Netflix’s Big Mouth is closing out its eighth and final season with a heartfelt twist—and one legendary new voice. Emmy and Oscar-winning actress Holly Hunter has joined the cast as a brand-new hormone monster named Compassion. While the series is known for its raunchy humor and adolescent absurdity, this season also dives deep into emotional growth, and Hunter’s character plays a key role in that journey.
We spoke with Big Mouth co-creator and star Nick Kroll about the decision to bring Hunter on board and what fans can expect from this surprising new addition.

“To start with, Holly Hunter is just like… one of our greatest actors, and also a great voice actor,” Kroll told The Movie Blog. “My son has started watching The Incredibles, and Holly is the mom in The Incredibles. There’s something so special about her voice.”

For Kroll and the creative team, the character of Compassion emerged as a necessary evolution for the kids we’ve grown up with over eight chaotic seasons. After years of dealing with hormone-fueled outbursts, heartbreak, and adolescent awkwardness, it made sense to introduce a figure who could help these characters learn empathy.

“It became part of a larger arc for the season,” Kroll explained. “These kids have all been friends and we’ve known them for eight seasons. There’s highs and lows, and when you have a problem with your friend or your family member, one of the hardest things to have is compassion.”

Hunter’s voice offers something the show’s been building toward—emotional maturity.

“If you can find compassion, then you can begin to understand what they’re going through,” said Kroll. “And maybe, if things haven’t been easy for them, hopefully find some reconciliation.”

While Big Mouth has always leaned into crude comedy and exaggerated puberty metaphors, the final season promises a more nuanced emotional arc. Kroll believes that compassion isn’t just something kids need—it’s something adults are still working on, too.

“We’re all still trying to find compassion. Especially right now,” he said. “And Holly… Holly Hunter’s just so talented and great. It’s like drinking a warm cup of tea.”

As the longest-running scripted series in Netflix history outside of Kids & Family programming, Big Mouth is going out on a high—and surprisingly wholesome—note. For those who can’t catch the cast on tour, Big Mouth Season 8 drops on Netflix Friday, May 23.