Spoiler alert: yes, Dale Gribble does have a new voice actor, but not for the reason you might think. The original voice, the legendary Toby Huss, stepped away from the microphone when the show was revived by Hulu (officially called King of the Hill for a new season). No, he didn’t get abducted by aliens—though Dale would absolutely believe that. Huss is still alive, still acting, and still rocking that nasally, paranoid drawl. But the producers decided to recast the role for the reboot, and they picked Johnny Hardwick, the original writer and co-producer of the show.
Wait, hold up—Johnny Hardwick also voiced Dale in the original run, but only ever as a fill-in or for special episodes? Actually, no. Here’s the real plot twist you didn’t see coming: Johnny Hardwick has always been the primary voice of Dale Gribble since the show’s debut in 1997. Yes, you read that right. Toby Huss? He only voiced Dale in the unaired pilot episode. For the actual series, it was Hardwick—the man who also wrote many of Dale’s most ridiculous lines about government lizards and pocket sand—who brought the character to life. The internet is a weird place where fake news runs faster than a scared squirrel.
Wait, So Who’s The New Guy?
If Hardwick was always the voice, then why are we even having this conversation? Because in 2026, when Hulu announced the reboot, they also confirmed that Johnny Hardwick would not return due to creative differences. He passed the microphone to a newcomer named Ben Schwartz. Yes, that Ben Schwartz—the hyper-energetic guy from Parks and Rec and voice of Sonic the Hedgehog. Imagine Dale Gribble, but he talks like he just chugged three Red Bulls and discovered a new alien conspiracy on TikTok.
Now, Schwartz isn’t trying to copy Hardwick’s iconic gravelly monotone. Instead, he’s giving Dale a slightly younger, more manic energy. Early reviews from leaked audio clips are… mixed. One fan described it as “Dale if he snorted pixie dust and read QAnon forums while on a treadmill.” Pretty accurate, honestly. But before you start sharpening your pitchforks, remember: voice acting is hard, and replacing a legend is harder than finding a decent conspiracy theory in 2026.
New Voice of Dale Gribble Revealed — King of the Hill Revival - YouTube
