Rick and Morty: Dan Harmon Unpacks His Last Conversation with Justin Roiland
Rick and Morty co-creator Dan Harmon unpacks the last conversation he had with colleague Justin Roiland.
Dan Harmon has a storied history with Hollywood. From Community to Krapopolis, the writer has been involved in plenty of projects. Of course, Harmon is known best for his tenure on Rick and Morty. The co-creator brought the hit Adult Swim series to life years ago with Justin Roiland in tow. Now, the creator is finally opening up about his relationship with Roiland following the damning allegations pressed again him, and it turns out Harmon has not spoken with the writer since 2019.
During a chat with The Hollywood Reporter, Harmon confessed he hadn't spoken with Roiland in a number of years. The last time the pair chatted was actually over the phone in 2019. According to Harmon, the discussion left him in tears, and the writer is unwilling to revisit its grittier details even after all this time.
"He said things that he'd never said before about being unhappy, and I remember saying to him the last time we spoke in person, like, 'I am worried about you, and I don't know what to do about that except to give you all the string and also just say I'm scared that you're not going to come back.' But then this conversation became unprecedentedly confrontational." Harmon explained before stopping himself.
"I think that's as far as I get to take the story. At that point, we're no longer both there for it, and it starts to become not only unfair for me to continue but totally uncomfortable because, from there, a friendship goes away, and I still don't fully understand why."
This tense break-up marked the last time Harmon and Roiland spoke while work continued on Rick and Morty. The pair had their own sphere of influence on the show, and as it got more popular, more talent was brought in to helm Rick and Morty. From network executive to former Community writers and veteran show runners, Adult Swim's show worked well behind the scenes. Harmon continued his professional life without Roiland in his circle, and things blew up earlier this year when reports reveal the latter had been arrested in 2020 for domestic violence.
Everyone knows what it is like to lose a friendship, but the loss has different levels. The hurt one feels from falling out of touch is different from the hurt that comes with a damning feud. Harmon's breakdown with Roiland left wounds with the former, and he is now left to move forward. Rick and Morty has since parted ways with Roiland given the number of harassment allegations against him. This October will mark the launch of Rick and Morty season seven, the show's first outing without Roiland at helm as writer-actor. So if you want to see how the show navigates this change, you can tune into the big premiere on October 15th.
What do you think about this latest conversation with Harmon? Do you plan on tuning into Rick and Morty season seven? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!
