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Using famous voice actors in video games has become a common trend in recent years due to the massive growth in the gaming industry. The heavily pixelated games of the past have now evolved into modern, ultra-realistic and immersive 3D graphics. As a consequence, professional voice actors have become an essential part of the overall gaming experience and a key to building a strong relationship with our virtual NPCs.

Sometimes, however, voice acting can be an ungratifying job as many talented voice actors remain nameless unless their voice sounds strangely familiar. In such a case, we eventually end up googling the face behind the voice to quench our curiosity.

In this article, I mention a few famous voice actors that you may not have recognized in gaming. Hopefully, the list of actors could strengthen not only your attachment to the NPC but also to its respective voice actor.

7 Famous Voice Actors You Might Have Not Recognized

Fallout 3: Liam Neeson as Dad

Who could be a better voice actor than Liam Neeson when it comes to a protective and caring father? It might come as a surprise that Neeson’s initial career plan was to become a boxer. Thankfully, Hollywood and his appearance on stage reshaped his lifepath.

The Irish actor took part in numerous cult movies like Star Wars Episode II, Batman Begins and Taken. As a game voice actor, apart from Fallout 3, he took the role of Henri Ducard in Batman Begins (2005).

Batman Arkham Games: Mark Hamill as The Joker

Mark Hamill is one of the most active and famous voice actors in the industry. His voice acts in animations and games are countless so you can check his full portfolio here, in case you are over-curious. Hamill is respected and loved not only for his great talent and achievements but also for his frequent interactions with fans on social media like Twitter.

Apart from being The Joker in the Arkham line of Batman video games and animated series, he also dubbed games like Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep (2010) as Master Eraqus and Yakuza (2006) as Majima, one of the main protagonists.

Call of Duty: Gary Oldman as Sgt. Reznov

Gary Oldman gave up singing and playing the piano to build an enormous movie portfolio, including monster franchises like The Dark Knight and Harry Potter. The British actor and voice actor has proven his ability to impersonate all kinds of roles. One of his least recognizable performances is the Russian Sergeant Reznov in the Call of Duty game franchise.

In an interview with Graham Norton, Oldman describes his voice-acting experience in Call of Duty as a “scream fest for about four days”. His screams undoubtfully contributed positively to the tense war ambiance of the game.

Mass Effect: Martin Sheen as Illusive Man

Discovering the voice actor behind the Illusive Man in Mass Effect left many fans of the game dumbstruck. That’s mostly because it’s the only video game that Martin Sheen has ever starred in.

The American actor is well known for his disobedient character. Thanks to it, he took one of the most critical decisions in his life: to purposely fail his university entrance exam in order to pursue a career in acting. His notable performances in the movies Apocalypse Now, Catch Me If You Can and The Departed are just a few examples of his great commitment and talent as an actor.

Elder Scrolls Online: Malcolm McDowell as Molag Bal

The English actor is best known for his role of Alex, the main character, in A Clockwork Orange (1971). Few players of The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) game would guess that he was also the voice of the most powerful and evil Deadric Prince Molag Bal.

McDowell’s long years of experience have rightfully earned him the reputation as one of the most famous voice actors. Apart from ESO, he also kept company with Liam Neeson in Fallout 3, taking the role of President Eden.

ESO itself is full of surprises as its cast features other huge celebrities like John Cleese in the role of Cadwell and Kate Beckinsale voicing Queen Ayrenn.

Assassin’s Creed: Kristen Bell as Lucy Stillman

As a voice actress, Kristen Bell is best known for voicing Anna in the movie Frozen but there is more to her portfolio.

Her love for sloths is well-known, however, few are familiar with her involvement in the Assassin’s Creed game series where she plays Lucy Stillman. Additionally, she voices Cora in Astro Boy movie and game (2009).

Saints Row: Neil Patrick Harris as Veteran Child

It’s difficult to summarize the work and life of Neil Patrick Harris. Apart from being a writer, an actor, a producer, a comedian, and even a magician, he’s also a famous voice actor.

As a man full of surprises, he took part in the Saints Row game series as DJ Veteran Child. He also voiced the Amazing Spider-Man in Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions (2010).