On June 26, 2020, amidst racial tensions in the United States, Mike Henry, who is white, announced on Twitter that he was stepping down from voicing the character after twenty-one years, stating "persons of color should play characters of color." Actor Wendell Pierce launched a campaign to become Henry's replacement afterwards. On September 25, 2020, it was announced that actor and YouTube personality Arif Zahir, who is African-American, would replace Henry as Cleveland, but some episodes produced before Henry's departure from the role will still see Henry voicing the character. Speaking to Henry, who was to continue to do other voices for the show, Zahir, who was a longtime fan of both the character and the show, said: "..you created something truly special, and I promise I will do my absolute best to honor your legacy." To the fans he said, "I promise not to let you down."