Troy Baker, a renowned figure in the world of video game voice acting, has brought to life many iconic characters. His extensive resume includes roles such as Sam Drake in Uncharted, Booker DeWitt in BioShock: Infinite, Higgs in Death Stranding, and most notably, Joel Miller in The Last of Us. He is even set to take on the role of Indiana Jones in the upcoming Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.
During a recent panel discussion at GalaxyCon New Orleans, Baker was asked about the personal impact of portraying Joel. He revealed that the experience profoundly affected him, causing him to feel `woefully unprepared` for the demands of the role.
Baker described this feeling as a stark reality, distinct from imposter syndrome. He elaborated, “There`s nothing worse, and I hope no one experiences this, but have you ever arrived at an event and thought, `I am so utterly unprepared for this?` It`s not a feeling of inadequacy; it`s a verifiable fact: you lack the necessary tools for the task ahead.” He likened it to standing on a bungee jumping platform and realizing, “I can`t do this.” For Baker, accepting the role of Joel felt similar: “You get the job, and then you realize, `Oh no, I actually have to deliver this performance.`”
He recalled a pivotal conversation with his co-star, Ashley Johnson, who voices Ellie. Baker shared a moment of almost frightening clarity, turning to Johnson and stating, “Do you realize that if this turns out poorly, it`s entirely on us?”
Baker acknowledged the brilliance of Naughty Dog, the studio behind the highly successful Uncharted series, praising their clear vision for the narrative they wanted to pursue. “We knew they were going to create something exceptional,” he affirmed, emphasizing that this caliber of storytelling significantly enhanced his acting abilities.
He explained, “It taught me to stop trying to impress others with my acting skills and instead understand that Joel is simply a character living through a moment in his life, unaware he`s part of a game. I embraced that lesson and applied it to all my subsequent roles.”
In recent news, Baker recently reprised his role as Higgs in Death Stranding 2, which launched this month. Additionally, it was announced in July that he would lend his voice to Jack Pepper, the main character in the upcoming Mouse: P.I. for Hire.