I often need to play games likeOblivion Remasteredmore than once to fully enjoy them. I get impatient to know the resolution to the main story quest, so I’ll typically run through the game quickly for the first time, then go back for a second playthrough that I intend to complete more thoroughly. It’s also fun to test out new builds and abilities each time. I recently booted up my game for a second playthrough and was surprised to learn a detail about Martin that I had missed my first time around.
Something about Martin felt very familiar, but that isn’t all that surprising to me. Video game actors are often very prolific, so it isn’t strange to hear a voice in one game that sounds eerily similar to one from another. However, after actually looking into who voices Martin inOblivion, I was shocked to discover that he is played by one of my favorite actors from film and TV.
Martin Is Played By LOTR & Game Of Thrones' Sean Bean
Sean Bean Is Well Known For Fantasy Roles
Martin is played by Sean Bean, probably best known for either his portrayal of Ned Stark inGame of Thrones, or Boromir inThe Lord of the Rings. Although I knew Bean was a prolific film and television actor, I didn’t realize that I’d also been hearing his voice in other games without realizing it. Bean was the narrator inCivilization 6, and he also played Regis Lucis CaeluminFinal Fantasy 15. Bean also starred in one of the live action adaptations ofSilent Hill.
I would assume that more people probably knew Sean Bean was inOblivionback when it originally came out in 2006. After all,it had only been three years sinceThe Lord of the Rings: Return of the Kingcame out, and fantasy fans likely would have been excited that an alum from the trilogy would be starring in a game likeOblivion. However, I never playedOblivionwhen it was originally released.Oblivion Remastered’s surprise releasetook me so off guard that I never looked into who was in it, though in hindsight I should have figured it out.
Martin Even Looks A Bit Like Sean Bean In Oblivion
Martin’s Model Has Similar Hair To Sean Bean’s Fantasy Characters
Now that I know Sean Bean plays Martin inOblivion, it’s really easy to see it. Not only is his voice recognizable,but Martin actually bears some resemblance to Sean Bean. When he played both Boromir and Ned Stark, Bean had the same medium-length hair that Martin does, and it is even close to the same color and style.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this was intentional on the part ofOblivion’s development team. After all, if you’ve scored a high-profile actor from one of the most popular fantasy films of all time, you probably don’t want to hide that fact. However, there are also a few other recognizable actors inOblivionwhose appearances are not as easily telegraphed.
Oblivion’s Cast Includes Several Familiar Faces
Sean Bean Is Joined By Lynda Carter, Terrance Stamp, And Patrick Stewart In Oblivion’s Cast
While looking into the cast ofOblivion,I was surprised to learn thatWonder Womanstar Lynda Carter voices the female Nords and Orcsin the game. In fact, Carter also voiced Nords inMorrowind, and plays a few characters in bothSkyrimandThe Elder Scrolls Online. Apparently,Oblivionalso had a file for an unused NPC named Lynda Carter, who was a Nord woman, so she would have been voiced by and named after Carter. This would have made her inclusion in the game’s cast much more obvious than it is in the final game.
I was also shocked to see that Mankar Camoran, theleader of the Order of the Mythic Dawn, was played by Terrance Stamp. Superhero fans may know Stamp as General Zod fromSuperman 2and Jor-El inSmallville. I did already know that the emperor inOblivion Remasteredwas voiced by Patrick Stewart, but I had no idea that there were so many other known actors in the game.
