Max Payne And Alan Wake Star James McCaffrey Dead At 65
James McCaffrey, the actor best known to gamers for voicing the titular character of Remedy Entertainment's "Max Payne" series, has passed away at the age of 65. McCaffrey was active in the film and television industry for more than three decades, lending his gruff voice and charismatic presence to shows like "Rescue Me" and "Viper." Fans first learned of the sad news when actor Kevin Dillon posted a photo of himself and McCaffrey to his Instagram account. "James McCaffrey we were lucky to have known you. My best friend you will be missed," wrote Dillon.
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Though some fans were hoping this was a misunderstanding on Dillon's part, TMZ confirmed the news shortly thereafter, reporting that the actor died after a battle with multiple myeloma. He leaves behind a wife and daughter, as well as legions of fans who loved his portrayal of gritty and determined New York City detective Max Payne.
Max Payne and James McCaffrey are forever linked
James McCaffrey was an integral part of the Max Payne persona, returning the character for two sequels and establishing a close rapport with the developers at Remedy. McCaffrey would end up voicing characters in other games in the "Remedy Connected Universe," including "Alan Wake" and its sequel. Rockstar Games nearly recast the role of Max Payne for the third game in the series, but Remedy still brought McCaffrey back, allowing him one more opportunity to play the character in a full game.
He returned to the role for a few other fun one-off occasions, however, including a video he made with "Max Payne" director (and face model) Sam Lake, which celebrated the character's twentieth anniversary. In the clip, which was posted back in 2021, Lake and McCaffrey thanked the series' fans for their unending enthusiasm and for putting the series on the map. McCaffrey even got to record a line of dialogue in-character for the video, which was an unbelievable treat for fans.
In the brief time since news of McCaffrey's passing was confirmed, fans have begun flooding social media with clips of their favorite moments from his voice work. Others are encouraging players to check out "Alan Wake 2" if they haven't already, as the game features McCaffrey's final critically lauded performance.