Critical Role has revealed an unexpected casting choice for its new season of its hit DnD animated series, The Legend of Vox Machina. A New York Comic Con panel on October 9 revealed that comedy actor Wayne Brady would play the role of Taryon Darrington. This character was voiced by Sam Riegel in the original campaign, and it marks the first time that a core party member has been voiced by someone outside of the original actual play cast.
Taryon Darrington is a DnD Artificer who joins Vox Machina in the campaign's fourth arc. Riegel's usual character, Scanlan Shorthalt, is absent from the party during this time, later returning for the campaign's fifth arc, where the crew must face the dreaded Whispered One. Vox Machina season 4 will set up the party's climactic battle against the infamous lich.
It's not currently clear whether Scanlan will appear in Vox Machina's fourth season. If he does, Taryon might have been recast so each character sounds distinct.
Brady may also have been brought in due to Sam Riegel's recent cancer diagnosis. Riegel announced that he was recovering from tonsil cancer in July 2024, though he previously told Wargamer that he had been suffering from the illness for four months prior. Riegel had surgery that meant he had to relearn how to speak, which may have affected the decision to recast Taryon.
This is, however, all speculation. Critical Role has not confirmed why Taryon has a new voice actor, only who that actor is. Brady is best known for his work on the improv show Whose Line Is It Anyway?, as well as 2000s variety show The Wayne Brady Show. He's also guest starred in plenty of TV shows and performed in musicals like Chicago and Hamilton.
Other details about Vox Machina's upcoming season were scarce at the NYCC panel. However, Critical Role also revealed a new trailer for The Mighty Nein (see above). The Mighty Nein's first season debuts on November 19, while Vox Machina's next season will arrive sometime in 2026.
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