In order to prevent a “uncanny valley” feeling and to produce something distinctive and enjoyable, Solar Opposites season 4 decided not to cast a Justin Roiland soundalike as Korvo.
Roiland led the cast of the Hulu show’s first three seasons as Korvo, the extraterrestrial scientist and family patriarch, but was fired in early 2023 after it was revealed he had been charged with domestic abuse. Roiland was also fired from Hulu animated series Koala Man and Rick and Morty, with the latter confirming intentions to replace him in Solar Opposites.
In an interview with Screen Rant, supervising producer Sydney Ryan spoke about the choice to recast Roiland’s role and opt for a distinct voice instead of aiming for a soundalike similar to Rick and Morty approach. He explained that the intention was to steer clear of an unsettling “uncanny valley” vibe. This decision also offered an opportunity to embark on a path of creating something “memorable and enjoyable.”
“When we found out that Korvo was going to be recast, we didn’t want to match the previous voice. We felt it would come across as uncanny valley, or like we were doing a cover song. Solar is a show where weird things are totally normal: the aliens have ray guns that can shrink people down, or they can bring a book to life or whatever you can imagine. We thought it would be funny to take this curveball and use it as an opportunity to do something wild.”
He went on to discuss how Marci Proietto, the Executive Vice President and Head of 20th Television Animation, put forth Dan’s name due to his outstanding performance on another show. “It turned out Dan was already a fan of Solar Opposites, which was awesome, and his audition was hilarious and heartfelt. Korvo’s a complicated character to play because he’s brusque and pissed all the time, but you still love him. Dan threaded that needle perfectly! He’s a phenomenal actor, and we’re so lucky to have him on the show.”
Solar Opposites season 4 streams on Hulu!
