Last year Grand Theft Auto crossed $1 billion in sales, making it more successful than the three biggest blockbuster film launches of all time. This was not only great news for developer RockStar Games, but it was also undeniable proof of the value of videogames as the biggest form of entertainment. While they were once villainised as causes of isolation and violence, they are now a dominant force on TV sets across the globe.
It’s hardly surprising then, that many famous actors have crossed over from the silver screen and into the disc drives of players the world over. Here are just five of the biggest names to lend their well-known voices to a videogame character.
Elijah Wood
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As the star of the Lord of the Rings film franchise, it’s hardly surprising that Elijah Wood appeared as Frodo in multiple videogame titles for the series. You may not know though, that he also provided vocals for a purple dragon in the classic Legend of Spyro trilogy, alongside other celebrities including Gary Oldman, David Spade and Christina Ricci. In addition to this, he also voiced Mumble in the cinematic release for Happy Feet and the subsequent game title.
Mark Hamill
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Mark Hamill is a massive star in videogame voices, breathing life into his iconic Skywalker character across various Star Wars incarnations. However, Hamill also laid claim to the role of the Joker in the Batman cartoon and game series for nearly twenty years. The superhero franchise, which has given rise to comics, films and even online games such as themed slots at Euro Palace, added another feather to its cap with the award-winning Batman: Arkham City release. Of course, Hamill was back to play Batman’s arch nemesis in his retirement role.
Ellen Page
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Ellen Page didn’t only give her voice to protagonist Jodie Holmes in Beyond Two Souls, she also gave her likeness to the role as well. The Juno star’s facial expressions were captured for the game, thanks to hundreds of motion capture beads attached to her face. She showed true dedication in her video gaming debut, working through up to 40 pages of a 2,000 page long script each day.
Liam Neeson
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Proving how much of an action hero he is in box office hit Taken, Liam Neeson ventured over into the world of videogames for the first time with his part in Fallout 3. The game creators had written the father character with Neeson in mind and were happy when he accepted the role, claiming he was attracted by the “compelling story”. Although the post-apocalyptic setting of the game already provided a gritty element for players, the game’s Executive Producer Todd Howard said that Neeson helped to provide “a dramatic tone for the entire game.”
Samuel L. Jackson
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Despite admitting that he is “not at all” good at gaming, Samuel L. Jackson has enjoyed a fruitful career in the videogame industry. As well as hosting the Spike TV Video Game Awards show four times, Jackson starred in his first gaming role in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, playing Officer Tenpenny. Despite admittedly having few skills as a player, his talents as an actor earned him high praise. His booming and attention-grabbing voice saw Officer Tenpenny claim the 87th spot on IGN’s Top 100 Videogame Villains list.
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