Alyson Court opens up about being part of the X-Men universe
Jesse Grant/Getty; Alyson Court/X
Alyson Court at X-Men ’97 event (left), Alyson Court poses with Jubliee comic
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Alyson Court is known and loved for playing Loonette on The Big Comfy Couch, but she’s also an accomplished voice actress
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Recently, Court has been looking back at her time on the original early ’90s X-Men animated series upon her return to the franchise for X-Men ’97
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Court continues to do charity work as Loonette to this day, telling PEOPLE the difference it’s made in her life
Alyson Court cherishes the characters she’s brought to life.
Speaking with PEOPLE about the special roles in her career, Court, 50, opens up about the latest exciting moment in her career, as part of the cast of X-Men ’97 on Disney+.
“During the original series and certainly in the beginning, I had no concept of what X-Men really was or what it would end up being. None of us knew except for George Buza, who voices Beast. He had read the comic so he knew, but the rest of us thought this was another cartoon.”
As she got into the project, she noticed a distinct difference from other cartoons she’s been part of.
“They wanted a really non-cartoony performance,” Court recalls. “They wanted something far more serious. They ended up bringing in a lot of theater actors, as a result. So that made it very clear that this was something that a lot of people took very, very seriously.”
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“Even though I don’t understand the impact or the importance of this property, it’s different than anything I had worked on previously. Then obviously, over the years, I’ve had a chance to see the impact to see how it saved Marvel and in turn, Marvel has basically taken over the world,” she adds with a laugh.
“Superhero movies, run everything, right? So to look back and be like, ‘Oh, I was proud of that,’ that was one thing. But then, when the show comes back and comes back with such gusto and brilliance, it’s a whole other thing.”
Court is proud that X-Men ’97 has been “pulling in a new audience.”
“It has been wonderful because Disney+ also has the original series available for people to watch while they’re waiting every week for the next episode,” she says. “Being part of that is incredibly exciting and I have to say, I think it’s the only series I’ve been a part of where I have made sure that I am watching every episode.”
Laughing, she adds, “I absolutely love it, and I think one of the benefits is that because my character was just in one episode, I don’t have to listen to my voice. I hate my voice in anything I do, but I love watching the show and hearing other people who I love. It’s been great.”
Court has enjoyed bonding with her X-Men ’97 castmates as they meet fans of the original series and the newest take at conventions
“A lot of my fellow cast members, we’ve been going and doing appearances as a group. That’s been wonderful because I actually really like all of my cast members and, you can’t always say that for for things, but it’s just a wonderful group of people,” she says.
“Cal Dodd is Wolverine and we were neighbors when I was a kid. We’ve had a really good strong almost familial relationship for many, many years,” she shares.
“George Buza is out there as Beast, Alison Sealy-Smith as Storm. There’s Catherine Disher, who is the original Jean Grey and has come back as Val Cooper. She and I just get on like a house on fire. And then Lenore Zann as Rogue.”
Radical Sheep Productions/Owl Communications
Alyson Court as Loonette on “The Big Comfy Couch”
Court points out, “All of them have moments and performances that are absolutely ripping my heart out on this show, so getting a chance to do these group appearances has just been wonderful. I’m going to places that I’ve never been before and being with these folks, it’s been a blast. So I’m taking a lot of time over the next few months to do that.”
Court also has enjoyed greeting Big Comfy Couch fans who don’t realize she’s part of both worlds.
“When people see that [I was also Loonette], I would say about 40% will end up in tears. They start to cry and they don’t even know why they’re having this emotional moment. They’re like, ‘I’m just I’m having this childhood thing right now,’ ” she shares.
Court believes that the things that matter most to you as a young child strike a different chord as you grow up.
“You go to these various Comic-Cons or fan expo conventions and, a lot of times, people are there for a thing they chose later on in life, like as a tween or a teenager,” she says. “Those can be current or popular things, but you don’t always think about the early years, the preschool years, the things that were there first.”
Court is grateful for all the fans she’s amassed throughout the course of her career.
“I have been so lucky to be part of numerous iconic franchises. At this point, it’s been a wonderful ride and I’ve also had the blessing of being able to still keep my life my own. It’s been a fascinating combination,” she shares.
She continues, “I thank everyone who’s been a fan of properties that I’ve been a part of for both continuing to show their kindness and appreciation for what I worked on, but also for giving me my space and privacy.”
