Here’s How Ayo Edebiri Was Cast As The Replacement Missy On ‘Big Mouth’

Now is the time to binge every episode of Big Mouth since its seventh star-studded season just dropped, but also because the upcoming eighth season will be its last. They’ve gotta make it to 10th grade somehow!

Back in 2020 when the 4th season of the series was set to premiere, Big Mouth co-creator Andrew Goldberg announced that the voice of Missy would be recast. Missy was previously voiced by Jenny Slate, who felt the need to step down and allow a Black actress to come on board. This was midway through production, so half of season four is voiced by Slate, while the rest is Ayo Edebiri.

Goldberg stated, “Jenny came to the realization that it was past time for her to step down. We supported her, and we had this big conversation with our Black writers and a few Black performers. [They] all agreed that they loved what Jenny had done and appreciated the character that she had created, but that the right thing to do was to make space for a Black actor to play the part.” This is when the team hired Edebiri.

Edebiri was already working in the Big Mouth writer’s room at the time, so the decision was easy. Goldberg explained, “With Ayo, it was very special for us. She was a writer on season five of Big Mouth, so she was already part of the family. She is also new and young. She was in college when she first saw Big Mouth and became attached emotionally to Missy.” Now, Edebiri will finish up playing Missy through the show’s eight season, set to air next year on Netflix.

(Via The Hollywood Reporter)