Ayo Edebiri has been tapped to take over as the voice of Missy on Netflix’s animated series “Big Mouth” after Jenny Slate gave away the role earlier this summer, a spokesperson for the streaming service confirmed Friday.
The writer, producer and comedian will begin as Missy in Season 4’s penultimate episode and on through future seasons. She has also joined the writer’s room for Season 5, which she had already booked prior to the voice acting role. The series has been renewed through season six.
“I was definitely a very uncomfortable child, so I think the show speaks to that and a lot of those feelings, which still resonate with me as an adult,” Edebiri said in a statement to Variety. “I’m back home in my childhood bedroom right now and on my bookshelf in between ‘A Series of Unfortunate Events’ is Bill Clinton’s autobiography and Nelson Mandela’s autobiography and a translation of ‘The Iliad’ in Latin. I was a true dork. So I don’t think I have to go too far to connect with Missy.”
Slate exited the role in June, saying that, “At the start of the show, I reasoned with myself that it was permissible for me to play ‘Missy’ because her mom is Jewish and White — as am I. But ‘Missy’ is also Black, and Black characters on an animated show should be played by Black people.”
Slate had been with the show since its premiere in 2017. Her character, Missy, has a Black father and a white mother, voiced by Jordon Peele and Chelsea Peretti.
Variety was first to report the news of Edebiri’s casting.
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