Well she certainly has some big, chain-smoking shoes to fill. Kerry Washington is joining the cast of The Simpsons as Rayshelle Peyton, the new teacher to the rapscallion Bart Simpson. The role was previously filled by Marcia Wallace, who played the cigarette smoking, loud laughing teacher Mrs. Krabappel.
Mrs. Kabappel, who had been a part of the Springfield populous since the beginning of the series, was written off after Wallace's death in 2013. Throughout the series, Mrs. Krabappel played a foil to Bart Simpson's attempts at classroom distractions, often meeting his quips with her own wit. She proved, however, to be a role model for the slingshot carrying youth. Later in the series, her character married Ned Flanders, the Simpsons' next door neighbor. Since her death, however, the series has left her role absent.
However, it looks like Bart will finally be getting a new teacher in Ms. Peyton. Peyton, who will be voiced by Scandal actress Kerry Washington, will make her first appearance on April 24, 2022. Her character will be a new, permanent addition to the cast. Carolyn Omine, who wrote the upcoming introduction episode revealed several aspects of the character in an interview with EW. She notes that Bart is a little hesitant to accept her, and finds that he has "he has complicated feelings" regarding his new teacher. Bart recognizes Ms. Peyton, but doesn't know from where. Omine notes of Ms. Peyton, "[s]he's really good at figuring out what the kids need, but she can't really figure out what his problem is until he finally comes clean."
Ms. Peyton will make her debut in an episode titled "My Octopus and a Teacher". Regarding her new role, Washington told EW, "She's a great teacher." She continued,"[b]ut like all the best teachers, she knows that her students have just as much to teach her as she has to teach them. And teaching Bart is a job filled with growth opportunities." In the nine years between Mrs. Krabappel's exit and Ms. Peyton's entrance to the show, The Simpsons filled Bart's teacher's role with several guest voice actors, including Willem Dafoe and Sofia Vergara.
Regarding finding a replacement for Mrs. Krabappel, Omine said:
"I don't know why we've been putting it off. I do miss our dear Marcia, and I think there was a little sadness and reluctance to do it, but it's been nine years. We would have a conversation at least once a year, maybe every other year. We couldn't really decide, and we couldn't really agree. There just wasn't the inspired thought — until we came upon this."
You can catch Bart's new teacher in her premiere episode "My Octopus and a Teacher", on FOX on April 24, 2022.