Max Payne and Alan Wake 2 VA James McCaffrey succumbed to cancer
It’s now been confirmed by TMZ that James McCaffrey, an actor with some high-profile video game roles under his belt, has succumbed to cancer at the age of 65. Earlier today, his friend Kevin Dillon paid tribute to McCaffrey on Instagram, but as no other source could confirm the actor’s death some confusion around the subject ensued, which has now been cleared up.
According to TMZ, which was in contact with a representative of the deceased, McCaffrey died on Sunday in the presence of friends and family after succumbing to multiple myeloma.
James McCaffrey has been widely celebrated for his performance as Max Payne.
Rockstar Games
While his resume features a long list of movie and TV work, which includes appearances in Law & Order as well as Sex in the City, the gaming community will most remember McCaffrey for being the voice of titular main character Max Payne in the trilogy of games made by Remedy Entertainment (for the first and second installments) and Rockstar Games (for the third entry).
He starred in other Remedy titles as well, playing Zachariah Trench in Control and Alex Casey in Alan Wake – a role he reprised for the latest installment, making it his final video game project. Fans noted the absence of McCaffrey from any promotional events throughout the time leading up to the release of Alan Wake 2, which we must now assume to be explained by failing health or simply a desire to spend his remaining time with family.
Remakes of Max Payne 1 and 2 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S were announced in 2022, when the project was still in an early development phase. McCaffrey’s level of involvement in these remakes is unknown. It’s the same for the planned Alan Wake 2 DLC. If he finished any work on some upcoming project, fans may get to hear his iconic voice afresh one last time – for the moment, though, only this is certain: James McCaffrey will always live on through the characters he brought to life over the years.
