Brad Venable, a renowned video game and anime voice actor, has died at the age of 43. The actor passed away yesterday. News of his passing spread through the voice acting community today following permission from his wife Kathryn to make the news public. A cause of death has not been revealed.
Venable’s video game career began in 2004 when he provided voices for characters in World of Warcraft. Throughout the years, he has continued to voice characters for some of the game’s expansions, including Battle for Azaroth. He first appeared on PlayStation when he voiced Luke Skywalker for the Star Wars Pinball standalone game and DLC pack for Zen Pinball. The actor is best in video games known for his role as Griffon in Devil May Cry 5, and has had recent roles doing additional voices in Final Fantasy VII Remake, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Serious Sam 4, and Demon’s Souls for PlayStation 5.
The actor also had a prolific television voice acting career, especially in anime. His break was voicing a variety of characters through 14 episodes of Guilty Crown. Fans will likely recognize his voice from shows like One Piece, Attack on Titan, My Hero Academia, and Assassination Classroom. His last known work was for the pilot episode of a new TV series called Klutz Muttz.
Many of his colleagues and peers have paid tribute to their friend. Ben Diskin, The Last of Us Part II voice actor and fellow worker on Final Fantasy VII Remake, described Venable as “an amazing human being.”
.@bradvenable's marvelous acting talent was eclipsed only by his kindness. He was an amazing human being and a true friend to everyone in our community and beyond. Rest in peace, Brad. We love you.
— Ben DanDaDiskin (@BenjaminDiskin) January 8, 2021
Erica Mendez, a colleague of Venable’s on both Final Fantasy VII Remake and Shenmue III, said people who didn’t know the actor had missed out.
If you didn't know @bradvenable, you were missing out. He was kind to every single person he knew. I don't think he gave himself the credit he deserved, but he was always there to be supportive of his colleagues, no matter what stage they were at in their career.
— Erica Mendez (@tsunderica) January 8, 2021
Nier: Automata voice actor and another FFVII Remake co-actor Kira Buckland paid tribute to “one of the most truly kind, honest, selfless and generous people2 she has ever known:
Rest in peace, our dear friend @bradvenable.
One of the most truly kind, honest, selfless and generous people I have ever known in the voiceover community. The example of a light we should all strive to be.
I still have the gift you gave me hanging in my living room.
— Kira Buckland ★ (@KiraBuckland) January 8, 2021
Venable seemingly touched the lives of hundreds of people, a notable and prominent figure within the voice acting community. PlayStation LifeStyle sends their condolences to Venable’s friends and family.
