Spencer Grammer Refused To Quit Rick And Morty For Another Series

"Rick and Morty" has been around just shy of a decade, but if it never went any further, its legacy as one of this generation's most beloved animated shows would already be firmly cemented. A large (and perhaps under-discussed) part of that has to do with Spencer Grammer, who plays Summer and has been a core piece of the puzzle from the very beginning. Sure, her name's not in the title of the show, but some of the best bits and episodes revolve around Summer Smith, and Grammer is owed a lot of credit for that. It turns out she also deserves some credit for sticking with the show, as she was pressured to leave the series at one point.

During a roundtable for Screen Rant in advance of season 6, the actress explained that she was asked to leave the role of Summer behind in favor of another project. This is something she simply wasn't willing to do, however, and she didn't mince words:

"I had been in a situation where I had done another show and they were like, 'Sorry, you're gonna have to leave this,' and I was like, go f*** yourselves, this is the only thing I like.' I don't care if I don't make any money on this show. This show brings me joy every time I read a script, every time I go in there and record this character, I laughed my a** off, I'm proud of the work. I was like, 'I will go work in an office, there's no way I'm not doing this show.'"

In demonstrating a bit of classy restraint, Grammer declined to offer details on the other show in question. Be that as it may, she made her choice and seems to have absolutely no reservations about it.

As Grammer points out, "Rick and Morty" probably isn't a job that anyone is going to get super rich off. Part of what helps Adult Swim function is the fact that they keep budgets for their shows incredibly low, allowing for a great deal of creative freedom. Granted, as the show soldiers on, the actors are probably able to negotiate better deals. But it's not like being on "The Walking Dead" or some other major cable show. The money just isn't the same. Be that as it may, this is a job that the people involved seem to love having, and that counts for a lot.

The very good news for Grammer is that she is in absolutely no danger of losing this job any time soon. Series co-creator Justin Roiland still has several seasons left on his current contract, but even beyond that, he has no desire to end the series. Adult Swim handed out a massive 70-episode renewal to the series several years back, which should take us through season 10. So even at bare minimum, Grammer and the rest of the cast have a few years left. But it could extend beyond that if things continue to go well. This to say, she probably made a good decision, even if it wasn't motivated by money.

"Rick and Morty" season 6 debuts September 4, 2022 on Adult Swim.