Part ofGrand Theft Auto’sappeal as a series is the freedom it gives you to cause immense destruction and chaos in any of the fictional metropolises crafted by the talented development team. Though player choice is a constant part of every game, the protagonists have always been well-defined characters with distinct traits.
The writing is only half of what makes a GTA protagonist so memorable. The actors voicing - and fully embodying in later games - the role gives these characters life. As this list celebrates each one, it is also interesting to note how developer Rockstar’s approach to characters has changed from the early 2000s up until today.
Tommy Vercetti was the first voiced GTA protagonist. For the only time in the series history, they went with a well-known actor in the lead role. Ray Liotta starred in Goodfellas, a timeless classic many consider to be one of the greatest films ever made.
Tommy Vercetti’s part inVice Citydoes not fall far from the tree when it comes to the roles that made the actor an icon. Ray Liotta sadly passed away in 2022 — although he posthumously appeared in Cocaine Bear.
Though much of San Andreas' cast is filled with celebrities, the lead character is played by a relative unknown. Young Maylay got the role of Carl Johnson through his association with DJ Pooh, who was a producer on the project.
Having an unknown actor helps you feel more connected to the character since you’re not as distracted by imagining the celebrity in the role. As great of a character as he is, Maylay is unlikely to return to the series again.
A lot of actors mentioned here use something relatively close to their normal voice for the role. Michael Hollik is the exception. He is an American actor but put on an accent to portray Niko Bellic in GTA 4. The character was a large departure from what you would have expected from a main character in both GTA and gaming in general.
He is a veteran of a brutal war moving to Liberty City in pursuit of the cliched American dream. The reality of what America offers does not meet his expectations, though. Michael Hollik has only a few credits under his name in games but more theater and television work.
Interestingly, Shawn Fantano is related to Young Maylay. As if that’s not surprising enough, he is older than the actor who portrayed CJ. Though Franklin is young, in his head he already feels too old to still be stuck in his current station in life.
In a documentary about the actor(some NSFW explicit language in the video), Shawn immediately related to the character and his struggles despite the actor being much older than Franklin. Fonteno reprises his role inGTA Online, showing that Franklin has managed to make a success out of himself after GTA 5’s campaign.
6Grand Theft Auto 5
Trevor Philips - Steven Ogg
We sincerely hope that Steven Ogg is nothing like Trevor Philips in real life. He likely isn’t, otherwise he would have been put away a long time ago and we never would have seen him portray GTA’s most unhinged playable character.
He is by far one of the most active actors on the list and one you’re able to easily see in popular shows like The Walking Dead and Westworld. He is easily recognizable in each part by a big mustache and the iconic voice so many would recognize from their countless hours in Los Santos.
5Grand Theft Auto 5
Michael De Santa - Ned Luke
A lot of Ned Luke’s work before GTA 5 was in TV; mostly parts in one episode of a longer-running series. It is a shame he doesn’t get bigger roles more often because he was a real joy to see perform as Michael De Santa in GTA 5. Most main characters in video games are trying to achieve a dream, and Michael De Santa is showing what happens once the dream is reached.
His life feels empty and his family is falling apart. Ned Luke’s performance demonstrates the stress of his situation but also his apathy, feeling like there’s initially no point in trying to fix things.
4The Lost & Damned
Johnny Klebitz - Scott Hill
The fascinating thing about Scott Hill is just how great he is in the role of Johnny Klebitz… his only acting role. He doesn’t even seem to have any social media presence at all, either.
There is adocumentary on Vimeocalled Styling the Past where he talks about his artistic process and what interests him. It is safe to say he likely won’t pursue acting any further. He especially won’t play Johnny Klebitz again considering what happens to him in GTA 5.
Luis Fernando Lopez - Mario D’Leon
The Ballad of Gay Tony explores Liberty City’s glamour, a stark contrast to thegrit found in GTA 4’s main gameand The Lost and Damned. Luis is also a different kind of protagonist. His life is in danger, for sure, but the stakes are all business and not as personal.
Mario D’Leon, who portrays Luis, is not only a working actor but also a stuntman. He has over ten credits to his name as a stuntman and stunt coordinator. He can also be seen in Daredevil in a more menacing role as a motorcycle gang member threatening one of the lead characters.
2Liberty City Stories
Toni Cipriani - Danny Mastrogiorgio
Though Michael Madsen played Toni Cipriani in GTA 3, he did not return to voice the character when Toni became the main character of Liberty City Stories. Instead, Danny Mastrogiorgio filled in for him. He doesn’t sound a lot like Michael Madsen but it’s better that he didn’t try an impression.
Liberty City Stories takes place just three years before GTA 3, but Toni looks significantly younger in the prequel game. Danny Mastrogiorgio also had a role in The Sopranos, so his part in Liberty City Stories feels appropriate.
1Vice City Stories
Vic Vance - Dorian Missick
Dorian Missick has a fairly impressive list of IMDB credits that showcase his success as a hardworking actor. There are a lot of runs on TV shows, including the gritty cop drama Southland, and even a part on Netflix’s Luke Cage series.
To gamers, though, he is most memorable as Vic Vance in Vice City Stories. You step into the shoes of Lance Vance’s brotherin this prequel. Vic is one of the more likable protagonists, which is unfortunate because he is killed at the beginning of Vice City.
