Voice acting in video games used to be an afterthought. You’d get some grainy, stilted lines that sounded like they were being read off a napkin by someone’s cousin. Then Devil May Cry happened. If you’ve ever played a Devil May Cry voice actor role, you’re not just reading lines; you’re performing digital stunts. It’s high-octane. It’s cheesy. It’s incredibly difficult to pull off without looking ridiculous.
Dante is the heart of it all. Without the right voice, he’s just a guy with white hair and a big sword. With the right voice, he’s a legend.
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Reuben Langdon: More Than Just a Voice
When people talk about the Devil May Cry voice actor history, the conversation usually starts and ends with Reuben Langdon. He didn't just step into a booth. He stepped into a mocap suit. Langdon took over the role of Dante in Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening, and honestly, he changed the trajectory of the character. Before him, Dante was a bit more stoic, maybe even a little generic in the first game (voiced by Drew Coombs).
Langdon brought this specific brand of "cocky younger brother" energy that redefined what "Stylish Action" actually meant. It wasn’t just about the combat. It was the way he mocked bosses before the fight even started.
You’ve gotta realize that Langdon is a professional stuntman. That’s the secret sauce. When you see Dante backflipping while shooting Ebony and Ivory, those are Langdon's movements. This physical connection to the character makes the vocal performance feel grounded, even when the dialogue is objectively insane. He knows exactly how much breath you have left after a mid-air combo. Most actors guess. Reuben knows.
But things got complicated lately. Fans noticed he wasn't in some recent projects, leading to a lot of speculation about his relationship with Capcom. It’s a reminder that these iconic roles are often tied to the individuals who birthed them, and when they leave, the community feels it like a punch in the gut.
The Evolution of Nero and Johnny Yong Bosch
If Dante is the cool uncle, Nero is the frustrated youth. Enter Johnny Yong Bosch. You might know him as the Black Ranger from Power Rangers or Ichigo from Bleach. He’s a titan in the industry. Taking over the lead in Devil May Cry 4 was a massive risk for Capcom. Fans are protective. They didn't want a "new Dante."
Bosch played it perfectly. He gave Nero a rasp and an emotional vulnerability that Dante lacks. Nero screams. He gets angry. He’s motivated by love (Kyrie!) rather than just a sense of duty or professional boredom.
Working as a Devil May Cry voice actor requires a massive vocal range because of the combat barks. Think about it. These actors have to record hours of "Hya!" "Take this!" and "Deadweight!" without shredding their vocal cords. Bosch’s ability to maintain that grit over a 20-hour campaign is why Nero eventually won over the skeptics. By the time Devil May Cry 5 rolled around, nobody was asking for Nero to be replaced. He’d earned his spot.
The Mystery of V and Brian Hanford
Devil May Cry 5 introduced V. He’s weird. He reads poetry. He doesn't even fight his own battles. Brian Hanford had the impossible task of fitting into a world of meatheads and demons while playing a guy who looks like he’s headed to a My Chemical Romance concert in 2006.
Hanford brought a theatricality to the role that felt totally fresh. He leaned into the cadence of the poetry, making the character feel ancient and fragile at the same time. It was a gamble that paid off. It also highlighted a shift in how Capcom casts these games. They aren't just looking for "cool guys" anymore. They’re looking for specific textures in the voice.
Dan Southworth and the Vergil Obsession
We have to talk about Vergil.
Dan Southworth is the only person who could play Vergil. Period. Vergil is the antithesis of Dante. Where Dante is fluid and loud, Vergil is precise and quiet. Southworth, another martial artist, brings a terrifying stillness to the booth.
There’s a specific "Vergil growl" that Southworth uses—it’s not a deep bass, but it’s sharp. It cuts. When he says "Power, give me more power," it doesn't sound like a cartoon villain. It sounds like a man who is genuinely addicted to strength.
The chemistry between Southworth and Langdon is real. They’ve worked together for years, and that brotherly rivalry translates into their recording sessions. They often record together when possible, or at least play off each other's established rhythms. This is why the cutscenes in DMC3 and DMC5 feel so kinetic. They aren't just reacting to a script; they’re reacting to a partner they’ve known for decades.
The Unsung Heroes: Trish, Lady, and Nico
The women of DMC often get sidelined in gameplay, but their voice actors do heavy lifting for the narrative.
- Kate Higgins (Lady): She manages to make Lady feel like the only adult in the room. In a world of demi-gods, she’s the human with a rocket launcher.
- Wendee Lee (Trish): A legend in voice acting. She gives Trish that femme fatale edge without making her a caricature.
- Faye Kingslee (Nico): Nico was the breakout star of DMC5. Her Southern drawl and chaotic energy provided a much-needed contrast to Nero’s brooding. Kingslee’s performance is incredibly fast-paced—it’s a lot of dialogue delivered at 100mph, and she never misses a beat.
Why Voice Casting Matters for the Genre
Action games live or die by their "game feel." Usually, we talk about frame data or button response. But sound is 50% of that feel. When you land a "Smokin' Sexy Style" rank, the music shifts and the Devil May Cry voice actor lines become more aggressive.
If the voice acting was flat, the style would crumble. You need that ego. You need the actors to believe they are the coolest people on the planet.
This is why the "DMC: Devil May Cry" reboot (the Ninja Theory one) was so polarizing. Tim Phillipps did a fine job as "Donte," but he wasn't our Dante. The performance was more grounded, more "gritty," and for many fans, that meant it lost the soul of the franchise. It proved that you can’t just swap out these actors and expect the same magic. The community is too attached to the specific timber of Southworth’s "Schum" or Langdon’s "Woo-hoo!"
The Technical Reality of Being a DMC Actor
It’s grueling. People think you just sit in a chair and talk. For a game like this, you’re often doing:
- Facial Capture: Cameras strapped to your head, tracking every twitch of your lip.
- Full Body Mocap: Doing the stunts (if you’re Langdon or Southworth) or mimicking the movements.
- Vocal Stress: Screaming for 4 hours straight to record "death screams" and "attack grunts."
- Localization Sync: Matching the English performance to the Japanese timing, which is a nightmare of rhythmic engineering.
Most actors leave these sessions exhausted. It’s a physical sport.
Misconceptions About the Cast
A common mistake people make is thinking the voice actors are the same as the "face models." In Devil May Cry 5, Capcom used RE Engine's photogrammetry. Dante’s face is based on a real-life model named Adam Cowie. Nero is Karlo Baker. Vergil is Maxim Nazarov.
While the actors provide the voice and the movement, the faces are different people entirely. This creates a weird "Frankenstein" effect where the character is a composite of three or four different humans. It’s a testament to the technology that it feels seamless, but it’s always funny to see fans tag the face models in posts about the voice acting. They’re usually two different departments.
What’s Next for the DMC Cast?
With Devil May Cry 6 being a "when" not an "if," the big question is: who returns?
The ending of DMC5 left the story in a spot where we could see a complete passing of the torch to Nero. If that happens, Johnny Yong Bosch becomes the face of the franchise. But let’s be real—you can’t have DMC without the Sparda brothers.
Whether Reuben Langdon returns is the million-dollar question. There’s been some friction, but Capcom has a history of bringing people back when the fans get loud enough. Or, they might go the "recasting" route, which worked for Resident Evil but might be harder here given how much personality Langdon injected into the role.
Next Steps for DMC Fans
If you want to dive deeper into the world of the Devil May Cry voice actor community, here is how you can actually support and engage with them:
- Follow the "V-Logs": Many of the actors, specifically Brian Hanford and Reuben Langdon, have YouTube channels or social media presences where they do deep dives into the mocap process. It’s eye-opening to see the behind-the-scenes footage of them in the gray suits.
- Check out the "Documentary of DMC5": It’s included in some versions of the game or available on YouTube. It shows the casting process and how they matched the actors to the digital models.
- Support Original Projects: Most of these actors work on indie films or their own martial arts projects. Dan Southworth has a long history in "Power Rangers" and stunt choreography that is worth watching just to see where Vergil’s "Judgement Cut" movements actually come from.
- Attend Cons with Caution: These actors are regulars at gaming conventions. If you get a chance to meet them, ask about the "session process"—they usually have hilarious stories about trying to record "pizza-eating noises" or falling off mocap rigs.
The legacy of these voices is why we still care about a franchise that sometimes goes ten years between entries. They made Dante and Vergil feel like real, albeit super-powered, people. That’s not just acting; that’s lightning in a bottle.