You know the sound. That gravelly, skin-crawling rasp that somehow feels like a warm blanket and a death threat at the exact same time. It belongs to Joshua Graham, the "Burned Man" of Fallout: New Vegas.
He's a legend. Honestly, gamers are still obsessed with him over a decade after the Honest Hearts DLC dropped. But while everyone talks about the bandages and the .45 pistols, people kind of overlook the actual human being behind the microphone.
His name is Keith Szarabajka.
It's a mouthful, I know. (Pronounced sar-a-buy-ka, for the curious). He isn't just some guy they pulled off the street to growl into a headset. He’s a veteran character actor who has been in everything from The Dark Knight to Supernatural.
Who is the Joshua Graham voice actor?
Keith Szarabajka is the man. He was born in Illinois back in 1952, and his career is basically a "Who's Who" of cool projects. You’ve probably seen his face without realizing it. Remember Stephens, the detective who gets held hostage by the Joker in The Dark Knight? That was him. He’s also Daniel Holtz in Angel.
But in the world of gaming, he’s a titan.
Before he ever set foot in Zion as Joshua Graham, Keith was already established. He voiced the Didact in Halo 4, Harbinger in Mass Effect 2, and Dr. Terrence Kyne in Dead Space. The guy has range. He can play a literal space god or a grieving scientist with equal weight.
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What’s wild is that Keith almost didn’t get the role of Joshua Graham. Josh Sawyer, the project director for New Vegas, actually missed the first day of casting submissions for the character. When he finally heard Keith’s recording, he thought it was a bit rough. But Sawyer had a gut feeling. He knew Keith would "knock it out of the park."
He was right.
Why Keith Szarabajka’s performance matters
The writing for Joshua Graham is stellar—don't get me wrong. But without Keith's specific delivery, Graham could have easily been a boring, stereotypical "angry religious guy."
Instead, Keith gave him a voice that sounds physically damaged. It’s strained. It sounds like a man whose vocal cords were scorched by the same fire that blackened his skin. When he says, "I don't enjoy killing, but when done righteously, it's a chore like any other," you believe him. There’s no ego in it. Just a grim, tired certainty.
He captures that weird duality of the character perfectly. One second, he’s calmly reciting scripture from the New King James Version. The next, he’s checking the action on a 1911 with a speed that tells you he hasn't forgotten a single thing about being Caesar’s Malpais Legate.
It’s that "gentle monster" vibe.
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More than just Fallout
If you think Keith is a one-hit-wonder in the Fallout universe, think again. He’s a mainstay for Bethesda and Obsidian.
- Skyrim fans: You've heard him as Erandur, the repentant priest of Mara.
- Fallout 4: He’s the voice of various Male Ghouls and Vault-Tec Scientists.
- Fallout 76: He took on the role of Dr. Edgar Blackburn in the Steel Reign update.
- L.A. Noire: He played Herschel Biggs, your partner during the Arson desk.
The man stays busy. He’s even narrated dozens of audiobooks, winning an Audie Award back in 2001. That’s the level of professional we’re talking about here. He understands pacing. He knows how to let a sentence breathe.
The Joshua Graham legacy in 2026
In recent years, the internet has done what the internet does—it turned Joshua Graham into a massive meme. You’ve seen the "We can’t expect God to do all the work" posts. You’ve probably seen the AI voice covers where "Joshua" sings pop songs.
Honestly, it’s a bit weird.
Keith himself is aware of the fandom. He’s active on platforms like Cameo, where he frequently records messages for fans in that iconic Graham rasp. It’s cool to see an actor embrace a character that could have just been a tiny paycheck in a long career.
What’s interesting is how Graham’s voice has become a shorthand for a specific kind of "hard-boiled faith." It’s a mix of stoicism and intense internal struggle. Keith didn't just read lines; he built a persona that feels like it has a weight to it. Like it’s physically present in the room.
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How to appreciate the work
If you want to see the full breadth of Keith Szarabajka’s talent, don’t just stick to Fallout.
- Watch his guest arc in Supernatural as Donatello Redfield.
- Listen to his narration of Fierce Invalids Home from Hot Climates (it's the one that won him the award).
- Go back and play L.A. Noire. His chemistry with the protagonist is one of the best parts of the late-game.
The "Burned Man" might be his most iconic role for us gamers, but the man is a master of his craft across the board. He brings a level of E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) to his roles that younger VAs often struggle to replicate. He sounds like he’s lived a life. Because he has.
Moving forward with the "Burned Man"
If you’re looking to dive deeper into the lore Keith helped create, your next move is to track down the Honest Hearts developer commentaries. Hearing how they designed the character around Keith's specific vocal quality is a masterclass in game design.
You should also check out his work in Oblivion Remastered or his recurring roles in the Elder Scrolls series. Seeing how he shifts from the righteous fury of Graham to the desperate tones of a Dunmer refugee shows you why he’s still getting work 40 years into the game.
Stop by his social media or Cameo if you want to support the man directly. It’s rare we get a performance this enduring in a medium that moves as fast as gaming does. Keith Szarabajka isn't just a voice actor; he’s the reason Joshua Graham is still standing in the hearts of players everywhere.
The fire inside burned brighter than the fire around him. And Keith was the one who lit the match.
Actionable Next Step: To truly appreciate the technical side of Keith’s performance, play through the Honest Hearts DLC again, but this time, pay attention to his breathing patterns between lines. Notice how he uses a sharp, shallow intake of air to simulate the pain of a man whose lungs were damaged by heat. This isn't just "voice acting"—it's a physical performance captured through a mic.