Can AI Replace Her? The Simpsons Veteran Weighs In
AI may be remaking Hollywood, but it won’t be voicing Bart Simpson anytime soon. After 35 years as Bart, Nancy Cartwright signals the role is staying human—for now.
Bart Simpson is not about to be outsourced to an algorithm. Nancy Cartwright, who has voiced the little hellraiser for more than 35 years, says if she ever steps away, she wants a real human to take the reins — not a bot.
AI? Not for Bart
At The Simpsons' 800th-episode party in Hollywood, California, the Emmy-winning voice actor made her position pretty plain: passion beats programming.
"I think I would choose a successor instead of AI, and I'll tell you why — because AI has no heart, and I think that's a missing ingredient. [AI] might sound pretty close to Nancy Cartwright, but I got passion. We're spiritual beings, we can emote passion and uplift people and stuff. And I don't know that a computer can do something like that."
Clear line in the sand. Hard to argue with wanting an actual person behind the slingshot.
How she ended up as Bart in the first place
Cartwright joined the show back in 1987. She initially went in to read for Lisa, saw the sketch and description of Bart — a 10-year-old, school-hating underachiever who is proud of it — and pivoted on the spot. She auditioned for Bart and booked it.
"Wait a minute, that's more interesting."
Meanwhile in Springfield
The Simpsons is in its 37th season and just crossed the 800-episode mark with the February 15 episode, "Irrational Treasure."
- That milestone half-hour pulled in some splashy cameos: Kevin Bacon, Quinta Brunson, and the cast of HBO Max's The Pitt.