Throughout the years, Clancy Brown has starred as many memorable villains, his voice lines becoming earworms for fans across the world. From unambiguous monsters to comical, down-on-their-luck supervillains, Brown’s performances have left an undeniable mark on pop and gaming culture, as there are very few working voice actors with a voice as distinguishable as his.
Brown may not be the most ubiquitous, prolific, or high-profile actor in the industry, but his input is guaranteed to elevate the drama in any scene. Brown’s smooth, rich, and occasionally ominous timbre is the kind of voice thatadungeon master might imagine they are making when deliveringa villain’s terrifying monologue, but Brown makes it real.
The first impressions of the Brotherhood of Steel in the originalFalloutcame from the two jokers at the entrance. If the Vault Dweller manages to complete their suicide mission (inan already difficult game) without succumbing to radiation poisoning, they will eventually be invited to meet the technology-hoarding group’s leader, Rhombus, voiced by none other than Clancy Brown.
The head paladin of Lost Hills is as pointed and square as his name suggests, stern and terse. He respects the power of the Brotherhood alone, limiting his time with the Vault Dweller to a few sentences and a promise to train them in the ways of the Brotherhood if they manage to destroy the Master’s army. However, even after completing this task, Rhombus will simply brush them aside when asked to follow through.
4Montros - Star Wars Bounty Hunter
The Unambiguously Evil Bounty Hunter Counterpart
When Jango Fett,Star Wars Bounty Hunter’s grayer-than-gray protagonist, needed an unambiguously evil foil, it would have been a no-brainer to invite Clancy Brown to play the part of Montros, his bounty-hunting arch-rival, a man who revels in the chaos and brutality of the job and one who would sacrifice even a paycheck for a chance to push the galaxy into greater levels of conflict.
Montros would be willing to commitheinous acts against innocents of the galaxyin the name of “business,” even if it resulted in no financial benefit, all to satisfy his need for domination. Here, Brown’s voice lends a genuinely sinister and authentic tone to Montros' villainy. His cold, commanding monologues contrast Jango’s husky, menacing deliveries each time the two face off.
Clancy Brown rarely takes roles as heroes, even antiheroes. However, depending on the player’s actions inDetroit: Become Human, Lieutenant Hank Anderson, voiced andmotion-capture-actedby Brown, can evolve into one of the game’s most sympathetic characters. Bolstering a strong relationship with his android partner and helping the lieutenant shed his discriminatory attitudes and self-destructive tendencies brings out Anderson’s old heroic and compassionate side.
Brown gave one of his more nuanced performances vocally and with his understated physical performance, which is not an easy feat considering how much intrusive technology is required to capture such a performance in each scene. Brown is no stranger to acting in film, TV, or stage, but his ability to convey subtle emotions through facial expressions and body language helpedBecome Humanshine as acinematic and character-driven game, especially one that could have easily failed for having unlifelike performances from its cast.
When Naughty Dog moved from Crash Bandicoot’sSaturday morning cartoon mascot styletoJak and Daxter, they were aiming for something slightly more mature. That ramped up inJak 2when the duo found themselves in a dystopian city ruled over by a corrupt protector. Baron Praxis is Brown at his most formidable and ruthless, as he portrays a war-torn leader in a hopeless conflict against a seemingly invincible enemy.
Only Clancy Brown could have perfectly pulled off Praxis' personality, a mixture of underhanded manipulation and swaggering charisma, with such gravitas and intensity. As he wages his war against the outside threat and the rebellion brewing within Haven’s walls, he effortlessly embodies the character of a nuanced villain whose brutality and power-hungry calculations may or may not be the only thing keeping the city from falling to the metalhead army.
1Doctor Neo Cortex & Uka Uka - Crash Bandicoot: Warped (PS1)
The Simpering Scientist And The Shadowy Spirit
If Crash Bandicoot is one of the PlayStation’s most iconic mascots, Doctor Neo Cortex must be one of that era’s most famous and memorable villains. Clancy Brown only started voice acting for theunhinged mad scientistfromCortex Strikes Backonward. However, his portrayal of the sometimes threatening, sometimes adorkable evil genius struck a perfect balance between menace and humor, giving the character more compelling depth than was probably warranted for a 90s platformer.
In Crash Bandicoot: Warped, Brown began voicing Aku-Aku’s evil twin, Uka Uka. Whereas Cortex’s many embarrassing defeats had softened his menace, giving him an edge of frustration, cowardice, and paranoia, Uka Uka brought intimidating, malevolent villainy back on the table with his deep, booming voice and unrelenting desire for pure destruction. Brown’s dual portrayal allowed the two villains to play off each other, enhancing both the comedic and dark tones of the game.
