“Family Guy” needs a new actor to voice Cleveland, and Wendell Pierce wants to be that guy.
Last month, actor Mike Henry announced he would be stepping aside from the role, saying, “persons of colour should play characters of colour.”
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Responding to the news on Twitter, Pierce threw his hat into the ring to take over voicing the character, launching the hashtag campaign #WendellIsCleveland.
Now that Mike Henry has consciously given up the role of Cleveland,I am publicly starting a campaign to voice the role myself on The Cleveland Show. #WendellIsCleveland @TheClevelandSho @SethMcFarlane_ pic.twitter.com/Ux3F0uk1p6
— Wendell Pierce (@WendellPierce) June 28, 2020
But in an interview with NME, the actor said he still hasn’t been approached for the role.
“I was amazed at this one tweet I put out one Sunday night thinking somebody might look at it and say yes or no and that would be it,” he said. “I woke up the next morning to realise it went viral! That was pleasant and good to see. The producers have not contacted us or anything yet, but we’ll see what happens.”
A number of celebs have boosted the “Wire” actor’s campaign, while Don Cheadle got competitive, offering himself up for the role.
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*conscientiously. sorry, wendell. you bobbled it. that means i'm in! hit me up, @SethMacFarlane! https://t.co/BDj02eWalY
— Don Cheadle (@DonCheadle) June 28, 2020
Yes! I support that! I love myself some @WendellPierce https://t.co/QPRRvrQ0Fd
— Judge Lynn Toler (@RealJudgeLynn) June 29, 2020
If he can play Careless Love on the slide trombone and drunkenly burn his clothes so they don’t smell of pussy, then I stand ready to pen my first episode of half-hour. https://t.co/0W6zAcv90m
— David Simon (@AoDespair) June 28, 2020