Gay Actors Who Voiced the Most Iconic Video Game Villains Pre-2010

by

For years, video games have used powerful voice acting to create compelling villains. Before advanced motion capture technology, many skilled stage and film actors brought these characters to life with their voices. This list celebrates fifteen openly gay actors who voiced unforgettable villains in video games released before 2010.

Lance Bass

Fans were surprised to learn that Justin Timberlake, formerly of NSYNC, voiced the iconic villain Sephiroth in the original ‘Kingdom Hearts’ game, released in 2002. His cool and distant performance set the standard for the English voice of the ‘Final Fantasy VII’ character within the Disney-inspired world of the game. This casting is a memorable fact for fans, as the role was later given to a different actor in later games. Timberlake brought a strange and unsettling energy to the character, making his first appearance in a Western video game release particularly distinctive.

Udo Kier

Udo Kier, a German actor, is famous among gamers for his over-the-top and memorable performance as Yuri in ‘Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2’. He played the villain in live-action scenes that really set the game’s unique style, which came out in 2000. Kier returned as Yuri in the expansion pack, ‘Yuri’s Revenge’, where the character became the main threat to taking over the world. Yuri’s unique accent and intense gaze quickly made him a well-known figure in PC gaming.

Ian McKellen

In 2006, Sir Ian McKellen lent his powerful presence to the video game ‘X-Men: The Official Game’ by voicing Magneto. The game filled in the story between the second and third ‘X-Men’ movies, letting players hear McKellen perform Magneto’s famous speech. He brought the same depth and seriousness to the video game role as he did to the live-action films, perfectly capturing the character’s complicated sense of right and wrong. This remains a rare instance of McKellen directly providing the voice for a video game version of one of his movie characters.

Stephen Fry

Stephen Fry, the well-known British comedian and writer, lent his voice to the character of Reaver in the popular 2008 role-playing game ‘Fable II’. Reaver is a memorable villain – a skilled but selfish character who will do anything, even harm others, to achieve eternal youth. Fry brought a unique combination of dry humor and snobbishness to the role, making Reaver a delightfully wicked character. His performance was so popular that he returned in the game’s sequel.

George Takei

George Takei, famous for his role in Star Trek, powerfully portrayed Emperor Yoshiro in the 2008 video game ‘Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3’. He played the leader of the Empire of the Rising Sun in the game’s memorable live-action scenes. Takei brought a sense of strong authority and deep-rooted tradition to the villainous role, effectively balancing the game’s wild, alternate history storyline. His performance gave the game a sense of realism amidst its over-the-top action.

Rupert Everett

In the 2004 video game version of ‘Shrek 2’, Rupert Everett brought the arrogant and manipulative Prince Charming to life with his voice. He revisited the role he played in the animated film, playfully taunting players and delivering delightfully wicked commentary during gameplay. Everett skillfully portrayed the character’s vanity and spoiled attitude, perfectly adapting him for the interactive experience. His performance helped the game maintain the same clever humor and satirical style as the popular movie.

Clive Barker

Clive Barker, the famous horror author, was deeply involved in the 2001 game ‘Clive Barker’s Undying’. He not only wrote the story but also provided the voice for the main villain, Ambrose Covenant. Covenant is a frightening and unpredictable character who players must defeat in a climactic boss battle within his eerie mansion. By using his own voice, Barker brought a uniquely unsettling and authentic quality to the character and enhanced the game’s dark, gothic horror feel. This personal contribution helped make the game a cult classic.

John Glover

John Glover, a well-known character actor, provided the voice for Abraxas, the main villain in the 2003 video game ‘Tron 2.0.’ Abraxas is a dangerous, corrupted program determined to take over the entire digital world. Glover’s performance was energetic and menacing, perfectly capturing the intense, high-stakes conflict at the heart of the game. Fans often praise his work as a key reason why ‘Tron 2.0’ is considered one of the best games based on the ‘Tron’ franchise.

David Hyde Pierce

David Hyde Pierce, famous for his work in comedy TV shows, lent his voice to the character of Cecil Terwilliger in the 2007 video game ‘The Simpsons Game’. Cecil is the younger, and some would say more polished, brother of the well-known villain Sideshow Bob. Pierce brought the same clever and sophisticated style he used on the television show to the game’s funny writing. The conversations between his character and the other characters were among the game’s highlights.

Linda Hunt

I was totally blown away when I found out Linda Hunt, an Oscar winner, was the voice of Gaia in ‘God of War II’! At first, she seemed like just a helpful narrator, guiding Kratos, but it quickly became clear she was so much more – a powerful, ancient Titan with her own plans. Hunt’s voice was perfect – it really captured that feeling of immense power and age. Her narration made the game feel huge, and it was brilliant how it all set up her becoming a villain later on in the series. It’s still one of my favorite voice performances ever!

Andrew Rannells

Before becoming a Broadway star, Andrew Rannells lent his voice to the character of Noah Kaiba in the 2004 Xbox game ‘Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dawn of Destiny.’ Noah is the resentful stepbrother of Seto Kaiba, and he imprisons the main characters in a virtual world as part of a revenge plot. Rannells perfectly portrayed the character’s spoiled attitude and underlying envy throughout the game’s story. His voice acting became well-known within the English-language versions of the ‘Yu-Gi-Oh!’ franchise, appearing in several games and animated storylines.

J. Michael Tatum

As a huge ‘Dragon Ball Z’ fan, I always thought J. Michael Tatum nailed his role as Zarbon in ‘Budokai Tenkaichi 3’! Zarbon’s this really proud, beautiful warrior who works for Frieza, but then he transforms into something totally monstrous. What I loved about Tatum’s performance was how smooth and sophisticated his voice was – it was such a cool contrast to how ruthless Zarbon could be, and especially jarring when he changed forms. Honestly, it really helped make Zarbon stand out and become a memorable character for fans like me playing the game.

Chris Patton

Chris Patton was the voice of Greed, a greedy and powerful character, in the 2004 video game ‘Fullmetal Alchemist 2: Curse of the Crimson Elixir’. Greed, a key villain with incredibly tough, carbon-based skin, wants everything for himself. Patton’s performance showed both Greed’s selfishness and his surprisingly charming, rebellious side. Around the same time, Patton also voiced Turles, a villain from the ‘Dragon Ball Z’ games.

James Sie

James Sie was the voice of Shendu, the main villain in the 2004 PlayStation 2 game ‘Jackie Chan Adventures.’ Shendu is a powerful, evil sorcerer who wants to gather twelve magical talismans so he can release dragons and cause chaos. Sie gave Shendu a deep, gravelly voice to show how old, dangerous, and smart the fire demon was. The game let players fight Shendu themselves, bringing the character Sie famously played in the animated TV show to life in a new way.

Tell us in the comments which villain performance is your favorite memory!

Read More

2025-12-09 06:46