Character Lisa Simpson

1 character

1.1 creation
1.2 design
1.3 voice
1.4 development
1.5 personality

character
creation

matt groening first conceived lisa , rest of simpson family in 1986 in lobby of producer james l. brooks s office. groening had been called in pitch series of animated shorts tracey ullman show , had intended present adaptation of life in hell comic strip. when realized animating life in hell require him rescind publication rights, groening went in direction, hurriedly sketching version of dysfunctional family, named after members of own family. lisa named after groening s younger sister, little else based on her. in tracey ullman show shorts, lisa displayed little of intelligence later became known. more of female bart , described middle child , without personality.

lisa made debut rest of simpson family on april 19, 1987 in tracey ullman show short night . in 1989, shorts adapted simpsons, half-hour series on fox broadcasting company. lisa , simpson family remained main characters on new show.

design

the entire simpson family designed recognized in silhouette. family crudely drawn, because groening had submitted basic sketches animators, assuming clean them up; instead, traced on drawings. lisa s physical features unique. in episodes, minor background characters had similar hairline. however, in later seasons, no character other maggie shares hairline. while designing lisa, groening couldn t bothered think girls hair styles . @ time, groening drawing in black , white; when designing lisa , maggie, gave them kind of spiky starfish hair style, not thinking drawn in color .

to draw lisa s head , hair, of show s animators use call three-three-two arrangement . begins circle, 2 curving lines (one vertical, 1 horizontal) intersecting in middle indicate eyeline. vertical line continues outside of circle create 1 hair point, 2 more added towards of head. 3 more points added in front (in direction lisa facing), 2 more behind it. several simpsons animators, including pete michels , david silverman, consider lisa difficult simpsons character draw. silverman explains head abstract due hairstyle.

voice

while roles of homer , marge given dan castellaneta , julie kavner because part of tracey ullman show cast, producers decided hold casting roles of bart , lisa. nancy cartwright intended audition role of lisa, disliked character s bland description—lisa described middle child —and read role of bart instead. casting director bonita pietila brought yeardley smith in audition after seeing performing in play living on salvation street. smith hesitant audition animated series, agent had persuaded give try. smith auditioned role of bart pietila believed voice high. smith later recalled: sounded girl, read 2 lines bart , said, coming! pietila offered smith role of lisa instead.

voice actress yeardley smith

smith , show s writers worked give lisa more defined personality, , has developed during series. in 2000 memoir life 10-year-old boy, cartwright wrote: brilliant wit of writers , wry, in-your-eye, honest-to-a-fault interpretation, yeardley smith has made lisa bright light of leadership, full of compassion , competence beyond years. lisa simpson kind of child not want our children be, kind of child want children be. but, @ time, on tracey ullman show, animated eight-year-old kid had no personality.

lisa regular character voiced smith, raises pitch of voice role. in earlier episodes provided of maggie s squeaks , occasional speaking parts, , has voiced other characters on rare occasions. derivative of lisa, such lisa bella in last tap dance in springfield (season 11, 2000) , lisa, jr. in missionary: impossible . (season 11, 2000)

—matt groening on smith s vocal style

despite fame of lisa simpson, smith recognized in public, lisa appears on screen. however, smith not mind. said, s wonderful in midst of hype show, , people enjoying show much, , totally fly on wall; people never recognise me solely voice. in 2009 interview guardian commented s best job ever. have nothing gratitude amount of freedom simpsons has bought me in life. although smith received primetime emmy award outstanding voice-over performance in 1992, considers unimportant, saying there s part of me feels wasn t real emmy. award creative arts prize not awarded during primetime telecast and, @ time, juried award without nominations. still, smith considers work on show success. if had associated 1 character in fiction, said, thrilled lisa simpson. matt groening has described smith being similar lisa: yeardley has strong moral views character. there lines written lisa yeardley reads , says, no, wouldn t that. former simpsons writer jay kogen praised performance on show, particularly in episode lisa s substitute , able move past comedy strong , serious , dramatic.

until 1998, smith paid $30,000 per episode. pay dispute erupted in 1998, during fox threatened replace 6 main voice actors new actors, going far preparing casting of new voices. dispute resolved, , smith received $125,000 per episode until 2004 when voice actors sought increase $360,000 per episode. issue resolved month later, , smith earned $250,000 per episode. new salary negotiations took place in 2008, , voice actors receive approximately $400,000 per episode. 3 years later, fox threatening cancel series unless production costs cut, smith , other cast members accepted 30 percent pay cut, down on $300,000 per episode.

development

lisa in first televised appearance in night . while designing lisa, groening, drawing in black , white, gave [her] kind of spiky starfish hair style, not thinking [she] drawn in color . lisa s hair points made less spiky.

in tracey ullman show shorts, lisa of female bart : equally mischievous lacking unique traits. series progressed, lisa began develop more intelligent , more emotional character. demonstrates intellect in 1990 episode krusty gets busted (season one), helping bart reveal sideshow bob s plot frame krusty clown armed robbery. many episodes focusing on lisa have emotional nature, such moaning lisa (season one, 1990). idea episode pitched james l. brooks, wanted emotional episode involving lisa s sadness, complement many jokey episodes in first season.

in seventh-season episode lisa vegetarian (1995), lisa permanently becomes vegetarian, distinguishing 1 of first primetime television characters make such choice. episode written david s. cohen (in first solo writing credit) jotted down idea 1 day while eating lunch. then-executive producer david mirkin, had become vegetarian, approved idea. several of lisa s experiences in episode based on mirkin s own experiences. episode guest stars musician paul mccartney, committed vegetarian , animal rights activist. mccartney s condition appearing lisa remain vegetarian rest of series , not revert next week (as common on situation comedies). trait stayed , 1 of few permanent character changes made in show. in season 13 episode of little faith (2001), lisa underwent permanent character change when converted buddhism.

lisa plays baritone saxophone, , episodes use plot device. according matt groening, baritone saxophone chosen because found thought of eight-year-old girl playing amusing. added, doesn t play baritone sax because animators don t know looks like, changes shape , color show show. 1 of hallmarks of show s opening sequence brief solo lisa plays on saxophone after being thrown out of music class. simpsons composer alf clausen said session musicians perform solos not try play @ second grade level , instead think of lisa player.

personality


—yeardley smith

lisa, despite being child prodigy, sees herself misfit within simpson family , other children due extremely high level of intelligence. shows characteristics seen in springfield, including spirituality , commitment peaceful ways, , notably more concerned world affairs life in springfield, rebellion against social norms being depicted constructive , heroic, yet can self-righteous @ times. in lisa vegetarian , increasing sense of moral righteousness leads disrupt father s roast-pig barbecue, act later apologizes. episodes take shots @ lisa s idealism , virtue signalling. in bart star , (season nine, 1997) lisa, departs typically more genuine nature , apparently looking new cause crusade over, defiantly declares she, girl, join football team. in 1990s, considered odd allow girl play football. however, when coach ned flanders reveals several girls play team, hesitates , claims football not [her] thing . expresses distaste ball made of pig s skin, 1 of girls informs footballs synthetic , proceeds donated amnesty international. upset being unable gain moral superiority, lisa runs off.

lisa said have iq of 159, , in saved lisa s brain (season ten, 1999) becomes member of springfield chapter of mensa. when unable attend school due teachers strike in pta disbands , (season six, 1995) suffers withdrawal symptoms because of sudden lack of praise. demands mother grade no obvious reason. in planet simpson, chris turner writes these traits make lisa more realistic because no character can aspire realism without few all-too-human flaws.

although wise beyond years, lisa has typical childhood issues, requiring adult intervention. example, in lost our lisa (season nine, 1998), tricks homer allowing ride bus alone, become hopelessly lost , in need of aid father. chris turner writes in planet simpson incidents illustrate when lisa s lecturing college professor or mounting yet protest, never becomes full-grown adult trapped in child s body. in simpsons , philosophy: d oh! of homer, aeon j. skoble states although lisa intellectual, still portrayed character enjoys normal childhood , girl activities, plays malibu stacy dolls, loves ponies, obsesses on teenage heartthrobs such corey, , watches itchy , scratchy show along bart. writes, 1 might argue typical childhood behavior, since in many cases lisa presented not prodigy preternaturally wise, fondness itchy , scratchy , corey seem highlighted, taking on greater significance. lisa portrayed avatar of logic , wisdom, worships corey s no better [than rest of us] . when became depressed on being unable pursue dream musician due inheriting father s fingers , having spend time marge in being homemaker, lisa gives on school , becomes juvenile delinquent in separate vocations. stopped bart encourages keep proving wrong , pursue dreams musician.

lisa worries family s dull habits rub off on her, such in lisa simpson (season nine, 1998) worries simpson gene make dimwit later finding out gene goes through male side. embarrassed , disapproving of eccentric family: of father s poor parenting skills , buffoonish personality; mother s stereotypical image , social ineptitude; , brother s delinquent , low-brow nature. concerned maggie may grow rest of family , tries teach complex ideas. chris turner writes in planet simpson lisa embarks on quests find solace yearning spirit [...] reliable source of truth finds 1 believed in: family. other simpsons lisa draws stability, meaning, contentment. loyalty family seen in flashforward lisa s wedding (season six, 1995), in must reconcile love them distaste of cultured fiancé. in episode mother simpson (season seven, 1995) meets paternal grandmother mona simpson first time. mona well-read , articulate, , writers used character way explain origins of lisa s intelligence.

lisa has been romantically linked number of other characters on show, including nelson muntz, voice actor yeardley smith says make match lisa.