Simpsons Star Hank Azaria Wants to Personally Apologize to ‘Every Single Indian Person’ For Voicing Apu

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Hank Azaria has major regrets over portraying Indian Kwik-E-Mart owner Apu Nahasapeemapetilon on The Simpsons.

Azaria, who stepped down last year from voicing the controversial character, opened up to Dax Shepard on the Armchair Expert podcast about his decision to retire the role.

“It’s not about congratulating me for the response because I’m a big part in creating the problem to begin with,” the actor said. “So nothing takes that away except maybe an amends over time which I am attempting to make.”

Azaria added that he has since reached out to members of the Indian community to learn more about how his stereotypical portrayal of the shop keeper impacted them.

“I was speaking at my son’s school. I was talking to the Indian kids there because I wanted to get their input,” Azaria said. A 17-year-old who’d never even seen The Simpsons but still familiar with Apu had “tears in his eyes,” said Azaria, as he asked the actor to tell others in Hollywood how negative portrayals of minorities impact people like him.

“It’s practically a slur at this point,” the actor added. “All he knows is that is how his people are thought of and represented to many people in this country.”

Azaria continued, “I really do apologize. It’s important. I apologize for my part in creating that and participating in that. Part of me feels like I need to go to every single Indian person in this country and personally apologize. And sometimes I do.”

Last June, Simpsons creator Matt Groening announced that the animated series would no longer have white actors voice non-white characters.