‘Rick and Morty’ co-creator Justin Roiland accused of domestic violence has been a problem at work for years

On January 13, we learned that Justin Roiland, co-creator of ‘Rick and Morty’, among other things in the television industry, was charged with the felony domestic violence. Less than two weeks later, the producer of the hit animated series stepped in and fired him. Even though now is the time where Roiland’s behavior is having consequences, his attitude has been a problem for years.

Several of Roiland’s anonymous colleagues have explained that working with Roiland made them feel uncomfortable for years. As revealed by The Hollywood Reporter, among other events, Roiland once paraded a porn actress into the writers’ room of “Rick and Morty,” on another occasion she spoke openly about her sexual tastes at work and He was involved in at least one alleged sexual harassment case during the series’ third season, only the first season in which female writers were hired. After these kinds of events, in 2020, Cartoon Network (from which Adult Swim was born) carried out a formal investigation into Roiland’s business conduct. It is not known what actions were taken in this regard, if any.

The sources of this American medium also explain that Roiland, in addition to voicing the strange character, has not had creative importance in any of his series for a long time. More than one member of the workforce says they haven’t heard it for years and that when he did hear it he was unpleasant. Not even Dan Harmon, the other creator of ‘Rick and Morty’, has contact with him, they haven’t spoken for a few seasons. “While Harmon wrote really funny jokes, Justin did some really funny drawings. This, combined, is what led to the clever and silly mix that became Rick and Morty”, says a series contact. What in a few days were two key people to create the successful formula of “Rick and Morty”, ended up being a dead relationship. The problems started very early, as soon as they finished the first season and moved on to the next.

When season 2 started, Harmon wanted it to be better, so he hired some ‘Community’ writers. As they revealed to Entertainment Weekly, from here Roiland has not been treated with the same importance that they had given him the previous season. The work area began to split into factions: “There were Dan’s boys and Justin’s boys and they weren’t going to mix”. During this season, Roiland literally started drifting apart. He sat so far away from the other writers that to read the blackboard he had to get binoculars from the room. “It was a visual representation of the issue that was brewing. Roiland also loved VR and was like, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we could do this show in VR and never have to be together?'” An anonymous witness tells us.

Once production on season three began, the bad work environment escalated. Roiland was “cranky, conceited, uncommunicative and grumpy, as if he always wanted to do something else”, explains a source to Entertainment Weekly. According to another, he also frequently quit his job, went shopping for toys or Nerf guns and “I played the rest of the day and we couldn’t work.” He also interrupted work with silly questions like “what if his brain is out?”. Various sources say that everything was easier when Roiland was not present. During the development of this same season, the ‘Rick and Morty’ co-creator has started to stop appearing for work, it could be weeks before they see him back in the offices. When he appeared, he spoke openly about his predilection for certain sexual practices and, on another occasion, sent a message to a worker “really creepy” late at night asking her to come to his house.

The relationship between the two creators has gone through such bad times that the series has hired a mediator to try to save it. Since its 2018 renewal for another 70 episodes, Roiland’s participation in “Rick and Morty” has largely consisted only of voicing one character, for those who had no decision-making power and recorded from home. It’s been years since anyone remembered him in the writers’ room of the series.

Despite the fact that he was barely part of the creative decisions of ‘Rick and Morty’, his name was important in the animation industry which is why they asked him to attend fan conventions or public events. Normally, he did this under the influence of alcohol: “a couple of drinks before, shots of vodka or whatever during”Roiland himself explained in 2019. And this when he went to the events, Entertainment Weekly explains that he either abandoned the plan at the last minute with some excuse or that he didn’t even introduce himself directly. While his behavior angered colleagues, they say executives often dismissed him as such “the eccentricity of a rare genius”. At least six people told THR that Roiland failed to show up for important meetings.

After the allegations of January 13, more of Roiland’s victims decided to bring up horrific messages they received from him. Among others, to former Mad magazine editor Allie Goertz, he wrote: “Can you write a song about nine penises of different sizes and ethnicities coming out of your face and then in the lyrics describe how each one sprays you with his cum?”. Another woman claims she was a minor when she told her: “You should run away from home and become a sex slave, you fucking fagot bitch.” Roiland’s old interviews don’t make it any better, in 2011, in a podcast, he said he would be attracted to “a fucking 14 year old girl who looks 18 and has big boobs.”

their layoffs

Roiland was stripped of his lucrative Disney 20th Television Animation contract, and both Adult Swim (‘Rick and Morty’) and Hulu (‘Solar Opposites’, ‘Koala Man’) aired onstatements in which they formalize that they have cut ties with him. Squanch Games, the video game studio he co-founded in 2016, has announced that he has stepped down as CEO. The trial will take place at the end of April.