The voice behind Half-Life 2’s Vortigaunts has passed away

HomeNews

The voice behind Half-Life 2’s Vortigaunts has passed awayDespite a prolific film and television career, Louis Gossett Jr.’s only video game appearances were in the seminal shooter and Episode One

Despite a prolific film and television career, Louis Gossett Jr.’s only video game appearances were in the seminal shooter and Episode One

Image credit:Valve

A Vortigaunt holds a headcrab in Half-Life

Louis Gossett Jr., who made history as the first Black man to win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor and had a prolific, successful career across film, television and stage - as well as voicing the friendly Vortigaunt aliens inHalf-Life 2and its follow-upEpisode One- has died.To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settingsGossett is likely best known in general for playing Emil Foley in 1982’s An Officer and a Gentleman, the role that won him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor that same year, just one role of dozens across a career spanning almost 60 years. Other notable roles include his recurring appearance as Colonel Charles ‘Chappy’ Sinclair in multiple Iron Eagle films and an Emmy-winning turn as Fiddler in seventies TV miniseries Roots.Despite such a prolific and successful career, Gossett’s video game appearances were seemingly limited to Half-Life 2 and its sequel-expansion Episode One, in which he provided the voice of the Vortigaunts. Vorts are an alien race who ally with humanity’s Resistance in the battle against the Combine, who were responsible for invading their home planet and later enslaving a number of the aliens (Vortigaunts appeared as enemies in the originalHalf-Life, but didn’t speak.)From AP’s archives: Louis Gossett Jr. on receiving a Hollywood legacy award in 2020.Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries “Roots,” has died. He was 87.pic.twitter.com/CjpXtzumZ4— AP Entertainment (@APEntertainment)March 29, 2024To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settingsWhile Vortigaunts appeared in later Half-Life games, Tony Todd subsequently took over from Gossett, providing their voices in games includingEpisode Twoand VR spin-offAlyx.Perthe AP, Gossett passed away on Friday, with no cause of death given. He was 87. As well as his acclaim as an actor - with his final role being in last year’s remake of The Colour Purple - Gossett was a humanitarian who founded the anti-racismEracism Foundation, having frequently commented on the difficulty of overcoming racism both in the movie industry and the wider world throughout his career and life.

To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings

Gossett is likely best known in general for playing Emil Foley in 1982’s An Officer and a Gentleman, the role that won him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor that same year, just one role of dozens across a career spanning almost 60 years. Other notable roles include his recurring appearance as Colonel Charles ‘Chappy’ Sinclair in multiple Iron Eagle films and an Emmy-winning turn as Fiddler in seventies TV miniseries Roots.

Despite such a prolific and successful career, Gossett’s video game appearances were seemingly limited to Half-Life 2 and its sequel-expansion Episode One, in which he provided the voice of the Vortigaunts. Vorts are an alien race who ally with humanity’s Resistance in the battle against the Combine, who were responsible for invading their home planet and later enslaving a number of the aliens (Vortigaunts appeared as enemies in the originalHalf-Life, but didn’t speak.)

From AP’s archives: Louis Gossett Jr. on receiving a Hollywood legacy award in 2020.Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries “Roots,” has died. He was 87.pic.twitter.com/CjpXtzumZ4— AP Entertainment (@APEntertainment)March 29, 2024

While Vortigaunts appeared in later Half-Life games, Tony Todd subsequently took over from Gossett, providing their voices in games includingEpisode Twoand VR spin-offAlyx.

Perthe AP, Gossett passed away on Friday, with no cause of death given. He was 87. As well as his acclaim as an actor - with his final role being in last year’s remake of The Colour Purple - Gossett was a humanitarian who founded the anti-racismEracism Foundation, having frequently commented on the difficulty of overcoming racism both in the movie industry and the wider world throughout his career and life.