Top 10 Greatest Grand Theft Auto Performances

“Grand Theft Auto: Vice City” (2002)



“Vice City” was heavily modeled after “Miami Vice” - you know, Hawaiian shirts, Florida, mountains of cocaine. So it’s only natural that Rockstar got Tubbs himself to play the role of Lance Vance, a man looking for revenge after his brother’s death, much like the actor’s character did on “Miami Vice”. Philip Michael Thomas oozes charisma in the role, conveying the smooth, suave, and sophisticated mannerisms of Lance with nothing but his voice. And when he betrays you at the end and smugly declares that “This is business,” you hate every last fiber of his greedy being. Lance is a classic villain, but he wouldn’t be half as good without Thomas at the helm.

“Grand Theft Auto IV” (2008)



Adams is a soap opera actor by day, having appeared in such series as “Sunset Beach” and “Ocean Ave,” but he gets to flex his comedy chops as Brucie in the otherwise often deeply dramatic fourth installment of the GTA series. Adams has energy to spare in his vocal performance, giving Brucie all the high-octane, juiced-up energy that he needs. His banshee screams are always a delight, as are his constant threats and steroid-inspired shenanigans. Adams turned in a pitch perfect performance as the comic relief, and in doing so, he gave the series one of its funniest characters.

“Grand Theft Auto V” (2013)



It’s a very difficult balancing act to be comedic and goofy while legitimately trying to appear threatening, but Gerald Johnson pulls it off spectacularly. While Lamar tries to be the badass we all expect “GTA” characters to be, he’s often more of a buffoon. He isn’t very bright, he blindly trusts people, and his plans always backfire spectacularly, which makes him an infuriating friend, but a fantastic and highly entertaining character. Johnson not only nails the mixture of comedy and outrage, but he really makes you believe in this flawed and three-dimensional character who is always full of emotion, even when it’s being directed at relatively frivolous things.

“Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony” (2009)



In “GTA IV,” Playboy X describes Yusuf as “serious” and “overworked” We’re guessing that the character hadn’t been fully fleshed out at that point, because he is anything but. Easily one of the funniest characters in the entire series, Yusuf is a carefree man, and comedian Omid Djalili proved to be a perfect casting choice He is extremely hyperactive like Brucie, which makes him a highly entertaining character to interact with; Djalili’s energy is infectious, as we can’t help but be entertained by his constant shenanigans. Comedy of this caliber is difficult to pull off, but Djalili makes it look easy, as he had us laughing from start to finish.

“Grand Theft Auto V” (2013)



Michael is arguably one of the most complex characters of the series, which must have made voicing him a challenge. Ned Luke was clearly up to that challenge however - he went so far as to gain weight for the motion capture performance. Luke perfectly nails the many facets of Michael, from his rage and depression to his attempts at being a family man. He’s also got a knack for the more subtle moments like when Michael is trying to seem tough for his family while secretly crapping his pants over seeing Trevor. Perhaps most remarkable, however, is how he manages to convey the boiling tension that defines Michael, even when he’s seemingly acting normal. Give this man some more roles, because he deserves them!

“Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas” (2004)



While Young Maylay is a rapper by day, he voiced one of the best protagonists in GTA history, and that is no easy feat. Especially considering his inexperience as an actor, Maylay absolutely crushed the complex role of CJ, a man who doesn’t want to be a part of gang life but who is sucked in regardless. Back when GTA protagonists were cold-blooded psychopaths, CJ was a refreshing change of pace. Yes, he was still a psycho when the situation required it, but a well-intentioned and three dimensional one. Maylay perfectly captures the inner turmoil of Carl, and helped make him a groundbreaking character.

“Grand Theft Auto IV” (2008)



If CJ was the ground breaker, then Niko Bellic is the shining example. Niko is arguably the kindest and most gentle-hearted of all the protagonists, yet he has a mean side which you don’t want to be on the receiving end of. Hollick not only puts on a convincing Eastern European accent for the role, but also manages to convincingly convey a wide variety of emotions throughout the story, including disappointment at Roman, anger and sarcasm towards his enemies, and bitter defeat come the game’s tragic conclusion. It’s a perfectly bleak and nuanced performance of a deeply troubled character.

“Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas” (2004)



Come on, you can never go wrong with Samuel L. Jackson! Even if he phones in a role, his natural charisma alone is enough to elevate him above most. And to be clear… this is NOT him phoning it in. Jackson’s portrayal of Frank Tenpenny is harrowing, as he perfectly captures the corrupt and abusive nature of the police officer and makes him into one of the series’ finest villains. Every line of his dialogue is like poetry the way he reads it, and Jackson gives Tenpenny just the right amount of smug pride and sadistic edge to make us truly despise him. When a fictional character makes you feel emotions with this level of intensity, you know the actor is doing a great job!

“Grand Theft Auto: Vice City” (2002)



When someone thinks of the greatest protagonist in the entire series, usually one name comes to mind: Tommy Vercetti. Serving as the first speaking protagonist and voiced by Ray Liotta of “Goodfellas,” hype was high for Tommy, and luckily for us, Ray crushed it. Though some tension reportedly developed between him and Rockstar, there’s no denying that he put in a ton of effort, making Vercetti seem like a true money-hungry, opportunistic, backstabbing criminal. While he doesn’t have the emotional range of some other complex protagonists, Tommy’s massive personality and charm shines through and makes him just about the best playable character, all thanks to Liotta.





Before we reveal our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.



William Fichtner as Ken Rosenberg

“Grand Theft Auto: Vice City” (2002)





Scott Hill as Johnny Klebitz

“Grand Theft Auto: The Lost and Damned” (2009)





James Woods as Mike Toreno

“Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas” (2004)

“Grand Theft Auto V” (2013)



We say that Tommy is almost the best character for one reason: Trevor Philips. Steven Ogg’s portrayal of Trevor will possibly go down in gaming history as one of the all time best. Not only is Steven absolutely terrifying and psychotic in the role, but he also gives Trevor many dimensions that we weren’t expecting. You’re able to see his heart shine through the blood and carnage. You can see that he cares deeply about his family. He’s well spoken. Sometimes he’s scared and confused. To make this absolute monster of a character into someone relatable and human is a huge undertaking, yet Ogg pulls it off amazingly.