The Shocking Truth Behind Bob's Burgers' Marshmallow Recasting

Summary

Bob's Burgers responds to fan demand and supports representation by reimagining the character Marshmallow portrayed by an accomplished trans Black actress, exemplifying the ongoing drive to match characters' ethnic backgrounds with the voices behind them.

Loren Bouchard, the creator of Bob's Burgers, recognizes his error in casting white cis male actors to voice characters of color and assumes accountability by implementing the required revisions. Additionally, Bouchard has recently confronted a comparable issue within his show Central Park, where a white actress was replaced by a biracial actress to provide the voice for the main character Molly Tillerman.

In 2020, Loren Bouchard, the creator of the show, announced that Marshmallow from Bob's Burgers would be recast. Three years later, it has been officially confirmed that a different actor will now voice the character. Bob's Burgers is an animated sitcom that follows the Belcher family as they try to run a successful burger restaurant business. The show has gained immense popularity, with 15 seasons, a movie, and multiple Emmy nominations. The fanbase of Bob's Burgers is devoted and enjoys sharing their theories about the show.

One of the reasons for the show's continued success is its cast of lovable characters, including fan-favorite Marshmallow. Marshmallow is a sex worker who often finds herself involved in the misadventures of the Belchers and other side characters in the show. She was first introduced in season 1, episode 6, "Sheesh! Cab, Bob?", where she unexpectedly arrives at Tina's birthday party due to a forgotten invitation from Bob. Marshmallow has continued to be a beloved character and has recently been recast, but for positive reasons.

Marshmallow Was Recast With A Trans Black Actress Following Fan Outcry

Marshmallow, initially voiced by white cis male voice actor David Herman, was replaced in 2020. In response to the Black Lives Matter movement, several animated shows, including Bob's Burgers, decided to end the practice of having white voice actors portray characters of color. Additionally, Loren Bouchard, the creator of Bob's Burgers, confirmed on Twitter/X that Marshmallow is transgender.

Given this new information, Bouchard made the decision to recast the character with an actual trans woman of color, which was the right choice. Jari Jones, as confirmed by Bouchard's tweet, will be the new voice actor for Marshmallow. Fans can look forward to Marshmallow's appearance in the upcoming fourteenth season of Bob's Burgers, scheduled to premiere on October 1, 2023. The storyline will continue from The Bob's Burgers Movie.

Bouchard Also Faced Casting Controversy With Central Park

Regrettably, Bob's Burgers is not the sole show by Loren Bouchard that has faced allegations of whitewashing. The animated musical series Central Park, streaming on Apple TV+, also received similar criticism. Particularly, the main character Molly Tillerman, who is biracial, was voiced by Kristen Bell, a white actress. Bouchard took to Twitter to express his apologies for this error and announced the replacement of Bell with Emmy Raver-Lampman, a biracial actress who has been portraying the character since season 2.