Roiland’s former fans and dates described disturbing interactions with the animator, with many playing out over texts. One woman said the ‘Rick and Morty’ creator sexually assaulted her, another said she was left ‘traumatized.’ (Warning: This article contains expclicit language.)

In the years following the 2013 debut of Adult Swim’s cartoon phenomenon “Rick and Morty,” its star and co-creator Justin Roiland became a titan of the animation and video game industry and a rock star of youth counterculture. His artistic style and caricatures became ubiquitous in cannabis culture, and his career expanded into producing other animated series, creating NFTs and leading a virtual reality gaming studio. In 2017, a “Rick and Morty” collaboration with McDonald’s led to such a viral frenzy that police had to be called to at least two locations.

But as he partied with Los Angeles’ superstars and traveled the country for conventions, he also found he could use his fame to strike up conversations and develop relationships with young fans, including some who were underage. This is according to interviews with 11 women and nonbinary people who shared thousands of messages with Roiland from 2013 to 2022 — with nine of the people saying he turned the exchanges sexual. Of those nine people, three said they were 16 when they started talking to Roiland. To corroborate their stories, the 11 women and nonbinary people also shared pictures, videos, social media posts, emails, and plane ticket and Uber receipts with NBC News.

Warning: Lengthy and graphic details

  • JdW@lemmy.world
    22·
    1 year ago

    I think this is more of a case like Louie C.K

    You tell me you say that the guy who literally waited for women in their dressingroom naked and started to masterbute as they walked in was just “lacking the ability to really clue in on social cues”.

    I don’t know anymore with these apologists like you. Are you trolling or really this misguided?

    • RagingRobot@lemmy.world
      11·
      1 year ago

      If I remember correctly he asked them first and wasn’t just in their room naked. They just felt they couldn’t say no because he was in a position of power.

      Although I think this is a little different because it involves children who may think they know what they are doing but don’t fully understand yet. So a little different

      • aetrix@lemmy.worldEnglish
        3·
        1 year ago

        I thought he invited the women to his room, and never tried to force them to show up or stay. I’m not trying to defend Louis, the most charitable thing you can say is that it was creepy and weird AF. But If there is more to it, this is the first I’m hearing of it.