Nolan North: The Humble Nathan Drake
You know Nolan North. Even if you aren't familiar with the name - although you should be by now - you know him. He has been the voice of Nathan Drake in the acclaimed Uncharted games, and he has also lent his considerable talent to roles in Assassin's Creed, Halo and the recently released Dark Void. Want to learn more about him?
GamePro conducted a lengthy interview with North, who says he gets paid now to do what used to land him in detention. He says he's "humbled by all this" and "feels blessed," mainly because like millions of other aspiring actors in the late '90s, North was going nowhere for a while. He got his "first real gig" in a short-lived soap opera called "Port Charles" but things didn't exactly escalate from there. Before this decision, he went to the University of North Carolina on a baseball scholarship and earned a journalism degree, although he only worked as a reporter for a year. Then, the world of gaming knocked on his door - see how in the interview - and his resume began to expand with game gigs. And now, he's pretty damn big...although not as big as Hollywood celebs, and you may feel sorry for him in that respect. But don't, 'cuz North is plenty happy with the way things are.
"I feel terrible for Brad Pitt. The anonymity of voice over is one the biggest advantages of the job. You make a great living, support your family, and nobody's going to bother you."
North, a clear family man, certainly appreciates the money and living a comfortable life in Southern California. He unsurprisingly attributes this comfort to Uncharted, and after another quick role in Prince of Persia, more opportunities kept popping up. "I've found my niche," he says. And as for the motion-capture stuff, which is new to him, North describes it as "doing theater," only he "doesn't have to shave." Lastly, we'll leave you with one quote we agree with 110%:
"Good voice acting is when you don't notice it, like how you don't notice the dialogue in a movie -- it's just part of the story."
North almost can't believe the success he has enjoyed thus far and he says he's "constantly waiting to be found out." It just feels like too much fun, apparently, and if they don't ever "find him out," he's gonna put, "He got away with it" on his tombstone. For our part, North's voice acting always adds a professional flavor to any game he's involved in, and he absolutely needs to keep working. Don't worry, Nolan, nobody will find out anything besides the fact that you're a damn good addition to a growing industry.
1/15/2010 10:38:09 AM Ben Dutka
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Comments (40 posts)
SvenMD
Friday, January 15, 2010 @ 1:12:23 PM
WorldEndsWithMe
Friday, January 15, 2010 @ 2:25:20 PM
Scarecrow
Friday, January 15, 2010 @ 3:46:11 PM
bigrailer19
Friday, January 15, 2010 @ 4:23:07 PM
Zorigo
Saturday, January 16, 2010 @ 11:06:04 AM
Highlander
Friday, January 15, 2010 @ 3:16:20 PM
I have to say that the voice work in Uncharted (both games) is exceptional. I love Claudia Black as Chloe, but let's not forget Emily Fisher as Elena and even Richard McGonagle as Sully.
Great voice performers all of them. I'll throw some more into the mix... René Auberjonois, Graham McTavish (Lazarevic) and Simon Templeman (Gabriel Roman in Drake's Fortune).
The voice casting that Naughty Dog does is really, really good.
sazzrah
Sunday, January 17, 2010 @ 8:52:03 PM
I agree anyway, it's an amazing voice cast - and despite the truth of Nolan's words sometimes I do notice the voice acting in uncharted - I sit there and think; it's astounding how far games have come - all these great actors, working on gaming with the respect that other entertainment mediums get. It's fantastic.
I mean, I'm sure most here remember the voice acting on games like Resident Evil 1? "Nuff said" I think is the correct phrase to use here.
Last edited by sazzrah on 1/17/2010 8:53:58 PM
fluffer nutter
Friday, January 15, 2010 @ 11:25:53 AM
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WolfCrimson
Friday, January 15, 2010 @ 11:48:09 AM
fluffer nutter
Friday, January 15, 2010 @ 12:04:24 PM
laxpro2001
Friday, January 15, 2010 @ 12:50:57 PM
Feregrin
Friday, January 15, 2010 @ 1:16:59 PM
OtisFeelgood
Friday, January 15, 2010 @ 1:53:46 PM
Superman915
Friday, January 15, 2010 @ 12:29:41 PM
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laxpro2001
Friday, January 15, 2010 @ 12:49:38 PM
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Zorigo
Friday, January 15, 2010 @ 1:08:43 PM
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for me, its him, solid snake or ash (pokemon, those were the days!!!)
just saw the list of games he's been in, this guy is a god damn legend!!!!!!!!!
Last edited by Zorigo on 1/15/2010 1:12:12 PM
Douchebaguette
Friday, January 15, 2010 @ 1:42:15 PM
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WorldEndsWithMe
Friday, January 15, 2010 @ 2:24:35 PM
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Scarecrow
Friday, January 15, 2010 @ 3:47:52 PM
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That's Nathan Drake (and his voice actor, as he portrays him)
I like the fact that Drake acts normal. He doesn't try to be cool or be "suave" or anything. He's just him, kicks ass, does his thing, and gets the job done!
Can't wait for Uncharted 3
bigrailer19
Friday, January 15, 2010 @ 5:15:00 PM
The great thing about North is he is great at what he does! He fits every character he plays well, and sets them apart! Yea u know his voice. But you never say o so now Drake is in POP? Nah, but i will say i see a little Drake in there always because Thats his best accomplishment in my eyes!
soli
Friday, January 15, 2010 @ 5:59:25 PM
FullmetalX10
Friday, January 15, 2010 @ 5:34:35 PM
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BikerSaint
Friday, January 15, 2010 @ 9:55:54 PM
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NN should already be a legend....just look at his resume:
Live action
* Port Charles as Chris Ramsey
* General Hospital as Chris Ramsey
* Broken as Rob McCardel
* Six Feet Under as Soap Actor
* She Spies as Peter
* JAG as ER Intern
* On the Doll as Charlie
* The Last Stand as Scott Jacobs
* Ugly Betty as Morning TV show host
* CSI: Miami as Ken Walker
* NCIS as Officer Lou Giotti
* Modern Family as Donald Flum
* Invasion Of The Christmas Lights as Narrator
VIDEO GAMES:
* 50 Cent: Bulletproof (Spinoza)
* Age of Empires III: The War Chiefs (George Armstrong Custer)
* And Then There Were None (Patrick Narracott, The Harbormaster)
* Ape Escape 3 (Dr. Tomoki)
* Area 51 (McCan)
* Armored Core 4 (Sherring, VIP)
* Army of Two: The 40th Day (Elliot Salem)
* Ar tonelico II: Melody of Metafalica (Shun)
* Assassin's Creed (Desmond Miles)
* Assassin's Creed 2 (Desmond Miles)
* Call of Duty 2 (Sergeant Randall)
* Call of Duty: World at War (Dr. Edward Richtofen)
* Cars
* The Cat in the Hat (Fish)
* Crash: Mind over Mutant (Doctor N. Gin)
* Crash of the Titans (Doctor N. Gin, Tiny Tiger (Nintendo DS version), Dingodile (Nintendo DS version), additional voices)
* Crash Tag Team Racing (Doctor N. Gin)
* Dark Void (Will Grey)
* Destroy All Humans! Big Willy Unleashed (Trahn, Ratpoo, Corn Cob King)
* Destroy All Humans! Path of the Furon (Emperor Meningitis)
* Dragon Age: Origins (Additional Voices)
* Driver: Parallel Lines (The Mexican)
* Dungeons & Dragons: Dragonshard
* EverQuest II (Assistant Draek, Lieutenant Daro, Rion Rolana, Medic Brendan, Grayl Turfstrider, Jorgie Icearmor, Royal Guard Novice #2, qeynosian infiltrator, Agent Vylo, a Dervish Kingpin, Dranok Bileblood, freeport mole, Voltari il'Ferceri, Volarr, Mikul, Sandon Breezebender, Tamera Brinebringer, Arconius, Maliz T'Raan)
* EverQuest II: Desert of Flames
* Evil Dead: Regeneration (Deadites #2, #3, and #4)
* Fable II (Male Hero)
* Final Fantasy XII (Vossler York Azelas)
* Gears of War 2 (Jace Stratton)
* God of War (Hades, Greek Soldier, Fisherman)
* GoldenEye 007
* Gun (additional voices)
* Halo 3 (Marine)
* Halo 3: ODST (LCpl Kojo "Romeo" Agu)
* Halo Wars (Sgt. Forge)
* The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction (Guard #1)
* Interstate '82 (Hinkley)
* Keepsake (Zak)
* Lost Planet: Extreme Condition (Joe, Narrator)
* MadWorld (Operator B/Master Father (Francis)/Yokozuna Daisangen)
* Marvel Super Hero Squad (War Machine)
* Marvel: Ultimate Alliance (Ghost Rider, Hawkeye)
* Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 (War Machine)
* Maximo vs. Army of Zin (Baron, Baron's Guard, Bandit)
* Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (various voices) [1] [2]
* Nicktoons: Attack of the Toybots (Factorybots)
* Nicktoons: Battle for Volcano Island (Crab Soldier #1, Crab Soldier #2, Crab Refugee #2)
* The Outfit (Allied soldier, resistance fighter)
* Power Rangers: Super Legends (Goldar, Operation Overdrive Red Ranger)
* Predator: Concrete Jungle (additional voices)
* Pr* Prototype (miscellaneous voices)
* The Punisher
* Red Faction: Guerrilla (various voices)
* Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time (Sigmund and other voices)
* Quantum of Solace (various voices)
* Saints Row
* The Saboteur (Crochet, various voices)
* Shadow Complex (Jason Fleming)
* Shrek SuperSlam (Quasimodo)
* SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Combined Assault (Vandal)
* Spec Ops: The Line (Captain Martin Walker)
* Spongebob's Atlantis Squarepantis (Some of the Atlantean guards)
* SpongeBob SquarePants: Lights, Camera, Pants! (Gill Hammerstein)
* SWAT 4 (SWAT Officer Tony "Subway" Girand)
* SWAT 4: The Stetchkov Syndicate (SWAT Officer Tony)
* Terminator Salvation (Dobkin)
* TMNT (Raphael (TMNT))
* Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2: Bush Rescue (Karlos, Duncan, Snappy)
* Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (Nathan Drake)
* Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (Nathan Drake)
Feature Animation
* Ultimate Avengers as Giant Man/Hank Pym
* Ben 10 as Henchman, Teen Attendant
* The Wild as Additional Voices
* Ultimate Avengers 2: Rise of the Panther as Giant Man/Hank Pym
* TMNT as Raphael
* Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy Waking Nightmare / Beware of the Undertoad as Exercise Dude
* Unstable Fables: 3 Pigs and a Baby as Big Bad Wolf
* Hulk Vs. as Deadpool
* Wolverine and the X-Men as Cyclops, Pyro,Berzerker, Carl, Doctor, Dr. Brooks, Deadpool
* Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths as Green Lantern and Power Ring
MysteriousMagus
Sunday, January 17, 2010 @ 6:28:39 PM
THE NTMIDTR
Friday, January 15, 2010 @ 11:48:41 PM
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I remember being blown away to find the Joker was Luke Skywalker!!!
Voice acting is an aspect in most games that makes the game stand out when it's good.
Gamer Girl Gemo
Saturday, January 16, 2010 @ 2:42:35 AM
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Uncharted 2: Among Thieves









WolfCrimson
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Friday, January 15, 2010 @ 11:03:04 AM