Co-creator Dan Harmon and EP Scott Marder explain why Rick & Morty recast its main characters with two voice actors. In addition to co-creating the hugely popular Adult Swim animated series along with Harmon, Justin Roiland gave voice to both mad scientist Rick and his grandson Morty. So when Roiland was fired earlier this year in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations, the show didn’t just lose one of its originators, it lost the man responsible for voicing two characters who have become pop culture icons. After keeping viewers in suspense for months about how exactly Roiland would be replaced, Adult Swim revealed in September that its biggest show’s lead characters would now be voiced by two different soundalike actors.

Those two new actors – Ian Cardoni as Rick and Harry Belden as Morty - have now been revealed with the premiere of Rick and Morty season 7, allowing fans to make up their own minds whether Roiland’s replacements cut the mustard. Speaking recently to THR, co-creator Harmon and EP Marder explained the decision to go with two different actors, rather than pick one person to pull off the feat of voicing both main characters. The decision came down to a combination of wanting to split workload, while keeping intact the audience’s ability to believe in the characters. Check out what Harmon and Marder had to say below:

Marder: I did. There were different schools of thought. For sheer quality of life, it’d be easier for the amount of work required for both characters. We watched it over the years wear down on Roiland’s voice. It felt unfair to do that to someone.

Harmon: In retrospect, it’s also smart because we want the fan experience to continue with as little disruption as possible. In a weird way, catering to the idea that there’s been a replacement of a single human being — an auteur — is going to play into the disruption factor. We really want people to keep believing these characters are real.

Recasting Rick and Morty With Two Actors Was the Right Move

The crazy improvisational acrobatics executed by original actor Roiland, sometimes with the aid of alcohol, in order to voice the very different characters of Rick Sanchez and Morty Smith have become the stuff of legend. Marder for his part thinks this high-wire performance took a toll on Roiland over the years, so it makes sense that in replacing the co-creator/actor, Rick and Morty would hire two actors instead of one. Splitting those duties between two actors also takes away the pressure for one actor to pull off the same vocal feats Roiland was able to execute as he developed his characters and, through his performance, the show’s distinctive rhythms.

It’s yet to be seen whether the essence of Rick & Morty will remain intact with Roiland no longer voicing the characters, but the thinking behind replacing him with two actors, instead of putting the entire burden on one person, is sound enough. Whether Cardoni and Belden successfully maintain the illusion of Rick and Morty as real people, as Harmon hopes they will, is something that only time will tell.

Source: THR