Liam O’Brien is a voice actor, writer and director who has worked on various video games, anime and animation projects. He is best known for his roles as Illidan Stormrage in the Warcraft series, Gaara in Naruto, Akihiko Sanada in Persona 3 and 4, Asura in Asura’s Wrath, and Caleb Widogast in Critical Role.
Introduction:
Liam O’Brien was born on May 28, 1976 in Weehawken, New Jersey. He grew up with a love for storytelling and acting, and participated in several theater productions in high school and college. He graduated from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts with a degree in acting.
O’Brien started his voice acting career in 2001, when he was cast as Vincent Law in the anime series Ergo Proxy. Since then, he has voiced hundreds of characters in various media, ranging from video games to cartoons to audiobooks. Some of his notable roles include:
- Illidan Stormrage, the iconic anti-hero of the Warcraft franchise. O’Brien first voiced Illidan in Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos (2002) and reprised his role in World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade (2007), World of Warcraft: Legion (2016) and World of Warcraft: Shadowlands (2020).
- Gaara, the sand-controlling ninja and one of the main protagonists of Naruto. O’Brien voiced Gaara from Naruto (2002) to Naruto Shippuden (2017), as well as in several movies and video games based on the series.
- Akihiko Sanada, the boxer and Persona user from Persona 3 (2006) and Persona 4 Arena (2012). O’Brien also voiced Akihiko’s younger self in Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth (2014) and Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight (2018).
- Asura, the wrathful demigod and titular character of Asura’s Wrath (2012). O’Brien delivered an intense performance as Asura, who fights against gods and monsters to save his daughter.
- Caleb Widogast, the human wizard and member of the Mighty Nein in Critical Role. O’Brien plays Caleb in the popular web series that features a group of voice actors playing Dungeons & Dragons. Caleb is a complex character with a tragic past and a thirst for knowledge.
Past & Current Relationships:
O’Brien is married to Amy Kincaid, another voice actor who has worked on several anime and video games. They have two children together: Owen and Lila. O’Brien often shares pictures and videos of his family on his social media accounts.
O’Brien is also close friends with his fellow voice actors, especially those who are part of Critical Role. He has collaborated with them on various projects, such as The Legend of Vox Machina, an animated series based on their first D&D campaign. He also co-hosts All Work No Play, a podcast where he and Sam Riegel talk about their hobbies and interests.
Early Life & Education:
O’Brien was born to Irish parents who immigrated to the United States. He has an older brother named Patrick, who is also an actor. O’Brien grew up in a Catholic household and attended St. Peter’s Preparatory School in Jersey City. He was interested in literature, history and mythology from a young age.
O’Brien attended New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, where he studied acting under Stella Adler and Ron Van Lieu. He also took classes in voice-over and dialects. He graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1998.
O’Brien credits his education for helping him develop his skills as a voice actor. He said in an interview: “I learned how to break down a script, how to analyze a character, how to find their motivation, how to make choices that are interesting and truthful.”
Career:
Liam O’Brien as a voice actor, writer and director worked on various video games, anime and animation projects. He is best known for his roles as Illidan Stormrage in the Warcraft series, Gaara in Naruto, Asura in Asura’s Wrath, War in Darksiders, Vincent Law in Ergo Proxy and Caleb Widogast in Critical Role. He is also a co-founder of the voice-over production company V.O.K.A.L.
Liam O’Brien’s net worth and income are not publicly disclosed, but some estimates suggest that he earns around $50,000 per year as a voice actor. This figure may vary depending on the number and type of projects he works on, as well as his involvement in other aspects of production such as writing and directing. Voice actors typically get paid by the hour or by the session, and the rates can range from $100 to $1000 or more depending on the project and the actor’s experience and reputation. Liam O’Brien has been working as a voice actor since 1999, and has amassed a large portfolio of credits across various media platforms. He is also a regular cast member of Critical Role, a popular web series where a group of voice actors play Dungeons & Dragons. Critical Role has a loyal fan base and generates revenue from merchandise sales, live shows, sponsorships and donations. Liam O’Brien may also have other sources of income such as royalties, residuals and personal appearances.
