'Central Park' returns with a new character played by Kristen Bell
'Central Park' returns with a new character played by Kristen Bell
Updated on July 20, 2022 11:55 AM by Anthony Christian
Another stroll through Central Park is being taken by Kristen Bell. In season three of the animated series on Apple TV+, the actress will voice the new character of Abby. Abby is the younger sister of Paige, voiced by Kathryn Hahn from Bad Moms.
The mixed-race daughter of Paige and Owen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Owen, Molly, was portrayed by Bell in the first season of Central Park.
As soon as Bell turned over the role in June 2020, she released a statement apologizing for the miscasting. Her statement read, "This is a time to acknowledge our complicity in this crime.
"She continued, "Playing Molly on Central Park shows a lack of awareness of my pervasive privilege. Casting an interracial character with a white actress undermines the specificity of the mixed-race and Black experience.
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In her words, "I am happy to let someone else take over this role, and I am looking forward to learning, growing, and doing my part to promote equality and inclusion." Molly Emmy Raver-Lampman was eventually recast for season two of The Umbrella Academy as Molly.
Jenny Slate made a similar decision about her voice role on Netflix's Big Mouth minutes before Bell made her decision about Central Park.
In an Instagram post, Slate wrote: "I have decided to no longer play the character of Missy on the animated show Big Mouth. In the beginning, I reasoned to myself that I was allowed to play Missy because Missy's mom is Jewish and white, just as I am.
But Missy is also Black, and Black characters on an animated show should be played by Black people."