The Hollywood stars who have appeared in video games

Cinema and video games have a lot in common. Whether in terms of storytelling, staging or the use of new technologies, these two forms of entertainment have never been so similar. With the gaming market surpassing that of the cinema, productions are beginning to call upon actresses and actors, who no longer hesitate to offer their talents to video game studios. Discover a selection of artists who have crossed over to the gaming world!

Norman Reedus, Léa Seydoux, Guillermo del Toro and Mads Mikkelsen – Death Stranding

Norman Reedus became an iconic actor thanks to his role as Murphy MacManus in The Boondock Saints and its sequel. However, he rose to fame with the horror series The Walking Dead, through the character Daryl Dixon. Noticed by Hideo Kojima, he plays the lead role in the game Death Stranding.

Popularized in 2013 with the hit movie Blue Is the Warmest Colour, for which she won a Palme d’Or, Léa Seydoux was soon in great demand in Hollywood, and even landed a role in 007 Spectre, alongside Daniel Craig. In Death Stranding, she plays the role of Fragile, owner of Fragile Express, an ally of Sam Porter (played by Norman Reedus) on his westward expedition and founder of the civil organization Drawbridge.

Guillermo del Toro is a particularly prolific director. His credits include feature films such as Mimic, Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth and Pacific Rim. In Death Stranding, he plays Dr Rougeot Melillo “Deadman” and is part of the Bridges organization. He, too, supports Sam on his expedition. He is an artificial human, created from a combination of cadavers and stem cells.

Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen made his name with Nicolas Winding Refn’s film Pusher. He quickly made a name for himself, notably with Casino Royale, which catapulted him onto the international scene. He went on to play many major roles in feature films such as The Valhalla Rising, A Royal Affair and Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas. His role in The Hunt won him a prize at the Cannes Film Festival, underlining his artistic skills. He also appears in popular franchises such as James Bond and Star Wars. His ability to play a wide range of roles also led to his portrayal of Dr. Hannibal Lecter in the series Hannibal. In Death Stranding, he plays Clifford “Cliff” Unger, a U.S. Army captain who has become stranded and is searching for his “BB”.

Shawn Ashmore – Quantum Break, Man of Medan, Alan Wake 2, Sons of the Forest

Notably popularized by the X-Men franchise, where he plays the role of mutant Bobby Drake / Iceberg, Shawn Ashmore has made video games his specialty. We saw him in the excellent narrative title Quantum Break, where he plays Jack Joyce. He also played the role of Conrad in the horror game The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan. More recently, he played Sheriff Tim Breaker in Alan Wake 2. He can also be seen in the survival game Sons of the Forest, where he portrays Timmy.

Ashley Johnson – The Last of Us

Best known for her role as Chrissy Seaver in the series Growing Pains and for playing Mel Gibson’s daughter in What Women Want, Ashley Johnson plays Ellie in The Last of Us and its sequel, developed by Naughty Dog. The performance capture used by the studio perfectly recreates her acting style.

Keanu Reeves and Idris Elba – Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 has left its mark on the video game industry for a number of reasons, one of which is the presence of Keanu Reeves in the cast. He plays Johnny Silverhand, the engram of a terrorist rocker trapped inside the head of V. The actor is best known for his roles in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Point Break, Dangerous Liaisons, Bram Stoker’s Dracula and, of course, the Matrix saga and, more recently, John Wick.

A video game blockbuster, Cyberpunk 2077 has also secured actor Idris Elba to portray Solomon Reed, a rather dark character who adds a great deal to the game’s universe. He is particularly well known for his role as drug lord Stringer Bell in the series The Wire. His portrayal of London detective John Luther in the British crime series Luther also contributed to his popularity.

Kristen Bell – Assassin’s Creed

After a long series of small roles, Kristen Bell came to public attention with her title role in the TV series Veronica Mars. Later, she even won a Golden Globe for her role in The Good Place, an excellent fantasy comedy. Her career in the world of video games is not insignificant, since she took part in the very first episode of the Assassin’s Creed franchise, where she plays one of the main characters, Lucy. She also features in the subsequent Assassin’s Creed II and Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood.

Jenna Coleman – Xenoblade

Jenna Coleman is best known for her role in the science fiction series Doctor Who, which she starred in from 2012 to 2015 and in 2017, where she played the character Clara Oswald. In video games, she has portrayed Melia Antiqua in the Xenoblade Chronicles franchise since 2010.

Rami Malek – Until Dawn

Rami Malek first came to public attention as Elliot Alderson in the TV series Mr. Robot.. His then shot to stardom with his role as singer Freddie Mercury in the film Bohemian Rhapsody. Meanwhile, he made a foray into gaming with his role as Josh Washington in the horror video game Until Dawn.

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Carrie-Anne Moss – Mass Effect / Horizon Forbidden West

Carrie-Anne Moss is best known for her iconic role as Trinity in the Matrix quadrilogy. Having also played this role in the games based on the franchise, she was featured in Mass Effect in 2010 and 2012, where she played Aria T’Loak, an Asari alien. In 2021, she took on the role of Tilda in the PlayStation blockbuster Horizon Forbidden West.

Elliot Page and Willem Dafoe – Beyond: Two Souls

Elliot Page gained widespread recognition thanks to the success of two independent films: the horrific thriller Hard Candy and the comedy-drama Juno, which earned him an Oscar nomination. He later played Jodie Holmes in Beyond: Two Souls.

A favorite actor of Paul Schrader and Abel Ferrara, Willem Dafoe has also worked with a variety of directors, including Oliver Stone, Martin Scorsese, Julian Schnabel, Wes Anderson, Lars von Trier and Sam Raimi. In Beyond: Two Souls, he plays paranormal scientist Nathan Dawkins.

Daisy Ridley – 12 Minutes

Daisy Ridley began her career with minor roles before achieving international stardom in 2015 with her first major role, as Rey in Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens. She reprised this role in Star Wars, Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, released in 2017, then in the final opus of this new trilogy, Star Wars, Episode IX, The Rise of Skywalker, released in 2019. At the same time, she took part in the film Murder on the Orient Express directed by Kenneth Branagh and lent her voice to various characters, including Cottontail in Peter Rabbit and “the woman” in the game 12 Minutes, alongside James McAvoy and Willem Dafoe.

David Arquette and Lance Henriksen – The Quarry

Born into an acting family, David Arquette rose to fame in 1996 with the horror film Scream and its four sequels, in which he played Sheriff Dwight Riley. In the horror game The Quarry, he plays Chris Hackett, head of the camp where teenagers are having a very bad vacation.

Lance Henriksen is known for his performances in science fiction films, such as the role of Bishop in the Alien franchise, as well as Frank Black in the Millennium and X-Files TV series. He also lent his voice and appearance to the game Detroit: Become Human. In The Quarry, he brilliantly portrays Jedediah Hackett, the story’s antagonist.

Jesse Williams – Detroit: Become Human

Jesse Williams is an American actor, television producer and model, who first came to public attention with his role as Dr. Jackson Avery on the TV series Grey’s Anatomy. He also won acclaim for his roles in the horror film The Cabin in the Woods and the drama The Butler. In Detroit: Become Human, he plays the role of Markus, an android who gains consciousness and becomes the leader of the resistance.

Gillian Anderson – Hellbender / Squadron 42

Actress Gillian Anderson rose to fame in 1993 with her first role in the X-Files series, alongside David Duchovny. In 2019, she starred in the Netflix series Sex Education, and the following year received a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in the series The Crown. She had already taken part in a video game in 1996, in the title Hellbender, where she lent her voice to the on-board computer. She will be featured in the highly anticipated Squadron 42, the single-player spin-off of Star Citizen.

Rochelle Aytes – Left 4 Dead 2

American actress Rochelle Aytes made her name on TV series such as Forgotten, Mistresses, Criminal Minds, The Purge and S.W.A.T.. In 2009, she played the role of Rochelle in the game Left 4 Dead 2, which is essentially about slaying hordes of zombies.

Kiefer Sutherland – Metal Gear Solid V

Best known for his role as Jack Bauer in the series 24 and for Alex Proyas’ fantasy film Dark City, Kiefer Sutherland is also a regular on the video game scene. He lent his voice to Sergeant Roebuck in the blockbuster Call of Duty: World at War. In Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes, he dubbed Big Boss, then Venom Snake in the “sequel” Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.

Rosario Dawson – Dishonored 2

It was mainly in the 2000s that Rosario Dawson built her career, with major films such as Men in Black 2, Sin City, Death Proof, the Percy Jackson saga and Tony Scott’s action film Unstoppable. From 2015 and 2019, she participated in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, playing the character of Claire Temple, and made numerous appearances in the Comics giant’s various films and series. From 2020, she portrayed Ahsoka Tano in the series The Mandalorian, a major character in the Star Wars franchise who had her own series in 2023. In video games, she lends her voice to the incredible Billie Lurk in the cult Dishonored franchise.

Mark Hamill – Batman: Arkham Asylum

Mark Hamill quickly became a worldwide celebrity as Luke Skywalker, the main character in the Star Wars saga. Also used to portraying the Joker character from the DC universe, he lent his voice to the character in the famous Batman animated series in the 90s. Now a cult favorite, his voice was reused in Batman: Arkham Asylum, where his performance adds a lot to the character.

Elijah Wood – The Legend of Spyro

Elijah Wood became an international celebrity when he played the hobbit Frodo Baggins in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. He has also appeared in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Hooligans and Sin City. He returned under Jackson’s direction in 2012 for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. More surprisingly, he lent his voice to Spyro the dragon in the video games of The Legend of Spyro franchise.

Burt Reynolds – Grand Theft Auto: Vice City / Saints Row: The Third

Burt Reynolds is best known for his major roles as Lewis Medlock in Delivrance, Paul Crewe in The Longest Yard, Bo “Bandit” Darville in Smokey and the Bandit, J. J. McClure in The Cannonball Run and Jack Horner in Boogie Nights, which earned him an Oscar nomination. It ranked number one at the box office between 1978 and 1982. A status that hasn’t prevented him from playing somewhat tongue-in-cheek characters in the games Saints Row: The Third and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.

Samuel L. Jackson – Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Samuel Leroy Jackson quickly made a name for himself in the early 90s with cult roles in films such as Jurassic Park, Pulp Fiction and Die Hard with a Vengeance. His portrayal of Mace Windu in the Star Wars saga brought him even greater fame. In 2004, he took part in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, in which he played Frank Tenpenny, a corrupt policeman who gives CJ a hard time. The character was also used by Rockstar Games to promote the title on a number of posters that have also become cult favorites.

Giancarlo Esposito – Far Cry 6

Giancarlo Esposito shot to fame in the late 2000s with his role as Gustavo Fring in the Breaking Bad series, then in the Better Call Saul spin-off. The success of the first series opened the door to several productions, including Once Upon a Time, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, Money Monster, The Get Down, Okja and the Dear White People series. In 2021, he played Antón Castillo inUbisoft‘s Far Cry 6. Nicknamed “El Presidente”, the character is the tyrannical dictator of the island of Yara, where the adventure takes place.

Stephen Merchant – Portal 2

Known for creating, with Ricky Gervais, the series The Office, Extras and Life’s Too Short, Stephen Merchant made a small detour into video games in 2011 with the legendary Portal 2. He plays the hilarious artificial intelligence Wheatley, who follows the player throughout the adventure. The actor, director, writer and producer spent over 16 hours in the studio recording the character’s lines, and improvised many of them.

Movies and video games: a love story

For several decades now, there has always been a bridge between cinema and video games. Today, the two media coexist, bringing with them a wealth of talent. Directors, too, have always been interested in this medium: for example, Steven Spielberg wrote the script for Medal of Honor, released in 1999. The King Kong game, which accompanied the release of the film, was supervised by Peter Jackson. Spike Lee directed and scripted NBA 2K16‘s career mode. F.E.A.R. 3 was written by horror genius John Carpenter. James Wan worked on the visual creation of Dead Space‘s creatures. In 2007, John Woo created the action game Stranglehold. Last but not least, Guillermo Del Toro and Hideo Kojima should have released a game based on the Silent Hill license, but collaborated on Death Stranding instead.

Today, cinema is inspired by video games. Adaptations such as Gran Turismo or Unchartedwill appeal to new audiences, who can then turn to a PlayStation 5 to discover these licenses in their video game versions. The production techniques made possible by 3D engines are now giving ideas to film directors, who are using the same tools as in gaming. The backgrounds of The Mandalorian series, for example, are displayed thanks to the Unreal Engine 5, which also runs many next-gen games.

It’s also hard not to mention the film Scott Pilgrim, written and directed by Edgar Wright, which bases its entire narrative on video game mechanics. The cult scene from the feature film Old Boy, which resembles a 90s Beat Them All, is also an excellent example of this melting pot. Last but not least, Hideo Kojima’s cinematographic ambitions include working with production company A24 on a film based on the Death Stranding universe.

Transmedia storytelling is increasingly in vogue, with stories starting in movies and continuing in video games. Experiences multiply for ever more exciting adventures.