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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.
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He has voiced many characters in different shows and games, including Wile E. Coyote inNew Looney Tunes, Linus inThe Stinky & Dirty Show, and N. Tropy in theCrash Bandicootseries. He’s also the voice of The Joker inSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.
X-Men ’97Actor Holds Back Labeling Morph Non-Binary
In an interview withCBR,John Paul Karliaktalked about Morph’s character in the new animatedX-Menshow. 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.
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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 theX-Men‘s core message of acceptance for those who are different.
Morph’s Voice Actor inX-Men ’97Relates 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 ofX-Men: The Animated Series, which sets the stage forX-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.
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X-Men ’97started airing on Disney+ on July 24, 2025, with its first two episodes. The remainder of the ten-episode first season will release weekly until May 15.
Shreya Jha
Articles Published :1042
Meet Shreya, FandomWire’s go-to Pop-Culture Writer. She holds a master’s degree in Journalism and a pop culture obsession that rivals even the most die-hard ‘Star Wars’ and Marvel fans.Her articles have been published in Animated Times, Creator Mail, and The Luxxe Mag. When Shreya’s not busy dishing out hot takes, she is lost in the world of rom-coms.
