Current Voice Actor for Bart Simpson
Nancy Cartwright is the current voice actor for Bart Simpson in The Simpsons. She has voiced the character since the series premiere in 1989. Cartwright took over the role from Daryl Dragon, who voiced Bart in the original Tracey Ullman Show shorts. She remains the primary performer for Bart Simpson across all television episodes, films, and official digital content.
Cartwright is the longest-running voice actor for a single animated character in American television history. She voices multiple other characters on The Simpsons, including Nelson Muntz, Ralph Wiggum, Todd Flanders, and Kearney. Her contract negotiations have included backend participation, and she is widely reported as one of the highest-paid voice actors in the industry. You can find her official credits and interviews on her Forbes profile.
History of the Bart Simpson Voice Casting
The original Bart Simpson voice was provided by Daryl Dragon during the early Tracey Ullman Show shorts from 1987 to 1989. When The Simpsons moved to Fox as a half-hour series, creator Matt Groening and casting director Bonita Pietila held auditions for the role. Nancy Cartwright, who had initially auditioned for Lisa Simpson, was recast as Bart after her performance impressed the producers.
Cartwright has won multiple Annie Awards and Emmy nominations for her work as Bart Simpson. She continues to record dialogue for new episodes and related media. Her casting is considered a landmark decision in voice acting history. More details on her career can be found on her IMDb page.
Salary and Industry Standing
Nancy Cartwright's salary for The Simpsons has been reported in the context of the show's long-term contract renewals. The Simpsons cast negotiated significant pay increases when the series moved to Disney+ streaming. Voice actors on the show now earn a reported base rate per episode, with backend participation in streaming and syndication revenue.
Bart Simpson remains one of the most recognizable animated characters globally. The Simpsons is syndicated in over 100 countries and streams on Disney+. The franchise generates billions in merchandise and media revenue. For broader context on entertainment industry earnings, see the SEC filings of publicly traded media companies, and for related business analysis, read this Bloomberg media report.