5 games where big-time Hollywood actors nailed their parts

Gaming has slowly but surely become a cornerstone of pop culture, earning its rightful place in the cultural zeitgeist. Over the past couple of decades, the industry has ballooned in popularity, drawing in bigger audiences — and with that, bigger names. While Hollywood stars lending their voices to video game characters isn’t exactly new, their presence has only become more prominent in recent years.

However, now and then, a performance comes along that doesn’t just fit the character — it defines them. When done right, these actors don’t just bring star power; they elevate the game, making some unforgettable gaming experiences. Sure, there’s an argument that Hollywood casting in games can sometimes feel distracting, but what about the performances on this list? They only made their respective games that much better.

5

Rami Malek – Until Dawn

A masterclass in madness and vulnerability

Before he was telling his mama he killed a man, Rami Malek was delivering one of the most unsettling and layered performances in gaming. His portrayal of Josh Washington in Until Dawn — the first PS4-only title I played — was nothing short of phenomenal. Malek was charismatic, broken, and raw in the role, oscillating between funny and tragic, to downright terrifying by the end of the game. This was a performance the likes of which we rarely see in horror games, and it makes Malek’s character easily the most memorable in some of the best modern horror games.

It’s a shame we didn’t get any new mocap or lines from Rami Malek for the Until Dawn remake, but hey, at least the remake’s new ending actually allows us to save him. That opens up some interesting possibilities for a sequel. If Supermassive ever brings Until Dawn back for round two, here’s hoping we get more of Malek’s unmatched intensity. Until then, I’m just going to crib and moan about how the upcoming movie looks nothing like its video game namesake.

Until Dawn

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4

Léa Seydoux – Death Stranding

Fragile in name alone

Look, I’ve heard a sizable share of people describe Léa Seydoux’s acting in Death Stranding as lifeless, but the point of it went over their heads. In Death Stranding, Fragile is eccentric with terrible people skills, all while being burdened with a tragic past — these traits aren’t easy to deliver, but Seydoux nailed the portrayal with ease.

Seydoux’s character absolutely carried the scenes with Norman Reedus’ Sam, with long and emotional monologues that never once affected my immersion. Whether delivering quiet moments of introspection or standing her ground against Troy Baker’s Higgs, Seydoux made Fragile one of Death Stranding’s most memorable characters. Even in Kojima’s insane, surreal world, you can’t help but empathize with Fragile, and that, apart from the great writing, is thanks to Léa Seydoux.

Death Stranding: Director’s Cut

Death Stranding is set in the United States following a cataclysmic, world-ending event. The player controls Sam Porter Bridges, a courier tasked with delivering supplies to isolated colonies and reconnecting the world.

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3

Keanu Reeves – Cyberpunk 2077

Rockerboy, nukerboy

When Keanu Reeves was revealed as Cyberpunk 2077’s Johnny Silverhand, it instantly became one of the most legendary gaming moments of all time. The hype was unreal, and somehow, Reeves still managed to exceed expectations. Silverhand’s anarchist, no-nonsense, always-exasperated rockerboy persona with a bucket load of cynicism is one we came to love and miss, all thanks to Reeves’ stellar portrayal of him. Let’s be real — who else but John Wick himself could hand-deliver a nuke straight into Arasaka HQ?

Reeves played Silverhand with a charisma that was hard not to love, with snide jokes, dirty comments, and the occasional somber statement, building up a character who’s been dead for decades, yet more alive than ever. Moreover, CD Projekt Red didn’t stop there — they went ahead and signed another fantastic action star, Idris Elba, to lead the Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty expansion, which also became one of the greatest DLCs ever.

Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition

Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition is the complete Cyberpunk experience. It includes the base game, along with the critically-acclaimed DLC expansion Phantom Liberty, along with every DLC launched since the game’s initial release.

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2

Mads Mikkelsen – Death Stranding

Subtle and heartbreaking

Mads Mikkelsen as Cliff didn’t just act in Death Stranding — he delivered one of the most emotionally gripping performances I’ve ever seen. A father clinging to the last shred of love he had left, trying to protect and reach out to a child he couldn’t even hold. The flashback sequences of him interacting with BB — singing, celebrating birthdays, and pretending to be Santa Claus? Absolute cinema. We weren’t watching mere cutscenes but taking glimpses into a broken man’s soul.

It didn’t come as a surprise when Mikkelsen won Best Performance at the 2019 Game Awards — every line, every expression, every strained smile hit like a freight train. A lesser actor could have gone over-the-top in portraying “a deranged, broken man talking to a baby”. Every time I left the private room, I wanted another memory, just to be able to see more of Mikkelsen’s performance. This wasn’t a show-stealing performance — it was the show, which makes it even more of a shame that his character won’t be returning to Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, which is one of the most hotly-anticipated games of 2025.

Death Stranding: Director’s Cut

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1

Mark Hamill – Batman: Arkham Trilogy

There’s plenty wrong with him

Mark Hamill has played one of the most iconic villains of all time, the Joker, plenty of times across multiple media. However, his portrayal of the clown prince of crime in the Batman: Arkham series is undoubtedly the absolute peak of the character in gaming. While his animated series version was already legendary, the Arkham games let him go all in — fully psychotic, brutally violent, and utterly captivating. He was so good that even after Joker’s death in Arkham City, Arkham Knight still couldn’t let him go — and honestly, who could complain? We got more Hamill, which is always a win, despite the final game’s PC port being one of the biggest gaming scandals in recent history.

Hamill’s Joker in Arkham City was sick, dying, and somehow more dangerous than ever. Every taunt, every laugh, every cough, and every sinister whisper felt chillingly real. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gave himself tuberculosis just to nail the role. No disrespect to Troy Baker, who did an excellent job in Arkham Origins, but Hamill is Joker. This performance is permanently burned into gaming history, and nobody’s topping it.

Batman Arkham City

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When star power truly shines

Hollywood actors stepping into gaming has been a mixed bag over the years, but when it works, it really works. These aren’t just big names slapped onto a project — they are actors who brought depth, emotion, and raw power to their roles because they respected the medium itself. As gaming continues to grow as a storytelling medium, we can only hope for more performances that don’t just borrow from Hollywood but instead rival its best.