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X-Men '97: Cal Dodd, Lenore Zann Share How Their Audition Reads Went

X-Men '97 stars Cal Dodd (Wolverine) and Lenore Zann (Rogue) revealed that they auditioned for the series and shared how the reads went.

Three episodes into Marvel Studios' X-Men '97, it's pretty safe to say that viewers are liking what they're seeing. One of the many reasons for that is the voice cast – an impressive mix of voice actors from "The Animated Series" and new voices stepping into the animated Marvel universe. Speaking with IGN as part of an exclusive roundtable interview, Cal Dodd (Wolverine), Lenore Zann (Rogue), A. J. LoCascio (Gambit), Holly Chou (Jubilee), and Ray Chase (Cyclops), the topic turned to auditioning for the animated series – and that's where we learned even beloved returning voices like Dodd's and Zann's had to audition.

"The scene that they picked [for the audition] was so obscure," Dodd shared. "…'What do you mean? He doesn't yell at anyone here, or scream or be ignorant or be funny, underhanded funny?'" The scene in question sees Wolverine up North, being celebrated by the locals for his uncanny ability to catch fish. "The Chief turns to him and says, 'The people are very happy, and it's all because of you.' [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."

For Zann, the journey to join the series started on a very mysterious note when she received an email lacking in basic specifics – but was more along the lines of, "Disney's gonna 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?" From there, casting director Meredith Layne would reach out to Zann to gauge her interest in the project – but still not sharing what it was. It was only when Zann received the lines that they wanted her to read that she knew it was something "X-Men" animation-related.

"They were the lines from the original show, and I was like, 'Oh! It's Rogue! I'll just do Rogue.' And so I did it and sent it off,' Zann explained. "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 [Layne] 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.'"

X-Men '97: A Look Ahead at What's to Come…

Picking up directly after the events of the "final" episode "Graduation Day" (directed by Larry Houston and written by James Krieg), the series will apparently deal with the fallout stemming from the world witnessing Henry Peter Gyrich shooting Xavier during a Mutant/Human Relations Summit. While Xavier & Lilandra leave for the Shi'Ar home world for Xavier's cure, global support for mutantkind grows. As we've seen in previous previews for the animated series, the X-Men roster will see some changes as Morph and Bishop join the team. Things are apparently so good that Rogue & Gambit consider giving a real-life a shot, while Cyclops & Storm look to continue growing Professor X's dream. Even Magneto was apparently moved enough by Xavier's words & actions to consider giving Xavier's philosophy a try. So, with all of this "happily ever after" stuff going on, what better time for Mr. Sinister to make a return?

Marvel Animation's "X-Men'97" revisits the iconic era of the 1990s as The X-Men, a band of mutants who use their uncanny gifts to protect a world that hates and fears them, are challenged like never before, forced to face a dangerous and unexpected new future.

The voice cast includes Ray Chase as Cyclops, Jennifer Hale as Jean Grey, Alison Sealy-Smith as Storm, Cal Dodd as Wolverine, JP Karliak as Morph, Lenore Zann as Rogue, George Buza as Beast, AJ LoCascio as Gambit, Holly Chou as Jubilee, Isaac Robinson-Smith as Bishop, Matthew Waterson as Magneto, and Adrian Hough as Nightcrawler.

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