James McCaffrey, The actor reportedly had multiple myeloma, a rare blood cancer.
We’re saying goodbye to a real legend. James McCaffrey, the actor who gave life to Max Payne in those cool video games, has passed away at 65.
We first heard about it on Instagram from Kevin Dillon, the actor from Blue Bloods and Entourage. He shared a picture of himself with James and let us know what happened:
James McCaffrey, The voice of Max Payne
After that, TMZ confirmed James’ death. They said he left us on a Sunday, surrounded by friends and family, after fighting a rare cancer called multiple myeloma. It’s not common, with fewer than 200,000 cases in the U.S. each year, according to Mayo Clinic.
You might remember James as Alex Casey in Alan Wake II or as the voice of Zachariah Trench in Control. But for many of us, he’ll always be the voice of Max Payne, the tough detective in those awesome games.
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The folks at Remedy Entertainment, who worked with James, shared their sadness on X (formerly Twitter):
“We’re really sad about our friend James McCaffrey passing away. He was the voice of Max Payne and Alex Casey, and his talent made our games special. Our hearts are with his family right now.”
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. His remarkable talent not only gave life to our characters but also left an enduring impact on our community. Our hearts go out… pic.twitter.com/RDs5m6FhzD
— Alan Wake 2 (@alanwake) December 18, 2023
Sam Lake, the creative director at Remedy, also shared his feelings:
“I’m really sad about James McCaffrey. We worked together for more than 25 years. He was not just a great actor but a good friend. He was a big part of our Remedy family.”
I’m heartbroken to hear the sad news of James McCaffrey’s passing. 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. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/JLcEIMUT43
— Sam Lake (@SamLakeRMD) December 18, 2023
James did a lot in TV and movies too, like in Bill II: on His Own: The Bill Sackter Story and shows like As the World Turns, Sex and the City, and Blue Bloods.
It’s tough to think of anyone else being Max Payne. Every time we hear that game’s music, we’ll miss hearing James’ voice. He’ll be remembered fondly.
