Another set of troubling allegations of sexual misconduct have surfaced via a recent report about ousted Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland. The irreverent animator is once again in the news following an article that detailed accusations from others about inappropriate text exchanges, as well as alleged sexual encounters with him (and others in at least one case). Roiland's attorney spoke out about the latest troubling reports surrounding the animator as the news circulates about other possible misdeeds by Roiland.
A recent report from NBC News centered on extended interviews with several of the women and nonbinary individuals who'd previously shared their accounts of past experiences they allegedly had with Justin Roiland. Following stories, including one in which a woman claimed Roiland forced her to give him oral sex after she initially refused, his attorney Andrew Brettler gave the following reaction to the report:
False and defamatory.
Beyond the aforementioned story, Roiland allegedly messaged many women over the years. These women, some of whom were underage then, shared their conversations with him for the article. The exchanges often featured Roiland calling them attractive and offering to fly them out to hang out. One woman recalled drinking heavily with Roiland while she was under the legal drinking age and having sex with him and another woman. The woman said the experience left her traumatized, and the power dynamic Roiland held in the situation made her uncomfortable with the experience.
This was just one of many accounts of which NBC News said it had evidence of exchanges via text messaging and other online conversations. One common theme between the meet-ups with Roiland and fans was that another woman was reportedly involved, and Roiland would allegedly encourage sexual acts between them in addition to encounters with him.
In addition to the above statement he gave, Andrew Brettler added that some of the accounts featured in the article had already existed online ahead of its release. The report comes months after the dismissal of charges against Justin Roiland for domestic violence, which ultimately led to the animator being dismissed from Rick and Morty. Roiland also stepped down from his gaming company and was ousted from his series Solar Opposites as well. After the charges were dismissed, Roiland posted the following statement on social media:
justice pic.twitter.com/1q9M4GA6MVMarch 22, 2023
To date, Justin Roiland has not been invited back to any of his biggest animated projects. As for the characters he's voiced, Dan Stevens has stepped up for Solar Opposites to replace him, and Rick and Morty will use a soundalike actor when it returns for Season 7. Justin Roiland also hasn't made any major announcements regarding a comeback or a return to the world of adult animation.
Rick and Morty Season 7 will premiere on Adult Swim on Sunday, October 15th, at 11:00 p.m. ET. No doubt there will be many tuning in to see how the show references Justin Roiland's exit, if at all, and how it'll fare without his presence.
