Solar Opposites Actor Dan Stevens Opens Up About Replacing Alleged Abuser Justin Roiland

When the creators of Hulu’s hit animated series Solar Opposites needed to replace their lead character’s voice, they didn’t just fill the role, they reinvented it. Following the departure of Justin Roiland after Season 3, fans of the show were left wondering who could possibly take over the voice of Korvo, the alien at the center of the series. Then came the news that Dan Stevens, known for his roles in Downton Abbey, Legion, and the Godzilla/Kong films, would replace Roiland as the lead character. He came in with a new take and new energy to the character.

While many shows would aim to mimic the original voice as closely as possible, Solar Opposites took a different approach, and not just by getting someone with a different accent. In contrast to Rick and Morty, which simply replaced Roiland with soundalikes, Solar Opposites embraced Stevens’ British accent and leaned into it, something Stevens appreciates, as he recently told Comic Book:

“When they were looking for the voice, I just threw my hat into the ring. Mike McMahon found the idea of this angry, very particular kind of Brit very funny. I felt they came up with a very sweet and simple and silly way of just being like, ‘Okay, it’s different now.’ I think maybe in the past it was more of a thing where they’d switch out an actor and just carry on and no one would bat an eyelid. I guess it’s more rare now. I was delighted that they could just switch me in so neatly.”

“For the most part, it seems to have gone down pretty well with the fans. I think, if anything, it serves to just point out the difference between this show and Rick and Morty now. I think the similarities were bound by a certain voice, and now they’re distinct in that way.” The change has “gone down pretty well” with Stevens, too, who genuinely relishes this kind of role, saying:

“I think it’s a real gem, and
I’m such
a fan of adult animation

, I’ve always loved doing voiceover and animation, and I’ve slowly been working my way into that side of the industry. It takes longer than you might think. It doesn’t necessarily translate that, just because you’re in a bunch of TV shows and movies or whatever, that you’ll just sort of end up in these things.
Some people don’t even want to go here, but it’s a real passion of mine. I love doing it.
”

Solar Opposites

4.5/5

Solar Opposites is a Hulu adult animation series that centers on a family of aliens. After moving to America, they bicker about whether the country is better than their home planet. The series was created by Mike McMahan and Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland, with characters voiced by Thomas Middleditch, Sean Giambrone, and Mary Mack.

Release Date

May 8, 2020

Seasons

5

Streaming Service(s)

Hulu

Directors

Kim Arndt , Anthony Chun , Lucas Gray , Bob Suarez

Showrunner

Mike McMahan

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Check out a Clip from Solar Opposites Season 5

The Reason Behind Roiland’s Departure

Justin Roiland’s exit from Solar Opposites came after serious legal allegations surfaced against him, including charges of domestic battery and false imprisonment. While those charges were initially dismissed, additional allegations of sexual harassment and assault from many different people and some truly disturbing text messages ultimately ostracized Roiland from the industry. Rick & Morty, Solar Opposites, and Koala Man all dropped him.

Season 5 premiered Aug. 12, with all 11 episodes dropping on Hulu, and another Halloween special is confirmed for October. With a sixth season already confirmed, Solar Opposites shows no signs of slowing down. The new era of Korvo, with Dan Stevens’ unique voice, promises to take the series to greater heights, offering fans plenty of reasons to stick around and see where this wild ride goes next. Check out the Season 5 trailer below:

Watch Solar Opposites