After 28 years, the upcoming revival ofKing of the Hillhas recast one of the show’s original voice actors. Several of the original show’s voice actors couldn’t return for theupcomingKing of the Hillrevival. Johnny Hardwick (Dale), for example, sadly passed away in 2023, before he could record lines. Given Dale’s importance to the show, Toby Huss was brought in to play him.
Now, Disney has confirmed that one originalKing of the Hillcharacter won’t be voiced by his original voice actor.Toby Huss, who originally voiced Kahn Souphanousinphone, has been replaced by Ronny Chieng. Chieng is known for movies likeCrazy Rich AsiansandM3GAN. Huss is still tied toKing of the Hill, as he’s set to voice Dale.
The decision to recast Kahn is a simple result of changing times. Huss is a white man, while Kahn is a first-generation Laotian immigrant.King of the Hillco-creator Greg Danielshas already said that Chieng, a Malaysian-Chinese American, would be more appropriate to voice Kahn. It’s not unheard-of:Family GuyandBig Mouthreplaced white voice actors who portrayed Black characters.
Like, if we were casting [Kahn] today, we wouldn’t have cast [Toby Huss]. But we cast it in 1997. Most animation casts play multiple roles, and Toby Huss initially played [Hank’s father] Cotton Hill and was cast for that, and then Kahn came up later. And most productions, especially back then, didn’t have the budget to hire a special performer for each voice. But it’s different now.
What Kahn’s Recasting Means For The King Of The Hill Revival
Kahn’s Voice Will Sound Different, But Ronny Chieng Is A Great Pick For King Of The Hill
The clearest impact of Kahn’s recasting inKing of the Hill’s revival is that he’ll simply sound different.It’s not yet clear if Ronny Chieng will attempt to emulate Toby Huss' voice that he used while playing Kahn or if he’ll speak normally. Huss, for example, seems to be emulating Johnny Hardwick’s voice while playing Dale, and Chieng may do the same for Kahn.
Even if Chieng does decide to take Kahn in a different direction, he seems like a great pick for theKing of the Hillrevival. Chieng is one of the more prominent comedians in Hollywood these days, with hits like his stint onThe Daily ShowandCrazy Rich Asiansunder his belt.If anyone other than Huss is qualified to play Kahn, it’s Chieng.
Unfortunately, recasting Kahn is also likely going to draw some bad publicity for theKing of the Hillrevival.Though he’s a fairly minor side character, and Chieng is a more inclusive choice to voice Kahn, there will likely be those who consider the decision “woke.“It could be just like how the decisions to recast Cleveland inFamily Guyor to stop using Apu inThe Simpsonswere criticized.
Our Take On Kahn’s Recasting In The King Of The Hill Revival
Ronny Chieng Should Make A Great Voice Actor For Kahn
I’m personally excited about this news of Kahn’s recasting.While I did like Toby Huss' version of the character, I think Ronny Chieng will do an even better job of playing Kahn. His lived experience as an Asian-American may even help Kahn’s jokes get even better inKing of the Hillseason 14, and Kahn may be even more relatable to more viewers now.
Kahn was a fairly minor recurring character in the original series, but the fact that Disney got Chieng to voice him means he’s going to be used to some extent.
There’s also an implicit announcement in Kahn’s recasting: Kahn will have at least some role in theKing of the Hillrevival.Kahn was a fairly minor recurring character in the original series, but the fact that Disney got Chieng to voice him means he’s going to be used to some extent. I thinkKing of the Hillwill definitely benefit from having him around.
