​’The Simpsons’ is one of the most beloved shows of all time, but do you know the actors behind Homer, Marge, Bart and Lisa? Read on to learn all about them.  Read More Entertainment 

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Over the course of its unparalleled 30-plus years on the air, The Simpsons has become not just a TV show but a certified pop cultural powerhouse with multiple generations of devoted fans. 

The voices of the Simpson family are just as recognizable as their yellow-skinned, googly-eyed animated forms, and the characters are such icons that it’s easy to forget the actors who play them have done any projects outside the show. In fact, sometimes it’s a bit startling to remember the characters are played by real people who can easily turn their Simpson voice on or off at any given moment!

Read on for a look at the wildly talented actors who’ve brought The Simpsons to life ever since the show debuted in 1989.

Dan Castellaneta as Homer Simpson

Dan Castellaneta in 2009Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic/Getty; FOX/MovieStillsDB

“D’oh!” Dan Castellaneta, who voices Homer Simpson (and Grampa Simpson, Krusty the Clown, Groundskeeper Willie, Barney Gumble, Mayor Quimby, Sideshow Mel and other characters), is so closely associated with his signature role that he released a comedy album called I Am Not Homer in 2002.

In addition to The Simpsons, Castellaneta has been in the voiceover cast of many other animated shows, including Darkwing Duck (1991 to 1992), Back to the Future (1991 to 1992), Taz-Mania (1991 to 1995), Aladdin (1994 to 1995), The Pink Panther (1993 to 1996), Eek! The Cat (1992 to 1997), The Spooktacular Adventures of Casper (1996 to 1998) and more. 

Outside of The Simpsons, Castellaneta is best known for voicing Grandpa Phil in Hey Arnold! (1996 to 2004). He’s also appeared in six episodes of Simpsons creator Matt Groening’s other show, Futurama (1999 to 2023).

Dan Castellaneta in 2000Colin Davey/Getty

Castellaneta has acted in live-action shows, and was in the cast of the short-lived sitcom Sibs from 1991 to 1992. He has appeared in episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond (1998 to 2001), Entourage (2007), Castle (2009 to 2011), Greek (2007 to 2011) and Parks and Recreation (2011 to 2014).

Castellaneta provided voices for a number of animated home videos, and he even made a few appearances in live-action movies like Space Jam (1996), The Cat in the Hat (2003), The Pursuit of Happyness (2006), Super 8 (2011) and  Fantastic Four (2015). He’s also played legendary TV producer Aaron Spelling in TV movies about his work and has appeared on the stage.

Most recently, Castellaneta appeared in the 2023 movie Shelter in Solitude, as well as episodes of 9-1-1: Lone Star and All Rise in 2022. He is currently in production on the new series Goblins Animated. 

While he has a prolific resume and one of the most recognizable voices of all time, Castellaneta has said, “I never get recognized, except, maybe, by a die-hard fan.”

Julie Kavner as Marge Simpson

Julie Kavner in 2011Cindy Ord/Getty; FOX/MovieStillsDB

Julie Kavner is beloved for her delightful rasp as Marge Simpson (and her sassy sisters, Patty and Selma), but she’s also brought her distinct voice to a number of live-action roles.

Kavner got her start playing the title character’s sister in the classic sitcom Rhoda from 1974 to 1978. She appeared in TV movies and films like  Bad Medicine (1985), Surrender (1987), Awakenings (1990), Forget Paris (1995) and Doctor Doolittle (1998). In 1992 she had her first starring role in the Nora Ephron movie This Is My Life.

Julie Kavner in 2009GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP via Getty

Kavner is also known for the work she did with Woody Allen in the ’80s and ’90s, and had memorable roles in his films including Hannah and Her Sisters (1986), Radio Days (1987) and Deconstructing Harry (1997). 

From 1996 to 1999, Kavner was in the cast of Tracey Takes On . . . starring Tracey Ullman.  It was a full-circle moment, given that in the ’80s The Tracey Ullman show first introduced The Simpsons to the world.

Kavner’s last non-Simpsons role was in the 2006 comedy Click, where she played Adam Sandler’s mom. 

In a 1994 interview, Kavner said that she’s happy to do the Marge voice for kids who recognize her (and her natural voice is pretty close to her signature character’s, making her easy to pick out), joking, “You can’t turn down a kid, but you can turn down an elderly person.”

Nancy Cartwright as Bart Simpson

Nancy Cartwright in 2022Paul Archuleta/Getty; FOX/MovieStillsDB

Don’t have a cow, man! Yep, Bart Simpson is voiced by a woman, Nancy Cartwright, and she even titled her 2000 memoir My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy. Like Dan Castellaneta, Cartwright (who also voices the mostly non-speaking Maggie Simpson, Ralph Wiggum, Todd Flanders and Nelson Muntz) has a long and varied list of voiceover credits to her name.

Before The Simpsons, Cartwright was in a number of live-action TV movies and provided voices for Richie Rich (1980 to 1983), Alvin & the Chipmunks (1984 to 1985) and My Little Pony (1986 to 1987). Since playing Bart, she’s lent her voice to Goof Troop (1992), The Critic (1994 to 1995), Animaniacs (1993 to 1996), Kim Possible (2002 to 2007) and other animated shows.

Nancy Cartwright in 2000Colin Davey/Getty

Aside from Bart, Cartwright has voiced Chuckie Finster in Rugrats since 2002. She reprised the role in a variety of Rugrats videos, as well as the spinoff series All Grown Up (2003 to 2008) and the current reboot. 

Cartwright’s film roles include Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983), Godzilla (1998) and, most recently, Borrego (2022). In 2017, she cowrote the screenplay for In Search of Fellini, a film inspired by her early years as an actress. 

This year, Cartwright was in the news for a surprising reason: Being the aunt of pop star Sabrina Carpenter. The “Espresso” singer said having Bart as her aunt is “just the coolest thing in the world to me.”

In her memoir, Cartwright reflected on being recognizable only for her voice, saying, “It is quite a curiosity being a celebrity that nobody knows . . . The anonymity factor is such a unique aspect of this job. I must admit, sometimes I wish it were different.”

Yeardley Smith as Lisa Simpson

Yeardley Smith in 2024Paul Archuleta/Getty; FOX/MovieStillsDB

Unlike her castmates, Yeardley Smith, the sweet and smart voice of Lisa Simpson, hasn’t done much voice acting outside of The Simpsons. 

Smith was in the cast of the live-action sitcoms Brothers (1984 to 1989), Herman’s Head (1991 to 1994) and Dharma & Greg (1997 to 2002), and she’s appeared in movies like The Legend of Billie Jean (1985), Maximum Overdrive (1986), Toys (1992), As Good as It Gets (1997) and Virginia (2010). 

Yeardley Smith in 2000Colin Davey/Getty

Smith has also produced a number of films, starred in a biographical one-woman show, and written a children’s book. She most recently acted in the films Who Are You People (2023) and Possessions (2024), and currently hosts Small Town Dicks, a true crime podcast. 

Looking back on her long journey with Lisa, Smith said, “I don’t think that you can play a part this long and not meld with that alter ego. I always say, thank God she’s such a beautiful, brilliant, funny, compassionate, thoughtful, curious person. If I had to meld with Mr. Burns for the last 30-plus years, I think I would be a different person, you know?”