70: Video Game Voice Acting with Roger Craig Smith – Batman Arkham Origins, Sonic the Hedgehog, Chris Redfield, Ezio Auditore

Roger Craig Smith is the voice of some of the most recognized characters in film, television, and video games today. Roger Craig Smith talks about video game voice acting, finding your own career path, oversensitive comedy audiences, recording sessions, and being Batman. Video game fans may recognize Roger as the voices of Sonic the Hedgehog, Chris Redfield from Resident Evil, Ezio Auditore da Firenze from Assassin’s Creed, and Batman from Arkham Origins.

You can hear Roger as the voice of “Batman” in the Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital HD release of “Batman Unlimited: Animal Instincts.” There are three films planned as well as a line of toys launching alongside the series. Roger was selected as the voice of “Batman” for the video game Batman: Arkham Origins in 2013, adding his name to the prestigious short list of actors who have lent their voice to the Caped Crusader. He reprised his role with the release of Cold, Cold Heart in 2014 and continues to be the go-to voice actor to portray the character in video games, television, and film.

In addition to “Batman,” Roger voices many other beloved video game characters, including “Kyle Crane” in the newest Warner Bros. and Techland Video game Dying Light [released January 2015]. With Dying Light Roger continues his legacy of voicing iconic video game action heroes including “Ezio Auditore da Firenze” in Assassin’s Creed, and “Chris Redfield” in the Resident Evil games. Other voice work includes “Sonic the Hedgehog” in the Sonic Boom video games Shattered Crystal and Rise of Lyric as well as Disney’s hit feature film WRECK-IT-RALPH and Cartoon Network’s new series Sonic Boom.

Roger’s list of current television projects includes the iconic “Captain America/Steve Rogers” in Disney XD’s “Avengers Assemble,” the voice of “Belson” and “Percy” in Cartoon Network’s “Clarence,” and “Thomas the Intern” (and various other characters) on the Emmy Award-Winning Cartoon
Network series “Regular Show.” In March 2015 Roger added another Cartoon Network series to his roster, voicing the characters of “Jetstorm,” “Slipstream,” and “Airazor” in “Transformers: Robots in Disguise.” His list of guest roles include “Sofia the First” on Disney Junior, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” on Nickelodeon, and the upcoming series “Breadwinners” on Nickelodeon, to name a few.

Roger entered the world of animated feature films in 2013, lending his voice as the lead villain “Ripslinger” in Disney’s hit animated feature film PLANES. PLANES was three years in the making and Smith was one of only two actors present at the first table read to retain his character through development and completion of the film. He was expecting to be replaced by an on-camera celebrity for the final recording, however, Disney recognized his enormous talent and kept him on board as “Ripslinger.” The cast included Val Kilmer, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Teri Hatcher, Brad Garrett, Sinbad, Cedric the Entertainer, Dane Cook and Stacy Keach. The film was incredibly successful at the box office, grossing nearly $220 million worldwide with a production budget of only $50 million.

Roger narrates a handful of the country’s biggest television series’ including TLC’s longest running prime time series “Say Yes to the Dress,” the DIY Network’s “Crashers” series of shows, and a new show on National Geographic Wild “Aloha Vet.” He currently voices promos for the ABC Family network and is the retail and regional voice of Ram Trucks. Having worked on hundreds of national radio and television ads Roger was selected as the imaging and promo voice for KROQ 106.7 FM, Los Angeles’ #1 alternative station, and can be heard on a daily basis by listeners across Southern California.

No stranger to comic book conventions, Roger often participates in panels at San Diego Comic Con tied to multiple projects and premieres each year. In 2015 he will be traveling the country, via his voice, as part of two nationally touring live shows: Marvel Universe Live and The Marvel Experience. Roger is the voice of “Captain America” for both tours, which have dates through the end of the year.

Born in St. Joseph, Michigan and raised in Tustin, California, Smith always had an interest in the entertainment industry. After receiving a degree in screenwriting from Chapman University Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, Smith briefly pursued writing as a career, but was drawn to the stage as a stand-up comic and quickly found his niche in voice work. Over the past few years Smith has worked for nearly every major studio including Walt Disney, Cartoon Network, Microsoft Game Studios, Warner Bros., Nickelodeon, Sony, E!, TLC, and countless others.

Smith currently resides in Chatsworth, California where he enjoys mountain biking and playing video games. He is an active supporter of Seacrest Studios at Children’s Hospital Orange County [part of the Ryan Seacrest Foundation] which entertains children in the hospital by having patients host their own radio stations and television programs aired throughout the hospital network.

Photo by Richard Wright Photography.

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