X-Men Actor Says Marvel Never Told Him Why He Was Replaced In 'X-Men '97'

Chris Potter now plays Cable in X-Men ‘97, but he originally played Gambit in the 1990s. When X-Men ‘97 premiered in 2024, fans marveled at how faithful it was to the original X-Men: The Animated Series from the 1990s. Not only did the show continue right where the original left off, but much of the cast returned to reprise the same roles they played decades earlier. There were, however, some recasts, and at least one of them was particularly surprising. Chris Potter, who had originated the role of Gambit on the show that made the character famous, would no longer be playing the mutant from the Bayou. Instead, he would play Cable, while A.J. LoCascio would take on the role of Gambit. But here's the weird thing: nobody told Potter he was getting recast or explained why after it happened. “I have no idea,” the actor tells Polygon. Comparing his experience on X-Men: The Animated Series in the 1990s and X-Men ‘97 today, Potter says the biggest difference is an awareness of the fandom. “It was all a whirlwind back then,” says Potter. “Many of us were working in other areas of the business. I was doing the Kung Fu series with David Carradine and this was sort of a side hustle, to be hone