Central Park has added another Hamilton actor to its cast.
One month after Kristen Bell announced that she was leaving the role of Molly, a mixed-race character, Apple has found her replacement with Hamilton and Umbrella Academy star Emmy Raver-Lampman.
Raver-Lampman is the third Hamilton cast member; she joins Leslie Odom Jr. (who plays Molly’s father Owen Tillerman) and Daveed Diggs (who voices the assistant to Stanley Tucci’s Bitsy Brandenham).
Also in the cast are Josh Gad, Kathryn Hahn, and Tituss Burgess.
The re-casting comes after many white characters have chosen to stop playing characters of color in animated series.
In late June, Bell announced in a statement that “casting of the character of Molly is an opportunity to get representation right—to cast a Black or mixed-race actress and give Molly a voice that resonates with all of the nuance and experiences of the character as we’ve drawn her.”
She also said that voicing the character “shows a lack of awareness of my pervasive privilege.”
Bell congratulated Raver-Lampman on Instagram, “I am brimming with excitement to welcome Emmy Raver-Lampman (@emmyraver ) to the “Central Park” cast as “Molly.” Emmy’s infectious charm and sheer aptitude will breathe a new and effervescent life into the character. One that Molly definitely deserves. I have been a fan of Emmys work for a while, and am lucky to now call her a friend. Can’t wait to see you in the park, Emmy. 💜”
Raver-Lampman can next be seen in Season 2 of the Umbrella Academy, which will be released on July 31 on Netflix.
