X-Men 97 was everything I could have wanted. Continuing what is one of the greatest comic adaptations of all time– X-Men The Animated Series, X-Men 97 reintroduced the world to some of my all-time favorite characters. Like many millennials, this show meant something special to me and it was an honor to sit down with Lenore Zann, voice of Rogue, to talk all about it.
Lenore Zann Talks X-Men 97, Fave Rogue Moments, Gambit, & More!
Rogue was the first female superhero I ever saw and I instantly wanted to be just like her. She is strong, sassy, smart, and is also a redhead (with some fun white mixed in there) like me. There was no one cooler than Rogue in my eyes and her character inspired me as a child to push through tough times and try to better myself while also being a good person. As I grew up I learned more about Lenore Zann, the incredible person who brought this hero to life who happens to be a real life hero in her own right. Getting the chance to speak with her is something I will forever be grateful for. I might even have teared up when she called me Sugah. And yes, somewhere on another timeline younger me cannot believe this is real life. Okay, grownup me can't believe it either.
On Inspiring Generations of Fans
Lenore: I had no idea, really, that I was inspiring anybody with my performances in X-Men until about five years ago. We started to be invited to some Comic-Cons […] and that was the first time that the original cast had the opportunity to talk to the fans and to find out that our show actually meant a great deal to people. We had no idea…it blew us away, really.
It was overwhelming when so many people were coming up to us and saying, you made my childhood. You gave me a safe place to go, either after school or on Saturday mornings. I was being bullied in school, I was abused, or I was LGBTQ and afraid to come out of the closet. Whatever their story was, the show really meant a lot to them. […] And now you fast forward to X-Men 97, and to be able to watch the fans' reactions in real life and real time, both online and also at the Comic-Cons we're now going to, it's been amazing.
Favorite Rogue Moments
Lenore: I love a Rogue's tale from the original show. I also love the cure from the original show. And in this one, obviously episode 5 and episode 7 are pretty damn effective for me as an actor to be able to really dig down deep and show how much emotion I can pour into a performance. And I love the fact that Rogue gets to be filled out more. You get to see more of her and more different sides of her than you've ever seen before.
Ashley: I think in the original one, I really loved when she beat down Gladiator. It was one of the first times I really remember seeing her kind of on her own, in the spotlight, showing those boys what she could do.
Lenore: Yes, absolutely! And even when she's flipping Gambit out of her convertible. When he keeps getting in and she just chucks him out of the convertible. I love it. I love her relationship with Gambit. So yeah, I was very sad when I read episode 5.
Gambit's Return?
As a comic reader, I know there is a way back so fingers crossed it happens in the show…
Lenore: Well, let's just say that you saw a few Easter eggs in there. So [we] have to see what happens, won't we? So as I said, it's a story. Let it play out and keep the faith.
And be sure to look for Lenore's memoir, A Rogue's Tale coming in September 2024!
Watch The Full Lenore Zann X-Men 97 Interview
About X-Men 97
27 years after X-Men: The Animated Series ended, X-Men 97 picks up right where it left off. Picking up some months after Professor X’s death, Cyclops (Ray Chase) has become the default leader in Charles' absence. But the world still doesn't trust the mutants, so the team must face organizations bent on destroying them as well as dealing with the unexpected return of Magneto (Matthew Waterson).
X-Men 97 delivers in every sense of the word. As a fan of X-Men: The Animated Series, it was everything I could have hoped for. From the animation style and music, to the storylines, voice performances, and excitement, this is nostalgia done right. Following the format of the original, each episode is self-contained yet also a cliffhanger for the story at large. By staying true to those methods, it captures that feeling that made us tune in every Saturday morning, action figures in hand, anxious to know what happens next. My only complaint is that they are releasing these at 3am ET time instead of on Saturday morning. To me, my X-Men, this is the story we have been waiting on for 27 years.
Season 1 of X-Men 97 is now streaming on Disney+.
*this interview has been edited for clarity and length.
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