Famous Actors You Forgot Were In GTA Games
Rockstar Games has employed the voice talents of many big-name actors for the "Grand Theft Auto" series over the years. Some of the most prominent names in major roles include the late Ray Liotta as Tommy Vercetti in "GTA: Vice City" and Samuel L. Jackson as Officer Tenpenny in "GTA: San Andreas." But beyond the more obvious casting choices, there are many beloved actors and multi-talented performers who were given less prominent roles.
If you dig a little deeper, you can find a decorated list of renowned actors giving dedicated performances as over the top villains, radio DJs, or even themselves. Regardless of the size of their roles, many of these actors gave it their all and their performances tend to blend perfectly within the satirical world of "Grand Theft Auto." Here are some of the famous actors and musicians who starred in low-key "GTA" roles that may have flown under your radar.
Pam Grier as Mama G - GTA 5 & GTA Online
Pam Grier has been an icon since the 1970s, when she cemented her status as the lead in movies such as "Foxy Brown," "Coffy," and "Sheba, Baby." She experienced a resurgence in the 1990s, appearing alongside Kurt Russell in 1996's "Escape from LA," then taking the title role in Quentin Tarantino's "Jackie Brown."
In "Grand Theft Auto 5" and "Grand Theft Auto: Online," Pam Grier voiced the energetic DJ Mama G for classic soul station The Lowdown 91.1. Between each tune — some of which are from the "Jackie Brown" soundtrack — Mama G offers advice to the listener with motivational and grounding tidbits of personal info, portraying herself as a wise and helpful figure. Her insights give the listener a more rational look at the wild world of Los Santos, aided by her smooth voice and seemingly unlimited supply of charisma. If you needed someone to give you "the lowdown" about anything, you couldn't do much better than Mama G herself.
Gary Busey as Phil Cassidy - GTA: Vice City & Vice City Stories
Gary Busey is recognizable for starring in movies such as "Predator 2" and "Lethal Weapon." These days, he's also best known for his out-there personality, which is on full display in an infamous "Predator 2" interview where he remains completely in character and speaks of the Predator as if it were a real creature. His brand of method acting was arguably also used to full effect in his role as Phil Cassidy in "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" and "Vice City Stories." Phil Cassidy is introduced as a gun-runner and self-proclaimed Vietnam veteran, though the legitimacy of the latter claim is disputed by those who know him. Regardless, Phil is the go-to person for those seeking illegal firearms in the seedy underworld of Vice City.
Gary Busey's performance as Phil is peak Gary, to the point where it's difficult to tell if he's reading his lines verbatim or adding a bit of creative flair by ad-libbing. In The Mission "Boomshine Saigon," Phil Cassidy gets completely wasted and manages to blow off his right arm, so it's up to Tommy Vercetti to drive him to the hospital before he bleeds out. As players make their way across town, Cassidy drops absurd lines such as "Broken Spoon to Mother Hen. You copy?" Oh, and the ex-army surgeon he eventually directs Tommy to apparently owes Phil "a few favors and a lawnmower." Good to know.
James Woods as Mike Toreno - GTA: San Andreas
James Woods has starred in movies such as "Casino," "Once Upon A Time In America," and Disney's "Hercules." Beyond that last voice role, animation fans also likely know him for playing himself on "Family Guy." He also voiced undercover government agent Mike Toreno in "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas."
Mike Toreno originally presents himself as a drug dealer, whom CJ is believed to have killed. Much later in the game, however, Mike reveals himself as a government agent and pressures CJ into preforming a bunch of favors by threatening Sweet, CJ's imprisoned brother. Missions for Mike Toreno are extremely dangerous, from killing other government agents to purchasing an airfield and taking flying lessons, as well as stealing an attack jet from an aircraft carrier. Through all of these, James Woods plays Toreno to perfection, giving him the air of an omnipresent know-it all.
However, when speaking to the Associated Press in 2006 (per Eurogamer), James Woods regretted his work on the game. He said he was not pleased to learn about the controversial "Hot Coffee" mod that restored some explicit cut content (and cost Rockstar millions in legal fees). Ultimately, the actor said he wished he'd known about that sequence before signing on for the project.
Danny Trejo as Umberto Robina - GTA: Vice City & Vice City Stories
Danny Trejo, known for his tough-guy roles in films like "From Dusk Til Dawn," "Desperado," and even the "Spy Kids" franchise, brings to life Cuban cartel leader Umberto Robina in "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" and "Vice City Stories."
Umberto Robina tasks both Tommy Vercetti and Victor Vance with missions that revolve around taking care of rival gangs in the area. In the opening cutscenes for these missions, Umberto often seems comically fixated with the masculinity of our two protagonists. Of course, neither Victor nor Tommy are pleased about this, but it sure makes for some hilarious banter. One has to wonder what it would have been like in the recording booth when these actors were going back and forth. Trejo's performance was so memorable that fans are hoping to see him return for "Grand Theft Auto 6," also set in Vice City.
Ricky Gervais as himself - GTA 4
British comedian, actor and writer Ricky Gervais is perhaps best known for creating and starring in the UK version of "The Office," as well as also producing the American version. Since then, he's also written and starred in projects such as "Extras" and "Life After Death."
In the "GTA" universe, Rick Gervais exists as an alternate version of himself, offering both his voice and likeness for the role. Ricky can be seen performing a stand-up comedy routine at Liberty City's Split Sides comedy club in "GTA 4." As you would expect, this set is rife with dark humor delivered in Ricky's patented deadpan style. The absurdity of his act fits right at home in Rockstar's gritty reimagining of New York City. Ricky's bits include a good bit of crowd work, like poking fun at the appearance of a woman in the crowd, as well as references to his own weight-loss journey.
William Fichtner as Ken Rosenburg - GTA: Vice City & San Andreas
"Heat" and "Prison Break" star William Fichtner offers his voice-acting chops as seedy lawyer Ken Rosenburg across two "Grand Theft Auto" games. He makes his debut as Tommy Vercetti's advisor when he first visits Vice City, establishing himself as the guy who knows all the bigshots in town. He sets Tommy up with a hotel suite and his first set of missions, as well as arranges the drug deal at the beginning of the game. Additionally, after getting busted by the cops in Vice City, Ken Rosenburg can be heard bargaining with the police department over the phone in an attempt to clear Tommy's name. He'll even go as far as threatening to sue the city.
In "San Andreas," Ken Rosenburg and Tommy's relationship seems to have fallen apart. Ken is employed by the three big crime families of Liberty City, who force him to run a casino in Las Venturas. It is here that he encounters CJ, who offers to help him with his mafia problem. In one of the game's most memorable moments, Ken Rosenburg sends CJ to Liberty City. This was a huge moment in "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas," when players got on a plane and flew east, bringing everyone back to the world of "Grand Theft Auto 3."
Cara Delevingne as DJ Cara - GTA 5 & GTA Online
Cara Delevingne is a British actress and model who is most prominently known for her roles as the Enchantress in "Suicide Squad," Laureline in "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets," and Alice Banks in "Only Murders In The Building." In the fashion industry, Delevingne has collaborated with big names such as Burberry, Chanel, Zara and H&M.
In "Grand Theft Auto 5" and "Grand Theft Auto Online," she voices Non Stop Pop's upbeat and bubbly DJ Cara. Her character loves to remind listeners to enjoy their lives and stay hydrated, acting as a surprising dose of positive reinforcement for those living in Los Santos and surrounding areas. She goes a bit further sometimes, outright ridiculing those who have a more drab and down outlook on life, all while actively calling them out for secretly enjoying the kind of music she plays. DJ Cara occasionally gives players a window into her private life, too. She's often Bleeting (the "GTA" version of tweeting) and playing in-universe "Call of Duty" clone "Righteous Slaughter 7" during breaks. DJ Cara also gets meta with the audience, stating that more girls might play those types of games if the guys in voice chat were nicer.
David Cross as Zero and Zachary - GTA: San Andreas & GTA Online
Comedian and actor David Cross is best known for his roles in "Arrested Development" and "Mr. Show," as well as for his outrageous stand-up act. In "GTA: San Andreas," David Cross plays an electronics expert and RC Fanatic named Zero. He mostly provides missions that revolve around a rivalry with a fellow nerd named Berkley, who is upset that Zero won first prize at a science fair. Fans are no doubt having flashbacks right now, as Zero's missions involve the use of RC vehicles — and in the original version of "San Andreas," they became notorious for being incredibly difficult.
In David Cross' "Hot Ones" appearance, host Sean Evans asked David about his role in "GTA: San Andreas" and how he got the part. According to Cross, he approached Rockstar as a fan of "GTA: Vice City" and begged to be in the company's next game. When asked if he prefers "Vice City" or "San Andreas," Cross explained that he likes "Vice City" more, thanks to its over-the-top voice acting. Cross even went on to criticize his own missions in "San Andreas," both for their difficulty and for his own performance. David Cross returned to the series to voice another character in "GTA: Online," this time playing Zachary, the Kult FM radio host. As Zachary, he even references his previous role, calling the character "[A] loser. Total zero."
Ice T as Madd Dogg - GTA: San Andreas
Ice-T is a man of many talents. The hip-hop and heavy metal musician is also an actor, most notable for live-action roles in the long-running "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit" and "New Jack City," as well as for voice roles like Balex in "Borderlands 3". In "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas," Ice-T voices rapper Madd Dogg, a character whose life gets turned upside down when protagonist Carl "CJ" Johson steals his rhyme book and kills his manager.
Madd Dogg is later encountered during a steep downward spiral in Las Venturas. Ultimately, it is CJ who manages to save Madd Dogg's life and lead him to turn things around. After leaving rehab, Madd Dogg reaches out to CJ, who helps him further by becoming his manager. He goes on to assist Mad Dogg in producing a new album with the help of "Vice City" characters Ken Rosenburg and Kent Paul. Naturally, all of this happens with Madd Dogg being hilariously unaware that CJ messed up his life in the first place.
Dennis Hopper as Steve Scott - GTA: Vice City
The late Dennis Hopper was a legendary actor and director who spent the '90s starring in big-budget movies such as "Speed," "Waterworld," and that "Super Mario Bros." movie we all wish we could forget.
In "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, he voiced eccentric adult film director Steve Scott, who seems very distracted by putting his father in a retirement village and telling him to shut up. After Tommy Vercetti purchases the movie studio property (only to discover things are an absolute mess), he helps to elevate Steve Scott's career in the industry through a series of missions. These include recruiting a new lead actress named Candy Suxxx, as well as assisting with the marketing campaign for Steve's latest project. The latter mission charges players with riding a motorcycle from rooftop to rooftop, leading to a specially-placed spotlight that Tommy uses to project a provocative image on the side of a skyscraper.
Burt Reynolds as Avery Carrington - GTA: Vice City
Burt Reynolds was Hollywood royalty, known for his roles in "Smokey and The Bandit" and "The Cannonball Run," as well as for playing himself in "Archer" and "Saints Row The Third". In "Vice City," Reynolds voiced real estate mogul Avery Carrington, the man responsible for giving players perhaps one of the most notoriously difficult missions in the entire series: "Demolition Man." This mission, much like Zero's from "San Andreas," involves controlling an RC vehicle, which breaks like it's made of paper and controls like it's made of lead.
Another mission from Avery, "Two Bit Hit," involves starting a war between Cuban and Haitian gangs to bring down real estate prices. This is also where players meet a younger version of Donald Love from "Grand Theft Auto 3." Interestingly, Avery says the exact line Donald Love uses on Claude in that game: "Nothing brings down real estate prices quicker than a good old fashioned gang war." You have to appreciate Rockstar's attention to world-building here. Less appreciative was Reynolds himself, who allegedly argued with the game's director multiple times during development. According to the book "Jacked: The Outlaw Story of Grand Theft Auto" (via Wired), Reynolds at one point told Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser, "There's going to be two hits here: me hitting you and you hitting the floor!"
Michael Madsen as Toni Cipriani - GTA 3
Michael Madsen, a frequent collaborator with Quentin Tarantino, offers his uniquely gruff voice to "Grand Theft Auto 3," in which he plays mafia tough guy Toni Cipriani. In the game, Madsen is responsible for giving Claude missions that directly deal with the ongoing Triad threat in Liberty City Portland borough. Perhaps the most amusing part of Madsen's role as Toni is when he calls into Chatterbox FM. While trying to remain anonymous to discuss his life problems, he keeps name-dropping himself. When Lazlow addresses him as Toni, he becomes increasingly paranoid about the call being traced and begins threatening the radio host. It's a really funny moment that's sold entirely by Michael's performance, which wavers between tough guy seriousness and scaredy-cat mode.
Speaking with IGN one year after the release of "GTA 3," Madsen expressed regret in taking the role, apparently not understanding when he signed on that there was so much violence in the game.