Summary

• The latest season of Rick and Morty has a new cast, with Ian Cardoni taking over as Rick and Harry Belden as Morty. Justin Roiland, the original voice of both characters, left the show due to allegations against him.
• The decision to recast the roles was made to protect Roiland's voice, as it was taking a toll on him to voice both characters. The producers sought out actors who sounded like Roiland to maintain continuity.
• The recasting of the characters hasn't drastically changed the show, as the new actors were chosen for their soundalike abilities. However, there have been some subtle story changes and more focus on minor characters in the new season.

With the release of a new Rick and Morty episode in October 2023, keen-eared viewers may have noticed that the eponymous lead roles had been recast. The irreverent adult cartoon series began airing episodes back in 2013, and follows the interdimensional exploits of a despotic and alcoholic scientist named Rick Sanchez, and his overly-anxious grandson Morty. Noted for its off-the-cuff humor and unique mix of high-brow and low-brow comedy, Rick and Morty has carved a niche for itself in the heavily saturated adult animation landscape on TV. However, going into the show's seventh season, major changes were made to the cast.

In early 2023, Rick and Morty co-creator and star Justin Roiland was accused of several heinous crimes which ignited a legal saga that eventually saw him depart the series. Adult Swim's decision to part ways with Roiland was made in a flurry of negative media attention and was ultimately the right call as the accusations became darker and darker. Considering Roiland's importance to the show both as a voice, and as a creator, it was unclear what the future would hold for Rick and Morty. However, the show plowed ahead with a new set of lead cast and began its seventh season in October 2023.

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Ian Cardoni Takes Over The Role Of Rick

Throughout Rick and Morty's first six seasons, the roles of Rick and Morty were both voiced by Roiland. However, when recasting the roles with new actors, the creators opted to split the parts up and hire two new performers to fill the roles. Relatively unknown actor Ian Cardoni was tapped to assume the role of Rick Sanchez, and the Boston native is no stranger to vocal performances. Though Cardoni had previously appeared in films like Grown Ups and Clear History as unnamed background characters, his biggest break came working for World Wrestling Entertainment as a narrator at WrestleMania 36 and 37 which each had a pirate theme.

Harry Belden Now Portrays Morty

Just like his new co-star, Harry Belden isn't really a household name, but his assumption of the Morty role will definitely improve his standing as a young performer. Interestingly, Belden has no previous experience doing voice over work, but he has appeared in several prime-time television series in smaller roles. In 2019, he played the one-off part of Marco in the series Proven Innocent, and he also appeared in Chicago Med. On the comedic front, Belden had a small speaking role in the live-action Adult Swim show Joe Pera Talks With You.

Mr. Poopybutthole & All Other Justin Roiland Characters

While the eponymous Rick and Morty were the two biggest roles that Justin Roiland played on the show, the co-creator and prolific voice actor also assumed several smaller parts across the show's six seasons. So far, the only other Justin Roiland role in Rick and Morty to be recast is the ridiculously named Mr. Poopybutthole who has been a popular recurring character since the show's early days. The part was assumed by Jon Allen for Rick and Morty season 7, and Allen is best known for anime dubs for shows like Dragon Ball Super, Genshin Impact, and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.

Many of the best Rick and Morty characters have been voiced by Justin Roiland over the years, but Mr. Poopybutthole is the only ing role to be recast so far. Series mainstays like Mr. Meeseeks and The Cromulons have not been recast yet, and it is unclear whether the characters will be retired or simply re-voiced by someone else. It is also unclear whether newcomers like Cardoni, Belden, and Allen will originate new ing characters or if they will stick primarily to the roles they were cast in.

Scott Marder And Dan Harmon Searched For Six Months To Find Replacements

Nearly as publicized as the allegations against Roiland, the search for replacement actors was an ongoing saga that dominated most of 2023. According to Entertainment Weekly, producers Scott Marder and Dan Harmon searched for six months to find replacements for the roles, and they specifically sought out actors who sounded like Roiland. Unlike Roiland's time on the show, the producers hoped to divide the work between two different performers since it obviously took a physical toll on Roiland to voice both characters for so long. Summarizing their decision, Marder said "We watched it over the years wear down on Roiland's voice. It felt unfair to do that to someone".

Dan Harmon also created the hit sitcom Community.

The decision obviously keeps the future of the series in mind since Rick and Morty was renewed for 70 additional episodes in 2018. A new set of cast not only addresses the departure of Roiland, but also opens the door for the series to go on much longer, since Roiland was probably not physically capable of maintaining such a high output for so long. Hit adult animated programs can often become TV staples, and though Rick and Morty is obviously different from many of its contemporaries, it could mainstays like The Simpsons and Family Guy and run for years to come.

How Has The Recasting Effected Rick And Morty?

The recasting of Rick and Morty somewhat overshadowed the actual premiere of the show's seventh season, when the debut episode "How Poopy Got His Poop Back" aired on October 15th. Since Cardoni and Belden were specifically cast for their soundalike abilities, very little changed when it came to the way that the eponymous characters sounded. However, many have noticed ways Rick and Morty has changed for season 7, including subtle story tweaks and the decision to elevate minor characters to bigger roles in standalone episodes. It is unclear whether that change was prompted by Roiland's exit, or if it was in the cards beforehand.

Was Justin Roiland Recast In Any Other Shows?

The primary focus of the Justin Roiland controversy has been on Rick and Morty, but he is actually a big part of several other animated series. Helping to co-create the show Solar Opposites in 2020, Roiland was promptly dumped from the series following his allegations and replaced by Dan Stevens who opted not to mimic Roiland's delivery. Roiland's memorable role as Lemongrab in the Adventure Time franchise was also recast, with drag icon Jinx Monsoon assuming duties as the shrill citrus-based character. Roiland has yet to be recast in any other roles, though it is highly likely that any part played by the disgraced actor will be canned or reinvented.