Max Payne voice actor James McCaffrey passes away, tributes pour in
“No one could do what he did better than him.”
Actor James McCaffrey, who provided the voice of Max Payne and more recently Alex Casey in Alan Wake 2, has died at the age of 65.
According to a statement given by a representative of the actor to TMZ, he passed away surrounded by friends and family on December 17, after being diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Fellow actor Kevin Dillon was the first to publicly acknowledge McCaffery’s death via a post on Instagram, but there was some initial confusion regarding whether this was actually in reference to the actor, due to the death of an Irish teenager with a similar name being reported around the same time.
Following confirmation of his passing, Remedy paid tribute to the actor on Twitter. “We are deeply saddened to hear about the passing of our beloved friend and collaborator James McCaffrey, the iconic voice of Max Payne and Alex Casey,” it said. “His remarkable talent not only gave life to our characters but also left an enduring impact on our community. Our hearts go out to his family in this time of loss.”
Alan Wake 2 director Sam Lake said he was “heartbroken to hear the sad news.” He continued: “We worked together for more than 25 years. He was a lovely man and a dear friend. He was a key part of the Remedy family. He was a brilliant actor. No one could do what he did better than him.
“James was Max Payne, Thomas Zane, Zachariah Trench and finally Alex Casey. I had the honour of sharing Max Payne’s role and Casey’s role with him. He was a joy to work with. I will cherish his memory and I miss him. My deepest condolences to his family. Rest in peace, Jim.”
Rockstar Games, which published and owns the IP of the Max Payne series, tweeted: “Rest in Peace James McCaffrey, the inimitable and commanding presence who brought Max Payne to life.”
Meanwhile, r/maxpayne, a subreddit dedicated to the games, has filled up with posts from fans paying their own tributes to McCaffrey, as well as discussing what his passing and work portraying the character meant to them.
McCaffrey is survived by his wife Rochelle Bostrom and daughter Tiernan.