JP Karliak is an award-winning voice actor, comedian and LGBTQ+ advocate with well over 100 credits in animation and gaming, and they’re back in a big way as Morph in Disney+’s beloved X-Men ’97 series. The show is a revival of the iconic X-Men: The Animated Series from the ’90s, seeing the returning of the shape-shifting mutant hero while building on the nonbinary and queer character in new and exciting ways.
JP’s impressive resume has him appearing everywhere from Marvel to DC to Star Wars, playing everyone from Wile E. Coyote to the Green Goblin, The Joker, Jaime Lannister, Loki and so many more. They also showcased their versatile talents in 2025’s Smurfs, opposite Rihanna, as both Gargamel and Razamel. JP is also also the founder and president of QueerVox, a nonprofit advocating for LGBTQIA+ voice actors and authentic representation in the industry. To celebrate Season 2, we had the pleasure of catching up with JP to hear about his experiences voicing Morph, getting to know the fans and the importance of queer voices in media. Read our full interview with them below.
Sweety High: It’s great to be in touch again since the success of the first season of X-Men ’97! What has been the most rewarding things a part of this series so far?
JP Karliak: The people. And that includes the cast, the crew and the fans. We record so much of this show in isolation, so getting to unveil a season also means getting to hang out with the many people responsible for its creation (and in some cases, meet them for the first time!). It’s also been a joy this season to welcome a whole slew of new cast members to our merry band of weirdos. Everyone is so lovely and funny, it really adds to the joy of doing this project. And of course, there’s also the fan interactions, and seeing how much our show and particularly a character like Morph (he/they) means to our audience. Partially because of Morph’s queer representation, something that seemed on the rise when our show first debuted, but just a few years later is now so incredibly rare. But also because so many folks… regardless of their sexuality or gender identity… recognize and love the humanity of Morph.
(Image courtesy of Marvel Animation)
SH: The Morph in the original X-Men animated series didn’t get much screentime. Have you enjoyed being able to more fully flesh out that character and their place in the team?
JPK: Absolutely. Morph was invented to be killed off episode 1 of the original series (which they were!). But the fans so adored him, Fox TV begged he be brought back to life. And oh, what a traumatic life it was! I’m so glad as we meet Morph in this series, they are past the most arduous parts of their trauma and X-Men ’97 can be a journey of healing, joy and self-discovery, all as part of an accepting team, but not swallowed up by it. Morph is an individual as well.
SH: Morph also exists in an interesting space as a nonbinary and queer character who possibly has feelings for Wolverine. What has it been like, as a queer actor yourself, to bring those stories to life?
JPK:So rewarding. I identify with Morph on multiple levels. I think this season in particular, being able to see the folly in pining after someone who won’t ever love Morph the way they need is such a gorgeous, relatable feeling, no matter who you are. And really opens up the opportunity for Morph to be less codependent and more themselves.
(Image courtesy of Marvel Animation)
SH: What’s your favorite thing about voicing Morph?
JPK: Aside from the joy of portraying a beautiful queer character that inspires fans in such a dark time? It’s the jokes. Gotta be the jokes.
Also read about: Actress Patricia Summersett on the Legacy of Voicing Princess Zelda and Acting as Storytelling
SH: You’ve also voiced a couple of other characters in the series. What’s it like switching things up to step into different roles like that?
JPK: It’s a lot of fun! I’m mostly known for character voices, which is the one thing I’m not doing with Morph (their voice is basically my voice). So getting to stretch the character muscles a bit is always a treat.
SH: What do you think are your unique talents as a voice actor? How do you feel you’ve showcased your versatility over the years?
I have a very good ear… partly from understanding music, partly from growing up an effeminate queer kid who would frequently code switch his voice for safety. I have that nasty habit of slipping into somebody else’s accent when talking to them, which is not on purpose, and can get (and has gotten) me into trouble. But it’s been a handy ability to harness for character work. I know the subtle “dials” of my voice and how to turn them slightly as needed. I also have good timing. That’s half the battle, I feel.
(Photo credit: Tommy Flanagan)
Also read about: JP Karliak Talks Bringing Marvel’s First Non-Binary Lead Mutant, Morph, to Life in X-Men ’97
SH: What do you think people misunderstand most about your job?
JPK: That it’s easy. Make no mistake, when you book the job, it is not grueling labor. We are not coal miners. But booking that job and enough jobs thereafter to keep the lights on… that is hard. And especially now, with the rise of AI, the merger of studios and general corporate greed that keeps squeezing the pipelines… that is only getting harder.
SH: What advice do you have for anyone who wants to get into your line of work?
JPK: All that said, now is very reminiscent of a time around 20 years ago. There was a big writers strike, reality TV was everywhere and YouTube was still new. Enter the web series. It was an age of making your own stuff. You had to! There was nothing else! And I feel we’re there again. With so much AI crud littered across social media, everybody is begging for authentic stories… even if they’re unpolished. Kind of especially if they are, then you know they’re real! So I encourage anyone starting out in voiceover (aside from visiting iwanttobeavoiceactor.com as I have suggested for years) to meet up with creatives starting out (in animation, video games, audiobooks, your choice) and start partnering on your own work. It can be short, it can be rough, it doesn’t have to be anything huge. But if it tells an excellent story and shows there is talent oozing from everyone involved, it will succeed.
(Photo credit: Tommy Flanagan)
SH: 9. Is there anything else fans should know?
JPK: That I love them, and I love all the love they have for Morph. If you can find the humanity in my grey-faced, shape-shifting mutant cartoon, you can find it in any trans and nonbinary person out there. And that humanity is worth speaking up, speaking out and fighting for. So please do. Every chance you get.
For even more on the world of X-Men ’97, click HERE to read our interview with Lenore Zann, the classic voice of Rogue, who’s returns in the updated series.
