“Rick and Morty” season 7 premiere reveals new voice actors replacing Justin Roiland
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As soon as the domestic violence charges against Rick and Morty co-creator and star Justin Roiland were first made public knowledge back in January, Adult Swim made it clear that they were both cutting ties with Roiland and continuing with the hugely popular animated sci-fi series. As a result, fans have wondered ever since who would be stepping in to replace Roiland as the voices of Rick and Morty, among other characters.
The show's season 7 premiere on Sunday finally answered that question. The voice of Rick Sanchez is now performed by Ian Cardoni, while Harry Belden provides the voice of Morty Smith. John Allen has also replaced Roiland as the voice of recurring character Mr. Poopy Butthole, whose descent into substance abuse is the focus of the season 7 premiere episode, titled "How Poopy Got His Poop Back" (no, we did not make that up).
Adult Swim The main cast of 'Rick and Morty' in the season 7 premiere.
According to actor bios provided by Adult Swim, Belden is an actor from Chicago and has worked at several theaters there. His TV roles include Joe Pera Talks with You, Chicago Med, and Proven Innocent. Cardoni is a Boston-area native who now resides in Los Angeles, and has appeared alongside Larry David in HBO's Clear History. He has also voiced prompts for Resident Alien and the WWE. This is the first time that two different actors have played the lead characters.
"For sheer quality of life, it'd be easier for the amount of work required for both characters," showrunner Scott Marder told The Hollywood Reporter, citing "rigorous casting calls" that lasted six months. "We watched it over the years wear down on Roiland's voice. It felt unfair to do that to someone."
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Though the charges against Roiland were eventually dropped by the Orange County District Attorney's office for insufficient evidence, Adult Swim did not resume its relationship with Roiland. A Hollywood Reporter investigation in February revealed that beyond the legal charges, several women have accused Roiland of acting inappropriately towards them, and there were also reports of inappropriate workplace conduct.
"I'm frustrated, ashamed, and heartbroken that a lot of hard work, joy, and passion can be leveraged to exploit and harm strangers," Dan Harmon, who co-created Rick and Morty with Roiland and remains as executive producer and the voice of Birdperson, said in a recent interview.
New episodes of Rick and Morty air Sundays on Adult Swim.
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