Comic book fans are no strangers to controversy, and the recent news surrounding Morph, a shape-shifting mutant from the Disney+ X-Men ’97, is no exception.
While the character’s creator, Beau DeMayo, designated him as non-binary, the actor who voiced the character refused to label him as such. John Paul Karliak identifies himself a non-binary, is a queer activist and the leader of an LGBTQ+ organization.
He has voiced many characters in different shows and games, including Wile E. Coyote in New Looney Tunes, Linus in The Stinky & Dirty Show, and N. Tropy in the Crash Bandicoot series. He’s also the voice of The Joker in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.
X-Men ’97 Actor Holds Back Labeling Morph Non-Binary
In an interview with CBR, John Paul Karliak talked about Morph’s character in the new animated X-Men show. He mentioned that Morph is non-binary (meaning not strictly male or female).
However, he explained that he wouldn’t use the term “non-binary” in the show because it’s set in the 1990s, when that term wasn’t commonly used. The Scranton native went on to say:
“There are two things to note about that: first, to the best of my knowledge, we will never refer to someone as “non-binary” because no one used the term in the 1990s. It was simply not a widely used term at the time, not that it didn’t exist. Morph does not have the language to describe his identity, even though it may be similar to what a contemporary individual might define as non-binary. However, as far as using them as a pronoun was concerned, they/them was nonexistent.”
This shows how important it is to consider the historical context. Although Morph’s ability to change shape fits with a non-binary identity, the language to describe him simply wasn’t around back then.
By not using modern terms onto a bygone era, the show stays true to its time period. It will let viewers focus on Morph’s core –his knack for changing form and not fitting into traditional categories.
Representation comes in many forms, and Morph’s very existence as a shapeshifter can resonate with non-binary viewers even without the specific label. This even aligns perfectly with the X-Men‘s core message of acceptance for those who are different.
Morph’s Voice Actor in X-Men ’97 Relates to the Character’s Journey
John Paul Karliak, the voice actor for Morph, feels a connection to the character. He shared that Morph is still figuring out who he is after the events of X-Men: The Animated Series, which sets the stage for X-Men ’97. Karliak also stated in the same interview that just like Morph, he uses humor to cope with past traumas.
Morph is “a character who’s gone through a lot of psychological and physical trauma,” like facing Mister Sinister and even dying and coming back to life. But “he hides and conceals a lot of it with humor,” which Karliak admires. The 42-year-old sees a reflection of his own LGBTQ experiences in this aspect of Morph’s character.
X-Men ’97 started airing on Disney+ on March 20, 2024, with its first two episodes. The remainder of the ten-episode first season will release weekly until May 15.
