One very valid complaint that was levelled against Elder Scrolls IV is that it often felt like there were only three people voicing the game’s entire cast.
In Skyrim, for the most part, that’s been fixed. And then some. Even when you get past the token celebrity voice actors, you see there’s a vast, talented cast bringing the game to life.
So let’s meet some of them!
As you’ll see, some are household names, some are respected (if not celebrity) actors, some are voice work specialists and some, well, they just did a good job on this video game. Interestingly, very few (aside from some obvious selections) are actually from a Nordic background.
Max von Sydow (Esbern) – Plays Esbern, but will be just as remembered for his voice work narrating one of the most stirring game trailers in living memory. The Swedish actor is best known for his roles in The Exorcist, Dune, Flash Gordon and Minority Report.
Christopher Plummer (Arngeir) – A Canadian screen legend, Plummer has been around long enough to have starred in films like The Sound of Music, Star Trek VI, The Return of the Pink Panther, 12 Monkeys and even Pixar’s Up.
Lynda Carter (Gormlaith & Azura) – One of the sexiest women on TV in the 1970’s, Carter became world famous for her memorable turn as Wonder Woman.
Michael Hogan (General Tullius) – Another Canadian, Hogan is best known to most as the gruff Saul Tigh from the recent Battlestar Galactica TV series, though he’s since done a ton of other voice work for games like Fallout: New Vegas and Mass Effect 2.
Vladimir Kulich (Ulfric Stormcloak) – Having played a Viking raider in Ironclad, Kulich is a perfect fit for the Nordic adventures of Skyrim. Better known for his portrayal of Beast in the Angel TV series, Kulich, despite his looks and capable northern accent, isn’t actually Scandinavian. He’s half-Czech, half-Canadian.
Joan Allen (Delphine) – Tony award-winning actress Allen has appeared in The Crucible, Face/Off, Pleasantville, The Contender, The Notebook and the Bourne series.
Stephen Russell (Clavicus Vile, Mercer Frey & More) – Russell is a video game voice-acting legend, having lent his talents to memorable roles in games like Thief, System Shock 2, Fallout 3, Freedom Force and Neverwinter Nights. It’s a testament to his ability that in Skyrim he plays both a God and a dog, and everything in between.
Jean Gilpin (Elenwen, Meridia & More) – A former TV actress, Gilpin has in recent years become an accomplished voice actor in both film and video gaming, working not only on flicks like Eragon and Rio, but on games such as Age of Mythology and Dragon Age II.
Paul Eiding (Galmar, Septimus & More) – Voice work specialist Eiding has lent his talents to big-name movies like Up, Monsters Inc., Spirited Away and Wall-E. But he’s more prolific in the field of video games, as in recent years he’s worked on RAGE, Halo: Reach, StarCraft II, No More Heroes and Fallout 3.
Mozhan Marnò (Mirabelle Ervine & Namira) – Iranian-American Marnò was amazing in 2008’s The Stoning of Soraya M, but you may also recognise her from one-off roles in TV shows such as Medium, The Unit and The Mentalist.
Wes Johnson (Hermaeus Mora, The Emperor & More) – An Elder Scrolls voice work veteran, having appeared in not just Oblivion but Morrowind as well, Johnson is also well-known for being an announcer on America’s Most Wanted for over 10 years.
Craig Sechler (Gallus, Peryite & More) – Sechler is another Bethesda regular, providing a ton of the voices in Fallout 3, as well as appearing in Oblivion. Outside of gaming, he gets by narrating commercials and documentaries.
Note that these aren’t the only actors in the game. They’re just a selection of some of the most numerous and/or more accomplished among the cast!
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