According to an exposé from The Hollywood Reporter, Justin Roiland—the animation auteur behind Adult Swim’s Rick and Morty and Hulu’s Koala Man and Solar Opposites—engaged in toxic workplace behavior. The writer and voice actor, whose 2020 felony domestic violence charges were first reported on last month, allegedly sent multiple women lewd messages and ultimately removed himself from major creative decisions regarding his many series after a major falling-out with his Rick and Morty cocreator, Dan Harmon.
The charges stemmed from an alleged domestic violence incident that occurred in January 2020 with a woman whom Roiland was dating at the time. (Roiland has since pleaded not guilty.) Per The Hollywood Reporter, the news “blindsided both his employers and his colleagues” and led Adult Swim and Hulu to sever ties with Roiland. According to the trade, though, Roiland also allegedly had a history of misconduct separate and apart from the charges. Multiple sources told THR that Roiland would openly discuss threesomes in the office. Former Mad magazine editor Allie Goertz told THR that Roiland direct-messaged her while she was working on a Rick and Morty concept album, asking her to “write a song about 9 Dick’s of different sized and ethnic origins hanging above your face, and then in the lyrics describe how they each splatter you with sem*n.” Goertz said that Roiland also propositioned her and sent her p*rnographic GIFs.
Another woman, who claims she began corresponding with Roiland when she was underage, posted on an anonymous Twitter account that Roiland allegedly told her she “should just run away from home and go into sex slavery YOU f*ckING STUPID fa*gGOT BITCH (!!!) (Jk).”
Roiland and Harmon’s creative partnership was also a source of tension. By season two of Rick and Morty, THR writes, it began to sour, apparently leading the show’s writers to divide themselves into opposing camps. “They just weren’t going to mix,” a source told THR. “Dan is all on the page and mathematical about story breaking, and these guys that Justin hired were like, ‘Look, I drew a turd with eyes, let’s do a story about that.’”
Eventually, as a result of the schism, Roiland reportedly became a rare presence in the Rick and Morty writers room. Staffers told THR that oftentimes they only knew he was at work because they could hear his dogs or his remote control toy car in the office. “You wouldn’t have seen him in weeks, and then you’d see the car come in, which was insane,” said an anonymous staffer. A number of staffers on Rick and Morty, as well as some on Solar Opposites and Koala Man, told THR that they’d never even met Roiland, even on Zoom. Harmon and Roiland have reportedly not been on speaking terms for a number of seasons. (Harmon did not reply to THR’s requests for comment.)
Rick and Morty’s third season, which aired in 2017, marked the show’s first time using female writers. Multiple sources told THR that during that season, Roiland sent a female employee a “really creepy” late-night text requesting that she come to his home; this also occurred around the time that Roiland was freely discussing having threesomes with his partner. “She didn’t want to run it up the flagpole, and then it was just this really f*cked-up, awkward thing,” said a source. Roiland had at least one sexual harassment allegation lobbed against him while working on Rick and Morty; in 2020, Cartoon Network, which operates Adult Swim, reportedly launched a formal investigation into Roiland’s inappropriate workplace behavior. As of now, it’s unclear what, if anything, the investigation found. (Both Roiland and Cartoon Network declined THR’s requests for comment.)
Before Adult Swim and Hulu ended their relationships with Roiland, Rick and Morty had been renewed for a whopping 70 more episodes; the show concluded its sixth and most recent season last December. Roiland both cocreated Rick and Morty and voiced its two titular roles, even after allegedly stepping away from his other duties on the show. He also was the main voice actor on Hulu’sSolar Opposites and provided voice work for Koala Man. “He knew the power of being the voices,” a source told THR, insinuating that Roiland believed he’d be insulated from termination if he provided essential voice work for his shows. Now, though, both Adult Swim and Hulu have announced that they are continuing their programs without Roiland.
In January, Roiland’s attorney, T. Edward Welbourn, responded to news of the charges by giving a full-throated defense of his client. “To be clear, not only is Justin innocent, but we also have every expectation that this matter is on course to be dismissed once the district attorney’s office has completed its methodical review of the evidence,” Welbourn said in a statement. “We look forward to clearing Justin’s name and helping him move forward as swiftly as possible.”
Roiland is due to appear back in court on April 27.
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Report: Rick and Morty's Justin Roiland Allegedly Engaged in Toxic Workplace Behavior. Roiland—who faces two felony domestic violence charges—allegedly sent multiple women lewd messages, was investigated by Cartoon Network for inappropriate conduct, and rarely showed up for work in recent years.
What are the accusations of Roiland grooming? ›
Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland is accused of alleged sexual assault, as well as grooming underage fans, in a disturbing new report. Roiland was fired from his shows, along with being recast in Rick and Morty, after being charged with felony domestic battery.
Why did Justin Roiland get kicked off of Rick and Morty? ›
After Adult Swim fired voice actor and “Rick and Morty” co-creator Justin Roiland, we now know who is providing the voices of the main characters. Roiland was fired after he was accused of misconduct and charged with domestic violence for an incident that allegedly happened in 2020, Variety reported.
What did Justin Roiland do that was bad? ›
Several young women came forward alleging that Roiland had sent them abusive and explicit messages and made unwelcome sexual advances, including when they were underage.
What are the allegations that brought down Rick and Morty? ›
Justin Roiland, the show's creator, voiced both Rick Sanchez and Morty Smith but was forced to step away from the show after facing allegations of sexual assault. Nonetheless, the writers did not skip a beat, packing the first episode with typical “Rick and Morty” absurdity.
Who is replacing Roiland on Rick and Morty? ›
“Rick and Morty” has finally revealed the voice actors who are replacing star Justin Roiland, who was dropped from the hit animated show after domestic violence charges. Ian Cardoni is the new voice of Rick Sanchez and Harry Belden is Morty Smith.
Did Justin Roiland get cut from Rick and Morty? ›
Justin Roiland, the show's cocreator, had previously voiced Rick Sanchez and Morty Smith, but was fired by Adult Swim earlier this year.
Is Rick and Morty canceled because of Justin Roiland? ›
Tangent. Cartoon Network's Adult Swim cut ties with Roiland in January amid a wave of domestic abuse allegations, and announced it would continue the show with new voice actors to play the characters of Rick and Morty in its upcoming seventh season, despite rumors the show would be canceled.
Who is the new voice of Rick? ›
'Rick and Morty' New Voice Actors Speak Out: “A Literal Dream Come True” Ian Cardoni (Rick) and Harry Belden (Morty) break their silence in this exclusive interview detailing how they were cast in the Adult Swim hit and what it's been like for two unknowns to land the voice roles of a lifetime.
What does Justin Roiland do now? ›
In August 2016, Roiland set up a video game studio, Squanchtendo, which was later renamed to Squanch Games in December 2017.
The full backstory confirms Evil Morty was a normal, innocent Morty, who grew tired of his Rick's arrogance, control and toxicity. As he was a lot smarter, he enslaved his Rick and began hatching a plan to break out the Central Finite Curve that C-137 made.
How old is Morty now? ›
Biography. Currently, Morty is 14 years old, being born on February 6th 1999. He first met his grandfather, Rick Sanchez, when the latter moved into his home after supposedly being absent for 20 years.
Is Rick and Morty still good? ›
Rick and Morty: Season 7 Reviews
This last seven-episode run has been one of the series' best -- weird, creative, gross and emotional. The seventh season has mostly self-contained episodes, injecting a freshness that had disappeared in previous plot-driven seasons.
Why was Rick's voice actor fired? ›
In the fallout from Roiland's firing following allegations of domestic violence, grooming, and inappropriate workplace behaviour, an investigation by The Hollywood Reporter revealed Roiland had had little to do creatively with Rick & Morty since he "simply stopped showing up" to the writers' room during the third ...
Why did Rick and Morty get sued? ›
Daniel Kreps. Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland has been accused of sexual assault and direct messaging underage girls in a new report that comes six months after domestic violence charges against Roiland were dismissed.
What does Morty suffer from? ›
These issues are seen in both Morty and Summer. It is stated in the show that Morty has a learning disability and he is known for having no friends or social relationships in the show. This implies that he suffers from FAS, which would not be a huge surprise due to Beth's drinking problem.
What else did Justin Roiland do? ›
He is well known for being the voice of Oscar on Disney Channel's animated series Fish Hooks, Blendin Blandin on Gravity Falls, the Earl of Lemongrab on Adventure Time and Korvo on Hulu's Solar Opposites (Co-created with Mike McMahan).
What was President Morty's secret? ›
In "The Ricklantis Mix-Up" Evil Morty secretly developed the alter-ego "Candidate Morty" to become the presidential candidate for the newly-democratic Citadel of Ricks. A Campaign Manager Morty was in charge of the Morty Party though he does not take his own candidate seriously at first.
What did Rick and Morty's creator do? ›
NBC News obtained the criminal complaint in the case, which charges Roiland, 42, with one felony count of domestic battery with corporal injury and one felony count of false imprisonment by menace, violence, fraud and/or deceit. NBC News is the first to report publicly on the case.
Did Morty get assaulted? ›
It was later clarified that the King did in fact try to rape Morty and that he had committed rape prior to Morty showing up.
