Justin Roiland is an American voice actor, animator, writer, and producer best known for co-creating the Adult Swim animated series Rick and Morty alongside Dan Harmon.
He voiced both Rick Sanchez and Morty Smith from the show’s premiere in 2013 until Adult Swim cut ties with him in January 2023.
Who is Justin Roiland?
Justin Roiland is a California-born creator whose career spans voice acting, animation, writing, producing, and video game development.
He co-created Rick and Morty, one of the most watched animated series in Adult Swim history, and built a parallel creative empire through his production and gaming ventures.
Beyond Rick and Morty, he co-created Solar Opposites for Hulu and founded the video game studio Squanch Games.
His work also reached Disney and Cartoon Network audiences through roles in Fish Hooks, Gravity Falls, and Adventure Time.
In January 2023, domestic violence charges that had been filed in 2020 became public, leading Adult Swim and Hulu to cut ties with him.
The Orange County District Attorney’s office dismissed all charges in March 2023 due to insufficient evidence.
Early Life of Justin Roiland
Justin Roiland grew up on an almond orchard in Manteca, California, with his parents and a younger sister named Amy, who went on to become a fashion designer.
That childhood in California’s Central Valley shaped his dry, observational humor and his comfort with outsider storytelling.
He attended Sierra High School through most of his teen years before transferring to Manteca High School, from which he graduated in 1998. Later, he attended Modesto Junior College.
His early creative instincts were clear from a young age. Roiland gravitated toward animation, comedy writing, and voice performance well before he had any formal industry connections.
Justin Roiland Age / Birthday
Justin Roiland is 46 years old as of 2026, born on February 21, 1980.
His zodiac sign is Pisces, a sign often associated with imaginative thinking and an instinct for storytelling. Both traits show up clearly in the work he built across two decades.
He spent his mid-forties navigating the legal and professional fallout of 2023, with his industry standing largely on hold as of 2026.
Justin Roiland Ethnicity and Nationality
Justin Roiland is American by nationality, born and raised in Manteca, California. He has not publicly detailed his ethnic background beyond his American identity.
His family background in California’s Central Valley gave him a grounded, working-class sensibility that runs through much of the humor he developed for his shows.
Justin Roiland Education
Roiland attended Sierra High School in Manteca before transferring to Manteca High School, graduating in 1998. He then enrolled at Modesto Junior College in Modesto, California.
His formal education did not take him far into a traditional degree path. Instead, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in entertainment directly.
That decision put him in the orbit of Channel 101, the monthly short film festival where he would eventually meet Dan Harmon and set the foundation for his biggest creative work.
Justin Roiland Career
Early Work and Channel 101 (2004–2012)
Roiland moved to Los Angeles in the early 2000s and began working on animated projects and short films.
He joined Channel 101, a monthly short-film festival co-founded by Dan Harmon and Rob Schrab, in 2005.
At Channel 101, he created House of Cosbys, a series of animated short films that gained attention for their surreal comedy. His work there also led directly to his creative partnership with Harmon.
During this same period, he took on voice roles in several well-known animated shows.
He voiced Oscar on Disney Channel’s Fish Hooks, Blendin Blandin on Disney XD’s Gravity Falls, and the Earl of Lemongrab on Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time.
He also appeared as a regular on Comedy Central’s The Sarah Silverman Program.
Rick and Morty and Breakthrough Success (2013–2022)
Roiland and Dan Harmon co-created Rick and Morty, which premiered on Adult Swim on December 2, 2013.
The show follows the misadventures of nihilistic scientist Rick Sanchez and his nervous grandson Morty Smith, both voiced by Roiland.
The series became a cultural phenomenon. Roiland’s improvisational approach to dialogue, often recorded in a single take with loose scripting, defined the show’s anarchic energy.
Rick and Morty earned Emmy Award recognition and built one of the most devoted audiences in adult animation.
Alongside Rick and Morty, Roiland co-created Solar Opposites with Mike McMahan for Hulu, which premiered in 2020. He voiced the main character, Korvo, in that series as well.
He also founded Squanch Games, a video game development studio originally called Squanchtendo when it launched in the summer of 2016, later renamed in late 2017.
The studio released the comedic first-person shooter High On Life in 2022 to strong sales.
Departure and Aftermath (2023–Present)
In January 2023, NBC News reported that Roiland was facing two felony domestic violence charges stemming from a 2020 incident.
Adult Swim immediately ended its association with him, and Hulu followed within days, removing him from Solar Opposites and Koala Man.
Roiland also resigned from Squanch Games in January 2023. Rick and Morty recasted the voices of both title characters and continued with a new season.
The charges were dismissed on March 22, 2023, by the Orange County District Attorney’s office.
Despite the dismissal, neither Adult Swim nor Hulu reversed their decisions. Roiland had no confirmed involvement in Rick and Morty or any of his prior television projects.
Justin Roiland Awards and Recognition
Roiland’s work on Rick and Morty earned the show multiple industry honors.
Rick and Morty won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program in 2018 and 2020.
The show also received Annie Awards and Critics’ Choice Television Award nominations across its run.
His voice performance as Rick Sanchez and Morty Smith drew particular critical praise for its improvisational quality and tonal range.
Roiland was often credited alongside Dan Harmon for the show’s philosophical depth and humor.
Beyond Rick and Morty, his game studio Squanch Games earned recognition for High On Life, which became one of the most-played Game Pass titles in December 2022.
Justin Roiland’s Girlfriend
Justin Roiland’s only publicly known ex-girlfriend has never been identified by name. In court documents related to 2020 domestic violence charges, she was referred to only as Jane Doe.
Her identity remained anonymous throughout the legal process.
The charges against Roiland, one count of domestic battery with corporal injury and one count of false imprisonment, stemmed from an alleged incident on January 19, 2020. He pleaded not guilty to both counts.
The Orange County District Attorney’s office dismissed the case on March 22, 2023. Spokeswoman Kimberly Edds confirmed the dismissal, citing “insufficient evidence to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Roiland posted a statement to social media after the case closed. He wrote that he had “always known that these claims were false” and expressed his intention to move forward and focus on his creative work.
As of 2026, no publicly confirmed current girlfriend or wife has been reported for Roiland.
Justin Roiland Net Worth
Justin Roiland’s estimated net worth is $7 million as of 2026.
His wealth built up primarily through his voice acting work, his co-creator royalties from Rick and Morty, and the revenue generated by Squanch Games.
Rick and Morty Earnings
At the height of his involvement, Roiland held large overall deals with both Adult Swim and Hulu.
Before his departure in January 2023, those two deals together were generating significant annual income, with estimates placing his combined earnings from the two networks at least $5 million per year.
When both networks severed ties with him in early 2023, they reportedly voided the outstanding contracts, cutting off that income stream.
Squanch Games
Roiland founded Squanch Games in 2016 as a virtual reality game studio.
The company released High On Life in December 2022, which became one of the top-played titles on Xbox Game Pass in its launch month. Roiland resigned from the studio in January 2023.
Real Estate
In December 2021, Roiland paid $2 million for a 10-acre property in Ripon, California, near his childhood hometown of Manteca.
His net worth reflects the reality of his 2023 departures: the loss of his two major network deals and his exit from Squanch Games removed the most significant ongoing income sources from his career.
Justin Roiland Social Media
Roiland maintained an active presence on Twitter under the handle @JustinRoiland, where he posted his statement after the domestic violence charges were dismissed in March 2023.
His production company’s official site is roilandtv.com.
His social media activity slowed significantly following the events of 2023. He has not made any major public announcements about new projects as of 2026.
Conclusion
Justin Roiland built one of the most recognized careers in adult animation as the co-creator and original voice of Rick and Morty, only to lose his major industry roles in January 2023 when domestic violence charges from 2020 became public.
The charges were dismissed two months later, but Adult Swim and Hulu did not reverse their decisions, leaving Roiland’s career in an extended holding pattern through 2025 and into 2026.