There used to be a time where celebrities wouldn’t go near video games, as they were seen as something of a kiss of death for their career. Now, the industry is awash with famous people practically falling over each other for the chance to lend their dulcet tones to the next million-dollar game. From Neil Patrick Harris to Rosario Dawson here are 10 More Amazing Video Game Performances By Famous Actors!
VO: Ashton Matthews (@ScrambledAshton)
Script: Jacob Simmons (@Jacob_Writes)
Video Editor: Charlie Walsh (@ATopLad)
#RasarioDawson #Rage #godofwar
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There used to be a time where celebrities
wouldn’t go near video games, as they were seen as something of a kiss of death for their
career. Now, the industry is awash with famous people
practically falling over each other for the chance to lend their dulcet tones to the next
million-dollar game. We’ve already done a list on this channel
about stars who provided killer turns in the voice booth, but there were far too many examples
for just one countdown. So today, we’re back with ten more times
s
ome of our favourite stars of the big and small screen traded the luxury of Hollywood
for the sweaty world of video games. Like last time, we’ve tried to avoid obvious
answers where possible, so everyone shouting about Idris Elba in Cyberpunk or Bruce Campbell
in Spider-Man 2 can sit down now. Instead, we’re celebrating some lesser-known
performances from some very well-known people, all of whom helped legitimise their games
in the eyes of grumpy cynics everywhere. Cheers, guys. I’m Ashton from
TripleJump and here are
10 More Amazing Video Game Performances by Famous Actors. #10: Neil Patrick Harris - Spider-Man: Shattered
Dimensions Neil Patrick Harris - or NPH for short, or
just N for even shorter - is many things to many people. He’s an actor, a singer, a magician, but
did you know that he was once a friendly neighbourhood superhero? Harris provided thevoice of Peter Parker for
the short-lived Spider-Man: The New Animated Adventures in 2003. Though the show only lasted a season, NPH
was once again able to don the famous suit in the 2010 video game, Spider-Man: Shattered
Dimensions. His version of the webslinger is fun and quick-witted,
firing off sassy one-liners whilst tying villains up in knots. Though Spider-Man is definitely not meant
to be cool, NPH walks the line between dorky teenager and action man perfectly, which helps
players immerse themselves in the game. Although, he never uttered the words“Heyeveryone”
or “Pizza time”, so he’s clearly rubbish. Alongside the
Barney Stinson actor, several
other voice artists from different Spider-Man cartoons also reprise their roles in Shattered:
Dimensions. There’s Christopher Daniels Barnes as Spider-Noir,
Dan Gilvezan as Spider-Man 2099, and Josh Keaton as Ultimate Spider-Man. Wait a second, this is just the Spider-Verse
movies in game form! They’ve even got Spider-Ham! I think I’ve uncovered a conspiracy here. #9: John Goodman - Rage If you’re a fan of Monsters Inc., which,
let’s face it, you should be - then yo
u’ve probably got a special place in your heart
for John Goodman, the voice of Sully. As well as lending his pipes to the big blue
monster, Goodman is also known for his roles in The Big Lebowski, 10 Cloverfield Lane,
and Bee Movie. Ok, maybe he’s not “known” for that
last one, but I just wanted to remind everyone that John Goodman, an Emmy and Golden Globe
winner, was in Bee Movie. He was also in 2011’s Rage, a first-person
shooter developed by Doom and Quake bigwigs, id Software, in which he v
oices Dan Hagar,
survivor of a massive asteroid strike that has turned the world into a wasteland. Hagar rescues the player from bandits right
at the start of the game, before filling them in on their predicament. Goodman balances Hagar’s role as an informant
and a leader perfectly, treating the situation with appropriate drama whilst also keeping
his cool. Though he’s only in the game very briefly,
Goodman’s presence brings a level of quality to Rage, and reassures the player that this
apocalyp
tic hellscape might just be okay. #8: Linda Hunt - God of War Series Chances are, you’ll know Linda Hunt from
one of two roles; as Billy Kwan in The Year of Living Dangerously, for which she won an
Oscar, or as Hetty, the badass boss of NCIS: Los Angeles. Very different demographics there, I know. Gamers might be more familiar with her voice,
however, as Hunt played the character of Gaia in six God of War titles between 2005 and
2013. That’s right, she was part of the series
before its big makeo
ver. What a hipster. As the mother of the Titans, Gaia plays a
huge role in Kratos’ never-ending battle with the Gods of Olympus. She is depicted as a gargantuan woman made
out of the Earth itself, which is ironic because, in real life, Hunt is four foot nine. Nevertheless, she brings some serious gravitas
to the role, effortlessly embodying one of the most ancient and powerful beings in a
world full of gods and monsters. Hunt also serves as the narrator of the stories,
guiding players through t
he plot with her husky, authoritative tones. Honestly, we’re not sure why she wasn’t
brought back for the reboots. Oh, Gaia was killed by Kratos in God of War
III? Never mind then. #7: Sam Worthington - Call of Duty: Black Ops There was a time where you couldn’t move
for films starring Australian actor Sam Worthington, who’s made appearances in Avatar, Terminator:
Salvation, and Clash of the Titans, which were all released within the space of two
years. Then, he basically fell off the face of th
e
Earth until the Avatar sequel in 2022. Somebody clearly forgot to unplug him from
his magical tree. This time period also coincided with Worthington’s
first foray into video game voice acting, as Alex Mason in the first Call of Duty: Black
Ops game from 2010. As the main protagonist, Mason is who players
control on their various covert missions in places like Cuba, Vietnam, China, and… Canada? Why does he go there? Do they even have soldiers in Canada? Mason could easily have been just another
bland jarhead for players to point at enemies, but Worthington did a great job in keeping
him interesting. Though far from the deepest character in gaming
history, Mason is worth getting invested in, which is good, because players are stuck with
him for 13 in-game years. Worthington returned for two more Black Ops
games, before presumably signing a contract tying him to the Avatar franchise for the
next half-century. #6: Burt Reynolds - Saints Row: The Third Legendary Hollywood star Burt Reynol
ds is
an anomaly on this list, as he’s not only the sole entrant to regularly sport a moustache,
but he’s also the only person to feature for playing himself. Reynolds, famous for his roles in The Longest
Yard, Smokey and the Bandit, and Boogie Nights, turns up in Saints Row: The Third as the mayor
of Steelport City. When a character expresses surprise that he’s
in such a position of power, the star replies “Who else could keep this town running?”,
which is awesome. Before celebrities making fun
of themselves
was as commonplace as it is now, Reynolds played up to his own image as a macho lothario. He fits in perfectly with the utterly bonkers
world of the Saints Row series, to the point where you have to remind yourself that he’s
a real person, not a character invented purely for this game. Sadly, in one version of the story, Reynolds
dies towards the end of the game, should the player choose to sacrifice him for their own
good. Why anyone would choose to kill this magnificent
specimen
is a mystery, but there is the option if you’re so inclined. #5: Steve Carell - Outlaw Golf and Outlaw Volleyball Before he was an incompetent office manager,
a child-friendly supervillain, or a 40-year-old virgin, a non-movie star Steve Carell paid
the bills by lending his voice to two sports games in the early 2000s. Outlaw Golf and Outlaw Volleyball are golf
and volleyball games respectively, but if they were made by a group of randy teenagers
in the 90s. Players take turns hitting a little
white
egg around a field or smashing an inflatable into each other’s faces, but their characters
are strippers, stoners, and bikers, as opposed to professional athletes. Not satisfied with your caddy’s performance? Simply cash-in a “Beating Token” and bludgeon
them half to death to feel better about yourself! I don’t think they do that in real golf,
or at least, not when it’s being televised. All of Carell’s trademark mannerisms are
on display in his turn as commentator; his boundless enthusiasm
, his tendency to yell,
and his expert comic timing. Although some of the humour has aged about
as well as an unrefrigerated ham sandwich, Carell’s performance is still great; a sign
of the very bright things to come in his future. Fingers crossed these games never come back
to haunt him in some way. #4: Kelly Hu - Mortal Kombat X & 11 Who? Yes, Kelly Hu. Sorry, that was a cheap joke and I can do
better. Beginning her career as a model and TV soap
opera star, Kelly Hu broke the big time with app
earances in films like The Scorpion King
and X-Men 2. She’s also appeared in shows The Vampire
Diaries, Arrow, and, most importantly of all, Phineas and Ferb. Finally, a touch of class on this list. In recent years, Hu has made multiple appearances
in the Mortal Kombat series, beginning with 2015’s Mortal Kombat X, and it is x and
not 10 according to the devs. No Roman numerals here, thank you very much. She voices Frost, Sindel, and new character
D’Vorah, a creepy bug lady with a robotic voice
who there is definitely weird fan art
of. When you’re 10 major games into a series,
it can be hard to introduce a new character without facing significant backlash. It’s testament to Hu’s performance that
D’Vorah not only won fans in this game, but was also brought back for MK11, with Hu
asked to reprise her role. D’Vorah is an unconventional and highly
disturbing addition to the Mortal Kombat roster, but I mean that in the best way possible. #3: Hayley Joel Osment - Kingdom Hearts Series If a m
ovie or TV show needed a child character
in the late 90s/early 2000s, chances are the casting director gave Hayley Joel Osment a
call. Or, more accurately, they called his mum. Whether as Forrest Gump Jr., the titular artificial
intelligence in Steven Spielberg’s A.I., or as the “I see dead people” kid from
The Sixth Sense - spoilers - Hayley Joel Osment’s boyish face was everywhere for a time, and
he’s still in high demand to this day, even though he’s not quite as cute anymore. As a voice acto
r in video games, his biggest
accomplishment is easily that he plays Sora, the hero of the Kingdom Hearts franchise. That and he was in an NBA game once, though
I’m assuming not as one of the players? From the original game in 2002 to its most
recent sequel in 2019, Osment has portrayed the key-wielding hero alongside famous faces
from Final Fantasy and the world of Disney. In amongst all these stars, Sora has become
a gaming icon in his own right, which goes to show just how good Osment is in t
he voice
booth. He out-acted Goofy, for crying out loud. How often can people say that? #2: Rosario Dawson - Dishonored 2 Weirdly enough, Ahsoka star Rosario Dawson
has also been in an NBA 2K game as a non-basketball person. Is this a clause written into every celebrity’s
contract or something? Anyway, we’re not here to talk about that,
we’re here to talk about the acclaimed actor’s turn as the battle-scarred ship’s captain
Meagan Foster in Arkane Studios’ 2016 action-adventure title, Dishonored
2. Foster is a character with a long and complicated
past, one that would take far too long to explain, but her intricate backstory is deftly
handled by the highly-talented Dawson, who’s also lent her voice to games like Dying Light
2: Stay Human and the 2016 Ratchet & Clank remake. She plays Foster with a mixture of stoicism,
melancholy, and regret, making her far more than just the person who owns the hub area. Dishonoured 2 is still regarded as a triumph
of gaming, with its non-linear narrat
ive and stealth-based gameplay often coming in for
praise. It helps that the rest of the voice cast was
also stellar, involving the likes of Vincent D’Onforio, Jamie Hector, and Pedro Pascal. Hey, Ahsoka and Mando were in a game together! No sign of Baby Yoda, though, I’m afraid. #1: Matthew Perry - Fallout: New Vegas Though he will always be best known as one
sixth of the show Friends, to millions of gamers around the world, the late, great Matthew
Perry came into their lives as the voice of Be
nny in Fallout: New Vegas. A corrupt casino owner, Benny leaves the player
character for dead after shooting them at the start of the game, only for them to survive
and hunt him down. Could they be after any more revenge? On the surface, Benny seems little more than
a dweeb with an obsession for old gangster movies, but, as the game progresses, you find
out that he’s more dangerous than you could have possibly imagined. Perry brings the character’s disarming menace
to life beautifully, to the po
int where he’s still one of the main talking points of the
game all these years later. This was the star’s one and only video game
voice role, which is a shame on one level, but it does make this outstanding turn even
more special. When news broke of Perry’s death in October
2023, many gamers returned to New Vegas to pay tribute to the beloved actor; a fitting
send-off for a true great.
Comments
Sam Worthington in COD Blops just blew my mind 🤯
Kelly Hu was also Visas Marr in Knights Of The Old Republic II: The Sith Lords. Wonderful performance.
Not sure if already covered but Keith David and Roddy Piper appear in Saint's Row 4 playing....themselves.
Nph has also played Nightwing
No rik mayall in hogs of War.
I mostly know Linda Hunt from Dune (the David Lynch one), Kindergarten Cop, and the mostly forgotten 1991 James Bond spoof If Looks Could Kill.
Frank John Hughes, Michael Cudlitz, Rick Gomez and a ton of other people who were in Band of Brothers did voice acting in COD2. Edit: Just found out Mark Hamill was the narrator.
Loved the video. When I play games there is always a voice that sounds familiar and can never remember who it is.
I lost my mind when I heard HJO played Sora and it subsequently exploded when I learned Hayden Panettiere played Kairi 🤯
I know Kelly Hu for her stellar performance as Cheshire in Young Justice. She also reprised her role in other DC projects, such as Catwoman: Hunted.
As games have evolved and progressed so have the production values and Narrative storylines to rival Hollywood films. It makes sense to have established actors/actresses to take these roles. BUT it does go both ways, there are successful games that have made the voice actors famous because of their popularity Nolan North with Nathan Drake, Penguin, Deadpool and Troy Baker as Joel Miller, The Joker and now with him playing Indiana Jones it kind of comes full circle.
When I think of John Goodman, I think of the Roseanne TV show, the Flintstones movie, and the Speed Racer movie.
Not just Asohka & Mando in the same game...also Claire Temple & Kingpin also Nathan Fillion as Buck in multiple Halo games deserves a mention
Zachary Levi in Fallout New Vegas is my favorite 😃
Haley is amazing in any role he plays to this day, he has amazing vocal range and he's still cute to this day!
If you do a third video on the topic, David Bowie in The Nomad Soul (titled Omikron: The Nomad Soul if you wanna get American about this). He both voiced and gave his likeness to Boz and the frontman of The Dreamers and composed the games soundtrack with Reeves Gabrels (some of which released on Bowie's 1999 album 'Hours'). Whilst his music was his primary career, his extensive filmography should not passed over. His wife, Iman, also lent her voice and likeness to a number of minor characters
Canada does have soldiers, surprisingly enough. We were even at the Battle of Britain, and also quite surprised the British had soldiers as well.
Michael Gambon in 2003 Ghosthunter
Vincent what??? donforio 😂😂😂😂 d'onofrio u mean 😂😂😂
Oh are outlaw golf and outlaw volleyball, golf and volleyball games 😂😂😂 which one is which 😂😂😂