Hank Azaria: The Man Behind The Simpsons Voices

Summary

In this article, we will delve into the life and career of Hank Azaria, an American Jewish actor famous for his work on The Simpsons, The Birdcage, and Spamalot on Broadway. We will cover his upbringing, his experience voicing over a hundred characters on The Simpsons, his personal life, and his current projects.

Hank Azaria’s Early Life and Career
The Simpsons and Azaria’s Voice Acting Career
Hank Azaria’s Personal Life
Current Projects
Conclusion

Hank Azaria’s Early Life and Career

Hank Azaria was born on April 25, 1964, in Queens, New York. His family is originally from Spain and speaks a dialect of Spanish called Ladin. They later moved to Greece, where Azaria spent a significant portion of his childhood. Growing up, Azaria was exposed to different cultures and languages, including Spanish, Greek, and English.

Azaria attended Tufts University in Boston, where he studied drama. After graduation, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. He started out doing stand-up comedy and had small roles in TV shows and movies.

The Simpsons and Azaria’s Voice Acting Career

In 1989, Azaria joined the cast of The Simpsons, a half-hour show that had just started airing. He initially auditioned for the roles of Mo and Chief Wiggum but ended up voicing many other characters, including Moe Szyslak, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Chief Wiggum, Comic Book Guy, and many more. He has voiced over a hundred characters on the show, with around 30 consistent running characters.

Azaria’s ability to voice so many different characters with distinct voices and personalities has made him a legend in the voice acting world. He has won several Emmy Awards for his work on The Simpsons.

Azaria stopped voicing Apu five or six years ago due to controversy surrounding the character’s portrayal of Indian people. However, he continues to appear visually on the show.

Hank Azaria’s Personal Life

Azaria is married to Katie Wright, a former actress. They have one child together. Azaria has dated many people in show business and civilians, including a medical examiner and a woman who did autopsies.

Azaria is 6 feet tall and will turn 57 in April 2022. He does not drink alcohol but does sing on occasion, both on The Simpsons and on Broadway. He does not speak Spanish fluently, but he grew up in a Spanish-speaking household and understands the language.

Current Projects

Azaria currently has a podcast called The Jim Brockmire Podcast, where he interviews sports and entertainment figures. He also played the lead role in the TV series Brockmire, which aired from 2017 to 2020. In the show, he played a baseball announcer who suffers from alcoholism and depression.

Conclusion

Hank Azaria’s career has spanned several decades and has made him a household name in the entertainment industry. His ability to voice so many different characters on The Simpsons has made him a legend in the voice acting world, and his work on Broadway and in TV and movies has earned him critical acclaim. Despite controversy surrounding some of his characters, Azaria remains one of the most talented and versatile actors of his generation.