Meet new voice cast of 'Rick and Morty' in S07
The long-awaited seventh season of the cult hit Rick and Morty made its return to Adult Swim (US cable channel) on Sunday. This season came with a significant change—both the titular characters have a new voice cast. The show's premiere marked the first episode without co-creator Justin Roiland, who had previously provided the voices for both characters throughout the series's 61 previous episodes.
Why does this story matter?
Rick and Morty originally came to life in 2012 through the creative minds of Roiland and Dan Harmon. Roiland's distinctive voice talents brought the eponymous characters to life. However, earlier this year, Roiland was fired by Adult Swim in the wake of troubling allegations of domestic abuse. In September, NBC published a report accusing Roiland of using his fame to engage with young women, with one woman alleging sexual assault. Roiland has denied these allegations.
Introducing Ian Cardoni and Harry Belden as Rick and Morty
The Season 7 premiere of Rick and Morty revealed new voice actors: Ian Cardoni as Rick Sanchez and Harry Belden as Morty Smith. Cardoni has appeared in Larry David's Clear History and lent his voice to projects like Syfy's Resident Alien, WWE, and Apple TV+ promos. Meanwhile, Chicago native Belden's acting credits include Fox's Proven Innocent and NBC's Chicago Med. The pair was selected after an exhaustive six-month search involving thousands of hopefuls, reportedly.
The casting process: From thousands to two!
Showrunner Scott Marder spearheaded the casting process, which entailed reviewing thousands of voice actors over half a year. The objective was to find actors who could preserve the show's continuity by keeping the voices as similar as possible to the original. Both Cardoni and Belden stood out among the contenders and underwent multiple rounds of rigorous testing before being finalized.
What is the storyline of 'Rick and Morty' S07?
The animated series revolves around the adventures of the titular grandfather-grandson duo as they traverse the vast universe. The logline for Season 7 humorously quips, "Rick and Morty are back and sounding more like themselves than ever." The logline also hints at intriguing plotlines, including the mystery of Jerry, the possibility of an "Evil Summer,' and the ever-elusive return to high school. Fans can anticipate another wild ride as the series ventures into uncharted territories.
How to watch 'Rick and Morty' S07?
Rick and Morty Season 7 debuted on Sunday at 11:00pm ET on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block. Viewers in the US can catch the show on cable TV alternatives like Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, and DirecTV Stream. In the UK, episodes air weekly on Channel 4's E4, while Canadian fans can watch on STACKTV via Amazon Prime Video.
