Norm Macdonald reportedly completed production on The Orville season 3 before his death. Sadly, the legendary comedian, Macdonald, passed away Tuesday after a long and private battle with cancer. Leaving behind a lifetime of incredible comedy, the 61-year-old comedian began his career doing stand-up in Canada before landing a writer position on the TV show Roseanne. Known for his deadpan style of comedy, Macdonald earned a coveted spot on Saturday Night Live, which lasted from 1993 to 1998.
Macdonald has also made appearances on other comedies, such as The Drew Carey Show and My Name is Earl, including starring in his own comedy series, The Norm Show. Since his passing, numerous celebrities and co-stars have paid tribute to Macdonald’s passing, which even includes MacFarlane, who tweeted, “there was nobody funnier than Norm MacDonald.” The two comedians have a long history together, with Macdonald guest starring on MacFarlane's animated series, Family Guy, numerous times throughout the show's long-running broadcast. On MacFarlane’s latest show, The Orville, Macdonald voiced the character of Lieutenant Yaphit, who is the gelatinous, shapeshifting engineer of the titular space vessel. Macdonald is credited with 17 appearances across the first two seasons, and it appears he’s returning for the next installment.
Deadline reports that Macdonald completed production on The Orville season 3 before his untimely passing. Once again set to voice the character of Yaphit, Macdonald has finished his voice acting for the season. It’s currently unknown how many episodes will feature Macdonald; however models of Yaphit on the show’s set were revealed earlier this year. View the behind-the-scenes photo below from producer Tom Costantino, which was shared in March:
The Orville season 3 officially wrapped filming back in August, but its production was not without complications. Production for season 3 began in late 2019, but was forced to stop and start again numerous times throughout the coronavirus pandemic. While the first season of the series received generally negative reviews upon release, season 2 helped secure a larger fan base and viewership, with eager fans waiting for the next chapter in the series. Now, with Macdonald’s passing, fans are even more ready to see Yaphit’s return.
The Orville season 3 marks one of Macdonald’s last roles before his passing. Though it’s unclear how often his character will appear throughout the next chapter, fans of the comedian can take comfort in knowing they will have one last chance to hear his style of comedy. While fans wait for the third season to drop, they can go back and re-watch Macdonald’s character in the first two seasons, which are currently streaming on Hulu.
Source: Deadline