Liam O'Brien | |
Birth Date: | 28 May 1976 |
Birth Place: | Weehawken, New Jersey, U.S. |
Occupation: | Voice actor, writer, director |
Yearsactive: | 2001–present |
Children: | 2 |
Liam Christopher O'Brien (born May 28, 1976) is an American voice actor, writer, and director. He is a regular cast member of the Dungeons & Dragons actual play series Critical Role, playing Vax'ildan ("Vax"), Caleb Widogast, and Orym.[1] He has been involved in many video games, cartoons, and English-language adaptations of Japanese anime. His major anime roles include Gaara in Naruto, Naruto Shippuden, and Boruto, Vincent Law in Ergo Proxy, Captain Jushiro Ukitake in Bleach, Lloyd in Code Geass, Kenzo Tenma in Monster, Akihiko Sanada in Persona 3, and Nephrite in the Viz Media dub of Sailor Moon.
In cartoons, O'Brien has voiced characters in shows such as Star Wars Rebels, Transformers: Robots in Disguise, Avengers Assemble, Wolverine and the X-Men, and Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.. In video games, he voiced Gollum in and its sequel, Caius Ballad in Final Fantasy XIII-2 and , War in Darksiders, Asura in Asura's Wrath, Ieyasu Tokugawa in , Illidan Stormrage in World of Warcraft and Heroes of the Storm, Yasuo in League of Legends, Grimoire Weiss in Nier and Nier: Replicant ver.1.22474487139..., the Warden in For Honor, and Barker in Titanfall 2.
He is an automated dialog replacement writer for anime and has provided voice direction for over 300 episodes of anime such as Naruto. He has also voice directed for video games such as The Last of Us, Evolve, Resident Evil 5, and Resident Evil 6.[2]
Liam Christopher O'Brien was born in Weehawken, New Jersey, on May 28, 1976.[3] His mother, Lois Wiltse O'Brien, worked as an educator as well as a quality assurance trainer and consultant.[4] He has a sister named Cara.[4] His family were Reformed Christians,[5] and he was "raised by a Christian mother and attended 15 years of Christian schooling", but would later describe himself as agnostic.[6] He began acting in high school at St. Peter's Preparatory School, resolving to "just be a starving artist" as he knew the chances of success in the field were low.[7] O'Brien moved to New York City to attend the New York University Tisch School of the Arts.
In his early career, O'Brien worked in theater on various productions around the country.[8] [9] [10] He met Crispin Freeman while working on a production of Romeo & Juliet in Cincinnati, Ohio, which helped him get voice-over work back in New York. He and his partner decided to leave the city in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks and pursued a voice acting career. While he enjoyed theater, he gave up on it as the voice work would better allow him to support and spend time with his family.[11]
O'Brien affirms that he often plays characters that are insane or evil geniuses, although he has also voiced comedic characters such as Fukuyama in Girls Bravo. He describes Cumore from Tales of Vesperia as "extremely unhinged". In Darksiders, he voices the lead character War, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. He describes his voicing as deeper than his usual voice, and that he portrayed War as a fairly old soul who isn't surprised at the events around him. In the video game-based film , he voiced Red XIII. In addition to voice acting, he has worked as a voice director and writer on various video games and anime shows.
He is also a cast member of the popular web series Critical Role, in which he and other voice actors play Dungeons & Dragons.[12] Critical Role was both the Webby Winner and the People's Voice Winner in the "Games (Video Series & Channels)" category at the 2019 Webby Awards;[13] the show was also both a Finalist and the Audience Honor Winner at the 2019 Shorty Awards.[14] After becoming hugely successful, the Critical Role cast left the Geek & Sundry network in early 2019 and set up their own production company, Critical Role Productions.[15] [16] [17] [18] Soon after, they aimed to raise $750,000 on Kickstarter to create an animated series of their first campaign, but ended up raising over $11 million.[19] In November 2019, Amazon Prime Video announced that they had acquired the streaming rights to this animated series, now titled The Legend of Vox Machina,[20] O'Brien reprised his role as Vax'ildan.[21] In June 2021, O'Brien was added to the cast of Exandria Unlimited, a spinoff of Critical Role. O'Brien is also one of the narrators for the audiobook edition of the novel (2021).[22] [23]
O'Brien married voice actress Amy Kincaid in 2002.[24] [25] The couple have two children: a daughter and a son. They live in Los Angeles.[26]
He suffers from hyperacusis, a hearing disorder that makes him unusually sensitive to everyday noises.[27]
Source | |||||
Boogiepop Phantom | Yoji Suganuma, others | < | -- crystal acids --> | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gokudo | Tei | ||||
His and Her Circumstances | Hideki Asaba, Fukada Kohei | ||||
Revolutionary Girl Utena | Mamiya Chida | ||||
Figure 17 | Toru | ||||
Wolf's Rain | Soldier | [28] | |||
DNA² | Junta Momonari | CA< | -- crystal acids --> | ||
K.O. Beast | Bud Mint | ||||
Yukikaze | Various characters | ||||
Texhnolyze | Man C | ||||
.hack//Legend of the Twilight | Tom | ||||
Gad Guard | Truck Driver | ||||
R.O.D. | Various characters< | -- New Gen / Geneon--> | Also as William Markham | ||
Paranoia Agent | Mitsuhiro Maniwa, Man on Phone 2 | ||||
Comic Party | Taishi Kuhonbutsu | ||||
Gungrave | Executive A, Researcher, Sam | ||||
Marmalade Boy | Akira Mizutani, Alex | ||||
Girls Bravo | [29] | ||||
Rumiko Takahashi Anthology | Ryuichi, Mover, Odagiri, Zashiki Warashi, Gorgeous | CA< | -- crystal acids --> | ||
Mermaid Forest | Yuta | ||||
Samurai Champloo | Young Yamane, Eel Shop Owner, others | ||||
Daphne in the Brilliant Blue | Various characters | ||||
Koi Kaze | Kei Odagiri, Man, Friend A | ||||
Duel Masters: Season 2 | Shobu Kirifuda | ||||
Tenjho Tenge | Shin Natsume | ||||
The Melody of Oblivion | Horu, Person of the Cape | ||||
Mermaid Forest | Yuta, others | ||||
DearS | Various characters | ||||
Ghost Talker's Daydream | |||||
Gino, others | |||||
Andrea Cavalcanti | |||||
Saiyuki Reload | Various characters | ||||
Scrapped Princess | Furet | ||||
Leave it to Piyoko! | Thin Blob | OVA | |||
–09 | Naruto | Gaara, Kotetsu Hagane | |||
–07 | Haré+Guu | [30] [31] | |||
Boys Be... | Voice director and script writer | [32] | |||
Kannazuki no Miko | Tsubasa | CA< | -- crystal acids --> | ||
Saiyuki Reload Gunlock | Rin's Captor, Subordinate | ||||
Gun Sword | Ray Lundgren, Wild Bunch C | ||||
Kamichu! | Shika, Inu Osho, Konoha Kamaitachi, others | ||||
The Prince of Tennis | Nanjiro Echizen, Arai | ||||
Fate/stay night | |||||
Ergo Proxy | Vincent Law | ||||
Paradise Kiss | Seiji Kisaragi | ||||
–14 | Bleach | Jushiro Ukitake, Sora Inoue | |||
2007 | Blue Dragon | Dolsk | |||
To Heart | Various characters | ||||
Cutie Honey | Seiji's Contact | Live-action dub | |||
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya | Baseball Team Captain | ||||
The Third: The Girl With the Blue Eye | Various characters | ||||
Phoenix | Ohtomo | ||||
Code Geass series | Lloyd Asplund | ||||
Buso Renkin | Gota Nakamura, Hideki Okakura | ||||
Descendants of Darkness | Hisoka Kurosaki | ||||
–10 | Monster | ||||
–19 | Gaara | ||||
Slayers series | Revolution and Evolution-R | [33] [34] | |||
Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan - Demon Capital | Hidemoto Keikain | [35] | |||
Redline | Frisbee | ||||
2012–13 | Jamil, Markkio and Issac | ||||
–15 | Digimon Fusion | Deckergreymon, Neptunmon, Mercurymon, others | |||
Fate/Zero | Kariya Matou | ||||
–15 | Sailor Moon | Viz dub | [36] | ||
[37] [38] [39] | |||||
Sailor Moon Crystal | Nephrite | [40] | |||
Ieyasu Tokugawa | [41] | ||||
–19 | Baki | Atsushi Suedou, Valentin Sokolov | Netflix | [42] [43] | |
Gaara | [44] | ||||
Ultraman | Netflix ONA | [45] | |||
Marvel Future Avengers |
Source | ||||
–09 | Wolverine and the X-Men | |||
Captain Anatoly Krimov / Red Star, others | Episode: "Union of the Snake" | |||
2012–14 | NFL Rush Zone | RZ6.0/Richard Zimmer, Zich, others | ||
2012–18 | Sofia the First | Additional voices | 2 episodes | |
–17 | Avengers Assemble | Red Skull / Iron Skull, Stephen Strange / Doctor Strange, Blood Brother #2, Skully, Skull-Net, others | ||
Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel | Red Skull | |||
–15 | Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. | Arkon, Red Skull, others | ||
Regular Show | Tango | Episode: "Gold Watch" | ||
–17 | Star Wars Rebels | Supply Master Yogar Lyste, Morad Sumar, others | [46] | |
Transformers: Robots in Disguise | Underbite, Kickback, others | |||
Ultimate Spider-Man | Doctor Strange | Episode: "Miles from Home" | [47] | |
Pickle and Peanut | Head Mannequin | Episode: "Bats/Movie Camp Out" | [48] | |
Amphibia | Additional voices | 3 episodes | ||
Carmen Sandiego | Professor Gunnar Maelstrom, Vlad, Boris, ACME Agent. | [49] | ||
DC Super Hero Girls | General Zod | 3 episodes | ||
2020 | Spider-Man | Doctor Strange, Symbiote Supreme, Robber 2, Golem 2 | 2 episodes | |
2021 | Nikdo, Bandit #1, Bandit #4 | Episode: "Princess of Nothing" | ||
Bolo, Raney, Captured Falleen, Tactical Droid, Scrapper | 3 episodes | |||
2022–present | The Legend of Vox Machina | Vax'ildan "Vax" Vessar, Vorugal | [50] [51] | |
Caleb Widogast | In production | [52] | ||
Source | |||||
Aquarian Age the Movie | Lancelot Army Commander | CA | |||
Det. Kataoka | Bandai Visual dub | CA | |||
Redline | Frisbee | [53] | |||
Shichigoro | |||||
Planet Hulk | |||||
Ieyasu Tokugawa | |||||
Aquaman, Batwing Computer | |||||
Iron Man & Captain America: Heroes United | |||||
Lunatic / Yuri Petrov | [54] | ||||
Gaara, Kotetsu Hagane | |||||
[55] | |||||
2023 | Red Skull | Disney+ special | [56] |
Source | ||||
One Missed Call | Hiroshi Yamashita | CA | ||
Source | |||||
Seven Samurai 20XX | Natoe | [57] | |||
Obscure | Kenny Matthews | ||||
–18 | Naruto video games | ||||
–07 | .hack//G.U. series | Rebirth, Reminisce, Redemption | |||
Tales of the Abyss | Dist the Rose | ||||
Incidental characters | [58] | ||||
Lezard Valeth | |||||
Jeanne d'Arc | Luther | ||||
Illidan Stormrage, Talon King Ikiss, Darkweaver Syth | |||||
–present | Persona (series) | Akihiko Sanada, Officer Kurosawa(3R) | |||
Eternal Sonata | Waltz | ||||
Devil May Cry 4 | Sanctus | Also did the motion capture for Sanctus | |||
Professor Layton and the Unwound Future | Dr. Alain Stahngun / Dimitri Allen | ||||
Tales of Vesperia | Cumore | [59] | |||
Final Fantasy IV | Kain Highwind | 3D remake | |||
Command & Conquer Red Alert 3 | Akula Submarine | (Voice) | |||
Marwyn | |||||
Additional voices | [60] | ||||
Wrath, Trash Mob B | |||||
Magna Carta II | Huaren Jass | ||||
Resident Evil 5 | Reynard Fisher, others | ||||
MadWorld | Additional voices | ||||
Terminator Salvation | Resistance Fighter | ||||
Undead Knights | Lord Follis | [61] | |||
Daniel Mason | [62] | ||||
The Saboteur | Additional voices | ||||
Lost Planet 2 | [63] | ||||
Final Fantasy XIII | Cocoon Inhabitants | [64] | |||
Darksiders | War | ||||
USA Soldier | |||||
Ieyasu Tokugawa | [65] | ||||
Various characters | [66] | ||||
Fable III | Walla Voice Actors | [67] | |||
NieR | Grimoire Weiss, additional voices | Uncredited in Gestalt's endgame credits; also in Replicant ver.1.22474487139... | [68] | ||
Supreme Commander 2 | Jaran Kael | Aeon Illuminate character | |||
Mercenary | |||||
Mafia II | Brian O'Neill | ||||
Valkyria Chronicles II | Baldren Gassenarl | ||||
StarCraft II | Ghost (Terran Unit) | ||||
Howard Stark, Allied, Hydra | |||||
Catherine | Orlando Haddick | Reprises role in the 2019 remake/expansion | |||
Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy | |||||
Killzone 3 | Voice Talent ISA | ||||
Dungeon Siege III | Alexei / Roderick / Additional voices | ||||
Rise of Nightmares | Marchosias | ||||
Hired Thugs | |||||
White Knight Chronicles 2 | Madoras | ||||
Professor Layton and the Last Specter | Clark Triton | ||||
Eredan / Elledan / Elrohir | |||||
Additional voices | |||||
Asura's Wrath | Asura | ||||
Prototype 2 | Additional voices | ||||
Final Fantasy XIII-2 | |||||
NeverDead | Alex | ||||
Binary Domain | Additional voices | [69] | |||
Darksiders II | War | ||||
Skullgirls | Leviathan | ||||
Marines, Exile Officer | |||||
Sha of Violence, Chi-Ji | |||||
Multiplayer Voice Talent | Also voiced David "Section" Mason in E3 Demo | ||||
Fire Emblem Awakening | Inigo | ||||
Dr. Richard "Rick" Levy | |||||
Tomb Raider | Solarii | ||||
League of Legends | Yasuo | [70] | |||
BioShock Infinite | Additional voices | ||||
Fuse | Guards | ||||
The Last of Us | The Infected, Additional voices | ||||
Nico DaSilva, Sectoid | |||||
Saints Row IV | The Voices of Virtual Steelport | ||||
Killer Is Dead | David, Narrator | ||||
Marvel Heroes | |||||
Republique | Station 14 | Episode 3: "Ones and Zeroes" | |||
S.W.A.T. Officers | |||||
Grand Theft Auto V | The Local Population | ||||
Infinity Blade III | Additional voices | ||||
D4: Dark Dreams Don't Die | Phillip Cheney | ||||
Hearthstone | |||||
Caius Ballad | |||||
[71] | |||||
Male Pedestrian #4 | |||||
The Evil Within | Valerio Jimenez, Male Villager, Obese Zombie | ||||
Space Run | Buck Mann | ||||
The Elder Scrolls Online | Male Breton #1, Male Bosmer, Skeleton | ||||
Luminous | |||||
Autobot Flyer, Decepticon Soldier 02 | |||||
Lego Dimensions | Gollum, Lord Voldemort (The Lego Batman Movie) | [72] [73] | |||
Final Fantasy Type-0 HD | Enkidu | ||||
William Shakespeare, Vlad the Impaler, Demons, Husks | |||||
Finley | |||||
Mad Max | Gutgash | [74] [75] | |||
Motormaster, Seeker #3 | |||||
Heroes of the Storm | Illidan Stormrage | [76] | |||
The Witness | N/A | Voice director | [77] | ||
Lego Marvel's Avengers | |||||
Allen Lee, Keith McKinney, Knight-Captain Larsen | |||||
Space Run: Galaxy | Buck Mann | ||||
Street Fighter V | Appears in later revision of closing credits, playable as DLC character in 2019 | [78] | |||
Titanfall 2 | Robert "Barker" Taube | ||||
For Honor | The Warden (Male) | ||||
Umnak | |||||
Injustice 2 | [79] | ||||
Gollum, Daughter's Suitor | [80] | ||||
Sonic Forces | Infinite | ||||
Dissidia Final Fantasy NT | Kain Highwind | ||||
Vax'ildan Vessar, Serafen | Critical Role DLC | [81] | |||
Fallout 76 | Knight Tex Rogers, Doctor Kessle, Ranger Simon | ||||
Marvel Powers United VR | Doctor Strange | ||||
Darksiders III | War | ||||
Black Bolt, Destroyer Armor, Doctor Strange, Nightcrawler, Red Skull | |||||
Marvel Dimension of Heroes | Doctor Strange | Augmented reality game for mobile devices | |||
Death Stranding | AI Voice, Veteran Porter | [82] | |||
DOOM³: BFG Edition | Voice performers | Remaster | [83] | ||
2020 | Gears Tactics | Richard Prescott | |||
The Last of Us Part II | The Infected, additional voices | ||||
Assyr | |||||
2022 | Archemorus | ||||
Return to Monkey Island | Quarantined Pirate | [84] | |||
2023 | Guild Wars 2: Secrets of the Obscure | Mabon | [85] [86] |
Source | ||||
The Phoenix Incident | Jacob Reynolds | [87] [88] [89] | ||
Web series | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
–present | Critical Role | Cast member; Dungeons & Dragons web series | [90] [91] | |
– | All Work No Play | Himself | A web series where O'Brien and Sam Riegel catch up over a drink and try a new activity each episode. The show was developed from their original AWNP podcast (2012–2017). | [92] [93] [94] |
AWNP: Unplugged | Himself | A spinoff web series during the COVID-19 pandemic where Riegel and O'Brien caught-up via video chat. | [95] [96] | |
Exandria Unlimited | Orym of the Air Ashari | Main role; 8 episodes. An anthology spinoff series of Critical Role. | [97] [98] [99] | |
2023–2024 | Candela Obscura: The Circle of Tide & Bone | Cosmo Grimm | Main role; 3 episodes. An anthology limited series. | [100] [101] |
2024 | Candela Obscura: The Circle of the Crimson Mirror | Game Master | Main role; 3 episodes. An anthology limited series. | [102] [103] |
2024 | Moonward | Walden Orlock | Main role; a spinoff limited series of Midst. | [104] [105] |