God of War: Ragnarok has just been released to overwhelmingly universal acclaim, and TIME Magazine already listed it as one of the best games of 2022. The game's mechanics and story are so immersive, and it's also perfectly voice acted, as Christopher Judge plays Kratos. But Judge didn't start in voicework, as he's best known for his role as Teal'c in the sci-fi series Stargate SG-1.
However, Judge isn't the only well-known actor to play characters in video games, as there are even more famous actors that have given it their all, whether as playable characters or as supporting NPCs. Between Jeff Goldblum playing a terrible magician, Terry Crews playing a supersoldier, and Burt Reynolds playing a stoic mayor, these roles totally play to their strengths.
Terry Crews - Crackdown 3 (2019)
Crackdown and Crackdown 2 see players take control of a super agent who must take down all the crime syndicates in a large open world with some unique weapons. The series has an interesting premise, as it's non-linear by having fully explorable worlds at the player's fingertips, and gamers can choose which order to take down gangs. On top of that, it also has a unique animation design, as it's completely cell-shaded.
So between the non-linear layout, the detailed open world, the creative animation, and the fun gameplay, it's hard to bring anything more to the table, and that's when it's time to bring out the real big guns – Terry Crews. Unfortunately, Crackdown 3 was a step back for the franchise, but there's no denying how much of a perfect fit Crews' charisma and charm were to the game. The comedy actor's little bits of dialogue as gamers control him are hilarious.
Samuel L. Jackson - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004)
Where so many big-name actors are the face of the video game, such as Keanu Reeves in Cyberpunk 2077, the Grand Theft Auto franchise uses movie stars for the smallest of roles, whether it's Dennis Hopper, Burt Reynolds, or Pete Fonda. But the biggest surprise came when Samuel L. Jackson played the villain in GTA: San Andreas, Officer Frank Tenpenny.
Jackson doesn't play outright villains all that often, so Tenpenny sits in the prolific actor's filmography as a standout role, even if it is just a voice performance in a video game. And the corrupt Los Santo police officer is the series' most iconic antagonist.
Vin Diesel – Wheelman (2009)
Vin Diesel isn't only in Wheelman, but he's the very face of the Grand Theft Auto clone, as he plays Milo Burik, an undercover CIA agent, and while so much money was clearly put into the game, it seems to have become completely forgotten. But it was certainly the start of something much bigger, as the game is almost like a precursor to the current iteration of Fast and Furious and the character of Dominic Toretto.
Wheelman is an all-out third-person action video game that sees Diesel playing an action hero in Barcelona-inspired open world. As the Fast and Furious movies have become globe-trotting high-octane action flicks, Wheelman could have had some influence on the billion-dollar franchise's direction in the early 2010s.
Burt Reynolds - Saints Row: The Third (2011)
Interestingly, the late, great Burt Reynolds has featured in a couple of games. Along with playing Avery Carrington in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, the actor also had a role in Saints Row: The Third. And ironically, his role in the Grand Theft Auto clone is way more entertaining than his role in Vice City.
It might be hard to catch the actor amongst all of the game's bombast, as the 2011 release sees players controlling the Saints gang leader and using sex toys as weapons. However, if gamers pay close attention, they'll notice the actor plays Burt (the mayor of Steelport) and he's typically stoic, intimidating, hard to please, and a ladies' man.
Kristen Bell - Assassin's Creed (2007)
Given how astronomically huge the Assassin's Creed franchise has gotten, it came from relatively humble beginnings, as it started out as a simple spiritual successor to Prince of Persia. However, that doesn't mean that the original game didn't have some phenomenal production value behind it.
Kristen Bell featured in the original Assassin's Creed, and she also had an important role, as she played Lucy Stillman, who's the reason why Desmond Miles escaped Abstergo. Bell even reprised the role for the series' first two sequels, and the character became more layered with each one. It's a wonder why Bell wasn't cast in the movie adaptation, as she's proved how great she is in live-action roles in major movies. Bell's bubbly and exciting presence is exactly what the drab adaptation needed.
Matthew Perry - Fallout: New Vegas (2010)
Matthew Perry is making headlines a lot lately because of controversial comments said in his new book. However, sandwiched between Friends and his current moment in the spotlight is his all-but-forgotten feature in the epic post-apocalyptic first-person RPG, Fallout: New Vegas.
Perry plays Benny in the game, and the casting came from Perry being a genuine fan of New Vegas' predecessor, Fallout 3. Perry hilariously brought Ellen DeGeneres a signed copy of Fallout 3 onto her show. The actor said on the show, "I played this video game so often that I injured my hand so severely that I had to go to a hand doctor and get injections in my hand because I love this video game so much." (via EnGadget).
Snoop Dogg - True Crime: Streets Of L.A. (2003)
Though he's best known for his music, rapper Snoop Dogg has built a surprisingly illustrious filmography over the years, as he has starred in cult classic comedies from Half Baked to Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping. And in 2003, the actor featured in True Crime: Streets of L.A.
The early 2000s was a time when developers were sweeping up rappers for their third-person open-world games, and 50 Cent even got his own game. Being as entertaining and funny as he is, it comes as no surprise that Snoop's appearance in the 2003 game is better than any other rapper's video game appearance. On top of that, Streets of L.A. is one of the greatest Grand Theft Auto clones.
Elliot Page - Beyond: Two Souls (2013)
As video games are becoming more and more like movies, and in some cases, having even better narratives, Beyond: Two Souls is the closest a game has come to the film experience. The game has a gripping plot, there's drama, and it features a powerhouse performance from Elliot Page, who plays Jodie a character with mysterious supernatural abilities.
Page isn't the only movie star who has a major role in the game either, as Willem Dafoe plays Nathan Dawkins, a paranormal activity researcher. However, the immersive film experience is also what might put some viewers off, as it's extremely slow paced and the gameplay mechanics leave a lot to be desired.
Elijah Wood - The Legend Of Spyro (2006-2008)
In 2006, the classic platforming series about a sprinting purple dragon was rebooted with The Legend of Spyro series, which is made up of three games: A New Beginning, The Eternal Dragon, and Dawn of the Dargon. Elijah Wood plays Spyro in all of the games, and his youthful and animated voice fits perfectly with the game that people of all ages love.
The games must have had huge budgets for their voice casts, as not only does Wood play the titular dragon in all three games, but they also feature Gary Oldman, Christina Ricci, Mark Hamill, and David Spade. And as Spyro would make an excellent movie franchise, Wood could even voice the character in a major animated film, and it'd certainly be less controversial than the Super Mario Bros. Movie reaction to Chris Pratt voicing Mario.
Jeff Goldblum – Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 - Zombies (2017)
It has almost become an annual tradition for Call of Duty games to feature a movie star, whether it's Michael Keaton or Jason Statham, but one of the most surprising is the always peculiar and bemusing Jeff Goldblum. The actor appears in "Shadows of Evil," the first map of Black Ops 3 - Zombies.
Unfortunately, he doesn't play a zombie, as it'd be great to see a zombified Goldblum. Instead, he plays the wealthy magician Nero Blackstone, but he's still such a fascinating character, and the game goes into detail about his backstory. Blackstone was even crowned Worst Magician of the Year by the fictional magazine, Magician's Weekly.
Source:gamerant.com