Original X-MEN TAS Voice Actors Re-Auditioned For X-MEN ’97 Roles

During an IGN roundtable discussion with X-Men ’97 voice actors Cal Dodd (Wolverine), Lenore Zann (Rogue), A.J. LoCascio (Gambit), Holly Chou (Jubilee), and Ray Chase (Cyclops), it was revealed that the original returning voices had to re-audition for their roles. The original X-Men: The Animated Series literally ended in 1997, so it’s not surprising that producers wanted to make sure their voices still matched their characters.

“The scene that they picked [for the audition] was so obscure,” Dodd explained re: his audition, noting that it didn’t feature any trademark Wolverine moments. “…’What do you mean? He doesn’t yell at anyone here, or scream or be ignorant or be funny, underhanded funny?’ “

“The Chief turns to him and says, ‘the people are very happy, and it’s all because of you,’ ” Dodd continued. “[Wolverine] said, ‘So do I. I feel happy too. I feel, I don’t know, at peace.’ But that’s a scene that they picked me to do, and so unlike Wolverine, the voice that he ends up doing all the time. I found that interesting.”

Zann said she got an e-mail that said “Disney’s gunna be doing some new show. They’re not really saying what it is, but they’re trying to find you. And I know how to get you, so can I give your number to them?”

“They were the lines from the original show,” she continued. “And I was like, ‘oh! It’s Rogue! I’ll just do Rogue.’ And so I did it, and sent it off. And about a month later, three weeks later, I got a call saying, ‘yeah, the producers want to meet with you on Zoom.’ So then we went on Zoom, and they got me to read with Meredith on Zoom, and then at the end of it they were like, ‘oh my god, Lenore, we just love you. Would you please be in the show? Because we really want you in the show.’ I was like, ‘absolutely! You got me.’ “

Source: IGN