Earlier this month, Hulu introduced that the upcoming “King of the Hill” revival will see Ronny Chieng take over the recurring visitor position of Kahn Souphanousinphone from the present’s unique run. The choice meant that the Asian character, beforehand certainly one of a number of components voiced by Toby Huss, could be voiced by an Asian performer for the primary time.
Now, IndieWire can solely reveal 5 new visitor stars for the present’s long-awaited 14th season, a number of of that are comparable recastings of outdated recurring characters with actors of coloration. As well as, Keith David and Anthony “Citric” Campos have joined the sequence as new characters.
David will play new character Brian Robertson, who rented the home of fundamental character Hank (sequence co-creator Mike Decide) in between the occasions of the present’s unique seasons and the revival, and integrates into Hank’s buddy group. Campos will play Emilio, a chef on the Dallas restaurant of Hank’s grown son Bobby (Pamela Adlon).
Returning characters Ted Wassanasong, Chane Wassanasong, and Joseph Gribble have all been recast with new performers. Ted, a Laotian businessman and the monetary backer of Bobby’s restaurant, will now be voiced by Kenneth Choi, after having beforehand been voiced by Huss within the present’s unique run. Chane, Ted’s son and Bobby’s former childhood bully and now enterprise companion, shall be voiced by Ki Hong Lee; beforehand, he was voiced by Adlon. Joseph Gribble, Bobby’s half-Native greatest buddy, shall be voiced by comic Tai Leclaire, after initially being voiced by Breckin Meyer.
The artistic group of “King of the Hill” have beforehand been open concerning the prospects of recasting for the revival. In 2023, whereas the season was nonetheless in growth, co-creator Greg Daniels stated in an interview with TVLine that he wasn’t certain if Kahn would return for the revival, however, within the occasion that he did, “We’d most definitely exchange Toby’s voice for Kahn. Like, if we had been casting right this moment, we wouldn’t have solid him. However we solid it in 1997.
“Most animation casts play a number of roles, and Toby Huss initially performed [Hank’s father] Cotton Hill and was solid for that, after which Kahn got here up later,” Daniels informed TVLine. “And most productions, particularly again then, didn’t have the funds to to rent a particular performer for every voice. However it’s totally different now.”
Within the years since “King of the Hill” went off the air, the subject of casting racially applicable voice actors for animated sequence has grow to be a extra contentious concern. 2017 documentary movie “The Downside with Apu” ignited dialog over Hank Azaria voicing the Indian “Simpsons” character, which led to Azaria stepping down from the position. In 2020, a wave of voice appearing recastings occurred after the Black Lives Matter protests of the summer season: Jenny Slate stepped down from the position of Black middle-schooler Missy in “Large Mouth” and was changed by Ayo Edebiri, Kristen Bell was changed by Emmy Raver-Lampman in voicing mixed-race teen Molly on the Apple TV+ sequence “Central Park,” and “Bojack Horseman” star Alison Brie publicly apologized for voicing a Vietnamese character within the sequence.
The unique “King of the Hill” first premiered in 1997 on Fox, and ran for 13 years earlier than its remaining season wrapped in 2010. Starring Decide as propane salesman Hank Hill, the sequence revolves across the on a regular basis lives of Hank, his household, and their associates and neighbors within the small metropolis of Arlen, Texas. Praised for its lifelike and grounded humor, the present developed a cult following, and gained two Emmys over the course of its run.
The upcoming Season 14 follows Hank and his spouse Peggy (Kathy Najimy) as they return and readjust to Arlen, after spending years residing in Saudi Arabia promoting propane to earn their retirement cash. Their son Bobby, beforehand a baby within the unique sequence, is now an grownup working a restaurant in Dallas along with his childhood associates. Alongside Decide, Najimy, and Adlon, the revival additionally options Johnny Hardwick, Stephen Root, and Lauren Tom in the primary solid. As well as, Huss will take over the position of Dale Gribble, beforehand voiced by the late Johnny Hardwick. Deceased voice actors Brittany Murphy and Tom Petty, who voiced the characters of Luanne and Fortunate, won’t be recast for the revival. As well as, Season 14 will function the late Jonathan Joss, who was shot and killed this June, in his remaining look because the character John Redcorn.
“King of the Hill” comes from twentieth Tv Animation, and is government produced by unique co-creators Mike Decide and Greg Daniels. Saladin Patterson serves as showrunner and government produces, alongside 3 Arts’ Michael Rotenberg and Howard Klein and Bandera Leisure’s Dustin Davis. All 10 episodes of the season premiere August 4.