The Simpsons’ Cast Flew To New York For Iconic ‘Lisa’s Substitute’ Episode With Dustin Hoffman

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An interesting story has emerged that makes one of the greatest episodes of The Simpsons even more special. James L. Brooks, who co-created the show, recently answered questions on Reddit to promote his new movie, Ella McCay. It’s his first feature film in 15 years and tells the story of a hopeful, thirty-something politician dealing with a complicated family and personal struggles.

Despite some curiosity about the new film, many fans were eager to ask questions about The Simpsons directly to its creator, Brooks, and he was happy to answer them. He even shared an interesting behind-the-scenes detail explaining what makes one of the show’s best episodes so effective.

The Simpsons Cast Flew To New York To Record “Lisa’s Substitute” With Dustin Hoffman

When asked during a Reddit Q&A session about his favorite Simpsons episode, Brooks chose season 2, episode 19, “Lisa’s Substitute.” With over 800 episodes to choose from, he explained that this episode—where Lisa’s teacher, Miss Hoover, gets Lyme disease and a substitute teacher fills in—is his favorite.

Dustin Hoffman makes a surprise, uncredited appearance as Mr. Bergstrom, a substitute teacher who gets Lisa excited about learning again with his energetic and creative lessons. Lisa finds herself connecting with Mr. Bergstrom, but ultimately realizes how much she still appreciates Homer as a silly, loving, and supportive dad.

James L. Brooks said the show’s producers decided to fly the entire cast of The Simpsons to New York for a recording session. This was so that Yeardley Smith, who voices Lisa, could record her scenes directly with guest star Philip Seymour Hoffman. Brooks felt this unusual method really helped create a more believable and natural interaction between Lisa and Mr. Bergstrom.

Putting Yeardley Smith In The Same Room As Hoffman Made All The Difference

Having Smith and Hoffman record their lines together was a brilliant idea and really improved the final result. Usually, voice actors record separately, and their lines are later combined in editing. But this often makes the conversation feel unnatural and lacks the energy that comes from real interaction between characters.

When Smith met acting legend Mr. Bergstrom, Lisa’s deep admiration for him became clear. Just as Lisa had a teacher who truly loved teaching, Smith was inspired by a phenomenal actor at the peak of his career. This clever behind-the-scenes approach helped make “Lisa’s Substitute” one of the most popular and cherished episodes of The Simpsons.

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2025-12-05 15:58