whose voice your hearing on a damn cartoon??? Once again Hollywood and its weirdos think everybody cares about there opinions. Guess what weirdos we don’t!!! Get a life.
Stop messing up the good entertainment. Stop being snowflakes! His voice is what was great about him. Terrific inflection. Stop color coding everything. Good grief.
“Stop being snowflakes!” say the people who are having a meltdown over a simple change in voice actors.
I didn’t realize until the Cleveland Show that Cleveland was voiced by a white guy and it did bother me a bit. A show about a black family should be voiced by a black cast… I do hope Mike Henry continues to have a role on the show in some way.
Won’t be the same, but this is just getting silly.
Getting? been silly for awhile
If we are truly supporting “equality,” it shouldn’t matter who voices a character. But I suppose after this we should all be outraged over women voicing males (The Simpsons, The Boondocks) and vice versa (Bob’s Burgers, South Park).
Look, if you give a mouse a cookie, he’ll ask for a glass of milk. If you give these domestic terrorists a cookie, they’ll ask for bakeries in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Canada and Puerto Rico. Nothing will ever satisfy them…so give them nothing.
Seriously TVLine throwaway this entire comment section.
“Oh no, there are people who disagree with my opinion they must be silenced!” – you
This might ruin the character for me.
I understand the reasoning for it, and I’m not against it, but for me Cleevelands voice is his most recognisable trait. Especially the “no no no no noooo” when his house gets destroyed. Just got to hope they can find someone who can keep it consistent with what we know!
Well, this all are subjects which should be discussed properly. I truly understand the effort, it is a needed change. But all the people should step back and see the big picture. It should be not about “only black people should voice black animated characters”..this is clearly still rassist…it should be a whole mixed world. Blacks should speak white people and vice versa. Demanding “real” voices to animated characters is shortminded – a voice has no color! Just like only gay people should play gay characters etc….that’s just wrong. We want equal rights for all people, that’s the goal…so we need to bring in more diversity into it..but not by accepting stereotype decisions and behaviour. Instead of Mike Henry stepping down, it would have been great to cast a black actor to voice Joe i.e., that’s the world I want to live in.
And I guess this cures racism? This gets another black kid into college? Put a black family out of poverty?
So what did Mike accomplish? Getting off of a show that’s about to go away? Stop getting a paycheck (never mind he’s going to get paid for all the times Family Guy is syndicated)?
What did Mike do? Set aside his white guilt. Made himself feel like a hero. Besides that, he hasn’t really done anything.
Does this mean we can quit switching the race or gender of established characters or will the woke mov be angry? Mike Henry obviously seems nothing wrong voicing Cleveland for 20 years. This action is truly a discriminatory statement.
If Mike was really down for the cause, he would give up his future residuals.
Based on the comments, it seems most people disagree with this decision which is fine. Maybe the producers of the show should have come out and made a statement about being more inclusive behind the scenes. Are we now over-correcting, maybe, unfortunately this is what we have come too.