'The Simpsons' Recasting 3 Beloved Characters After Russi Taylor's Death

The Simpsons hit a milestone this week with the introduction of Grey DeLisle-Griffin, the voice [...]

By Michael Hein

The Simpsons hit a milestone this week with the introduction of Grey DeLisle-Griffin, the voice actress taking over the roles previously played by the late Russi Taylor. Taylor left fans devastated over the summer when she passed away at the age of 75. However, the show must go on, and DeLisle-Griffin is prepared to pick up the mantle.

Russi Taylor passed away on July 26, the Walt Disney Company announced at the time. The actress had provided the voice of Minnie Mouse for years, in addition to her other iconic work in animation and TV. On The Simpsons, Taylor did the voices for Martin Prince, Sherri, Terry and several others, until this week.

On Sunday morning, Simpsons executive producer and writer Al Jean revealed that all three roles would now go to DeLisle-Griffin, already a well-known name in the world of cartoons. Some of her most notable roles include playing Catwoman, also known as Selina Kyle in video games including Batman: Arkham City and Injustice: Gods Among Us. She also did the voice of Arcee in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, and portrayed a number of characters in Netflix's new reboot of She-Ra.

DeLisle-Griffin has been an active performer since the mid-1990s, doing everything from stand-up comedy to gospel music to voice acting. She has gravitated towards animation over the years, as her impressions and range get such a huge response.

DeLisle-Griffin posted a simple blue heart emoji in response to her introduction from Jean. Other Twitter users flooded her replies with their warm welcomes to a franchise now over 30 years strong.

"I thought they would retire them. But I'm glad to see they're in good hands. Looking forward to it!" one fan wrote.

"Omg I haven't seen The Simpsons in forever, but I'll definitely tune in for this, congrats!!!" added another.

"Very glad to have you carrying on the roles of Russi Taylor's iconic Simpsons characters!" a third person wrote.

The Simpsons is in Season 31 right now, and still going strong. Its status as an institution in the constantly changing world of TV is bolstered all the more by its new association with Disney. Since Disney acquired Fox assets earlier this year, The Simpsons has been added to its library, and Disney has wasted no time in capitalizing on its legacy.

The Simpsons will be included the Disney+ streaming app launching on Tuesday. Unlike previous options which included only select seasons of the show, the entirety of the series will be available through Disney's competitive new app. That includes 667 episodes of the show for those that want to undertake the binge-watch of a lifetime.

New episodes of The Simpsons air on Sunday nights at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.

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