Ay caramba: ‘Simpsons Movie’ faces boycott

[Brian Damage]

MEXICO CITY - Mexican voice-over actors who have dubbed “The Simpsons” TV series into Spanish for 15 years are threatening to boycott the cartoon’s upcoming movie if they are not hired to dub it.

Gabriel Chavez, the voice of Homer Simpson’s boss, Mr. Burns, told the Mexican newspaper El Universal that his union’s voice-over actors were told they could work on “The Simpsons Movie” as a condition to ending their strike in 2005.

“Gentlemen keep their word,” Chavez told the newspaper.

He said that if Mexico’s National Actors Association is not allowed to dub the film into Spanish, “there will be a boycott across Latin America of the film.” It opens worldwide this summer.

Chavez did not immediately return phone calls to The Associated Press seeking comment.

In 2005, the union went on strike to demand the series hire only its voice-over actors.

Officials at Gracie Films, which produces the series, and 20th Century Fox in Mexico, which distributes the program, could not immediately be reached for comment.

The prime-time animated series created by Matt Groening is now in its 18th season.