Half-Life 2 Voice Actors Revealed

Thanks to 1UP for its story discussing the full voice-acting cast list for hideously long-awaited FPS Half-Life 2. It's noted: "Only two of the original game's actors will be returning; Mike Shapiro as both the ominous G-Man and security guard Barney Calhoun, and Harry S. Robins as Dr. Isaac Kleiner. Naturally, returning protagonist Gordon Freeman will remain voiceless", before it's revealed: "The voice for Dr. Eli Vance will be supplied by Robert Guillaume, otherwise known as the unforgettable Detective Catfish in the Fish Police TV series. Vance's assistant, Dr. Judith Mossman, will be voiced by Michelle Forbes, known for her roles on Star Trek: The Next Generation, Homicide, and Guiding Light. Oscar winner Lou Gossett, Jr. will voice each and every one of the Vortigaunt alien slaves (his second alien role, after the cult sci-fi classic Enemy Mine)."

Comments

Re:Release dates

[nukem1999]

I think the "Will be" is just in reference to the fact that the game's not out yet, not that they haven't recorded their audio. They've released several demos which include voice audio of G-man, Barney, and Kleiner, so they kind of "have returned".

But, needless to say, the whole release date thing does blow chunks.

Robert Guillaume

[hal2814]

I think that Guillaume is just a little bit better known as Benson than Detective Catfish. they could have at least mentioned his role in Sports Night. Or maybe that new commecial where all the maids and butlers from different TV shows are on vacation.

Re:Robert Guillaume

[The Barking Dog]

I think it's just a case of someone picking his favorite role, like someone listing ZARDOZ as one of Sean Connery's credits, or CABIN BOY as one of Tim Burton's production credits.

Michelle Forbes

[justanyone]

Michelle Forbes was ensign Ro Laren on STTNG (Star Trek NextGen). She was Bejoran and had a funky earring: two ring piercings at the top and bottom of the ear with a small chain between them that dangled a bit.

Ro was known for being ... independently minded, was (as all movie stars are) quite attractive.

Some would argue that her character, and those fellow Bejorans in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine series, were supposed to be the 'Arabs' of the Federation. It is a popular conception that the cold war colored Star Trek's political landscape. The Federation (humans) were the United States, The Russians were the Klingons. The Romulans were the Chinese. The Vulcans were not assignable easily; one could say they were the Swiss, but it's hard to say.

Regardless, Ro played a character that had personal and professional problems that started with her upbringing on an occupied world, and meant that she was not subservient to human / Federation dictates, just being there for the ride.

Interesting to note she's still working; of course she was talented. But the ST:TNG scripts sometimes limited the actors/actresses by putting the role of women into stereotyped containers (think: low cut short-skirts on Troi in season 1). They tried to presume equality (doctors are female), but sometimes it didn't mesh with Keeping Teenage Boys Watching. Ro was sort of a 'bad girl' that was good at heart but didn't want to be, by my reading.

-- Kevin J. Rice