X-Men '97: Gambit Actor Reacts to Episode 5

X-Men '97 has been a huge hit with critics and audiences alike, earning a 98% critics score and 93% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The fifth episode of the series, "Remember It," was released this week and it featured some big shockers. Warning: Spoilers Ahead! The show really heated up when a gala on Genosha was attacked by a giant Sentinal, killing many mutants. One of the characters to meet a tragic end was the longtime fan-favorite, Gambit/Remy LeBeau, who is voiced by A.J. LoCascio. During a recent interview with CinemaBlend, LoCascio opened up about Gambit's shocking death. 

"I was sad, I was pretty devastated, especially since this is a character I've loved for so, so long, and then to get to play the character and then to find out they're dying halfway through the season. I was devastated," LoCascio shared. "Yeah, I had to go through my own mourning process in the same way you would with a friend or a loved one in a weird way."

"I mean, obviously not to the same degree, but there was this feeling of, 'Welcome to the world of X-Men!' And then it's like, 'And then you die!' And I was like, 'You couldn't even wait a couple more episodes!' It's very strange and bittersweet. I'm thrilled to voice Gambit in any capacity, so to do it in these pivotal moments was an honor. But yeah, I definitely felt heartsick and sad. Jake [Castorena] and Beau [DeMayo] had to call me and placate me and tell me, 'It's ok, this is a good story.' I was like, 'Ok...' So I felt very sad."

Which Voice Actors Return in X-Men '97?

Original X-Men: The Animated Series cast members Cal Dodd (Wolverine), Lenore Zann (Rogue), George Buza (Beast), Alison Sealy-Smith (Storm), Adrian Hough (Nightcrawler), and Christopher Britton (Mister Sinister) reprise their roles from the '90s series while returning cast members Catherine Disher (original Jean Grey), Chris Potter (original Gambit), and Alyson Court (original Jubilee) voice new characters. The cast also includes Ray Chase (Cyclops), Jennifer Hale (Jean Grey), JP Karliak (Morph), AJ LoCascio (Gambit), Holly Chou (Jubilee), Isaac Robinson-Smith (Bishop), and Matthew Waterson (Magneto).

Why Was Beau DeMayo Fired From X-Men '97?

As fans were gearing up for the release of X-Men '97, the surprising news broke that showrunner Beau DeMayo had been fired from the series. Details of his firing have remained under wraps, but Brad Winderbaum recently addressed the news in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.

"I can't talk about the details," Winderbaum explained. "But I can say that Beau had real respect and passion for these characters and wrote what I think are excellent scripts that really the rest of the team were able to draw inspiration from [to] build this amazing show that's on screen." When asked if he would consider what happened with DeMayo as a "firing" as had been the wording used in the press, Winderbaum added, "I don't. 'We parted ways' is the best way I could say."

X-Men '97 releases new episodes on Wednesdays.