‘The Simpsons’ announces new Milhouse voice actor

Everything’s coming up Milhouse again.

In the wake of voice actor Pamela Hayden’s retirement, The Simpsons‘ beloved blue-haired nerd Milhouse Van Houten will now be played by singer Kelly Macleod, Entertainment Weekly can exclusively reveal. Macleod will make her debut as the character on Sunday’s season finale “Estranger Things.”

The episode’s official description reads, “When Bart & Lisa stop watching Itchy & Scratchy together, Marge fears that they’ll start to drift apart… but she has no idea how bad things are about to get!”

Macleod’s debut will see Milhouse in a minimized role, as the character only has one line in the episode — and will appear in a scene where he, Bart, and Lisa are all adults, so all of their voices will probably sound a little different from their usual adolescent selves.

Macleod previously appeared on The Simpsons in 2022 in the season 33 episode “Bart the Cool Kid.” She performed the song “Two Badges, One Mind” in the ep, which also starred The Weeknd and Michael Rapaport.

The musician began her career as a member of the rock band Private Life, which released two albums produced by Eddie Van Halen and Ted Templeman. The band’s song “Touch Me” was featured on the soundtracks of both Wayne’s World and Gremlins 2: The New Batch. 

In 2009, Macleod acted in the short film Slice of Pie, and spent a decade with another band, The Sweet Potatoes. She released a solo album, Wide Open, in 2021.

Hayden announced her retirement from The Simpsons in November and penned a farewell to her various characters, including Milhouse.

“It’s been an honor and a joy to have worked on such a funny, witty, and groundbreaking show, and to give voice to Milhouse (and Jimbo Jones, Rod Flanders, Janey, Malibu Stacy, and many others),” she said at the time.

“Here’s to everyone who made this terrific ride I’ve been on possible,” Hayden’s message continued. “P.S. I’ll always have a special place in my heart for that blue-haired 10-year-old boy with glasses.”

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EW previously revealed that Mo Collins was taking over voice-acting duties for The Simpsons‘ sixth-grade bully Jimbo Jones.

The Simpsons finishes its 36th season on Sunday, May 18 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Fox.