There has been a search for new voice actors for Rick and Morty after Warner Bros. Discovery dropped Justin Roiland. Fans of the show have been eagerly awaiting the announcement of who will take over the roles of the titular characters. Some have wondered if co-creator Dan Harmon might change the characters’ voices and blame it on the multiverse. However, a grassroots movement supports TikTok star SeanKellySays to replace Roiland.
Sean Dorrough, who goes by the moniker SeanKellySays on TikTok, has gained popularity for his celebrity impressions, including those of Rick and Morty characters. Seven months ago, Roiland himself complimented Dorrough on his beliefs. Since Roiland’s departure, fans have flooded Dorrough’s social media, asking if he’s been contacted for the role and tagging Adult Swim. With the spotlight on him, Dorrough has been practicing and can even impersonate characters beyond Rick and Morty.
What Happened to Justin Roiland?
Justin Roiland was recently let go by Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of Adult Swim and Cartoon Network. The decision was made after Roiland faced domestic violence charges brought against him due to an incident nearly a year ago. The severe costs include one count of domestic battery with corporal injury and one count of false imprisonment by menace, violence, fraud, and deceit. Although details of the situation are not public, the nature of the charges indicates a violent episode. Roiland plans to challenge the leaders in court, but both of the felonies he faces are significant and were not taken lightly by the authorities.
Justin Roiland has had a successful career in voice acting, appearing on shows such as Adventure Time and Gravity Falls. However, he is most famous for co-creating and starring in Rick and Morty. Fans of the show were left wondering how it would continue without Roiland as news broke that Adult Swim would be cutting ties with him. The sudden departure of the show’s titular characters surprised many viewers, given that Rick and Morty is one of Adult Swim’s most popular shows.
Sean Dorrough as Rick and Morty
Sean Dorrough is a well-known TikTok creator and voice artist who has been honing his impression skills since he was a young child. At six, while in foster care, Dorrough learned to make a Donald Duck impression from another child and has been hooked on voice acting ever since. After being featured in a Vanity Fair interview alongside Justin Roiland, Dorrough left his ten-year career as an insurance salesman to pursue a full-time job as a TikTok creator and impressionist. During the interview, Roiland was thoroughly impressed with Dorrough’s Rick and Morty impressions and even expressed his admiration, saying:
“That’s scary, scary, scary close. If you were to play that next to me doing it, people would have a hard time knowing which was which.”
During the interview, Roiland was particularly impressed with Dorrough’s Morty impression, noting that he had even captured the unique timing quirks in the character’s voice. Vanity Fair also played some of Dorrough’s popular TikTok videos, including one where he delivered Voldemort’s iconic line in the voice of Lemongrab and another where he made a spot-on impression of Morty. Roiland was so impressed with Dorrough’s say that he reached out to him personally, though the extent of their connection is unknown.
Fans of Rick and Morty have not forgotten Dorrough’s incredible talent and have been rallying behind him to show support. In just a few months, Dorrough has amassed a large following on various social media platforms, with over 2 million followers on his TikTok channel SeanKellySays, almost 3.5k subscribers on his YouTube channel Morty says, and 70,000 followers on his Instagram account, seankellysays.
Despite Roiland’s constructive criticism of Dorrough’s Rick impression during the Vanity Fair interview, the popular TikTok creator has been working hard to improve. In an interview with Insider, Dorrough revealed that he has always been cautious not to overstep as a voice actor. Still, now that the opportunity to voice Rick and Morty has presented itself, he feels confident in his ability to take on the challenge. With the support of his fans and a unique backstory, Sean Dorrough may just become the next voice of Rick and Morty.
