Renowned actor James McCaffrey, known for his iconic voice work as Max Payne in the acclaimed video game series and more recently as Alex Casey in Alan Wake 2, passed away on December 17 after battling cancer, as confirmed by Variety through his manager.
McCaffrey, aged 65, faced a diagnosis of multiple myeloma, according to TMZ.
Prior to his notable contributions to video game voice acting, McCaffrey enjoyed a prolific three-decade career in film and television, with early roles including Captain Arthur O’Byrne in Season 3 of Fox’s New York Undercover and the NBC action series Viper.
A significant moment in his career came with the role of firefighter James Xavier “Jimmy” Keefe on FX’s Rescue Me in 2004, portraying a character who died on September 11.
McCaffrey’s influence extended to various TV shows like Sex and the City and As the World Turns, as well as films such as The Orphan Killer and Camp Hell.
McCaffrey’s distinctive voice became synonymous with Max Payne throughout the video game series, spanning from the original 2001 title to the final installment, Max Payne 3, in 2012, where he also contributed to motion capture. Beyond Max Payne, he voiced FBI agent Alex Casey in the original Alan Wake game in 2010 and reprised the role in the recently acclaimed Alan Wake II, recognized at this year’s Game Awards for best narrative, art direction, and game direction. His impact also reached other games like Control (2019) and Alone in the Dark (2008).
