You’ve probably been there. You’re sitting on the couch, controller in hand, screaming at your partner because they didn't jump on the giant saw blade at the right time. It Takes Two is a masterpiece of cooperative frustration and joy. But while everyone talks about the "Book of Love" being annoying (sorry, Dr. Hakim), the real magic is in the leads. Honestly, the It Takes Two voice actors are the only reason that game actually lands its emotional beats. Without the specific chemistry between Cody and May, it’s just a game about two tiny dolls running away from a vacuum cleaner. It’s their bickering—that specific, lived-in married couple energy—that makes the whole weird adventure work.
The casting wasn't some random corporate decision to slap big-name Hollywood actors on the box. Joseph Fares and the team at Hazelight Studios went for people who could actually act with their whole bodies, not just their vocal cords.
Joseph Balderrama is more than just Cody
If you’ve played the game, you know Cody. He’s a bit of a pushover, he’s a gardener, and he’s constantly trying to keep the peace while simultaneously being kind of a goof. Joseph Balderrama is the man behind the character. And here is the thing: he didn't just stand in a booth. He did the full performance capture. When you see Cody's eyebrows knit together in confusion, that is Balderrama's face being translated into data.
He’s a veteran. You might have heard him in Horizon Zero Dawn or Batman: Arkham Knight, but It Takes Two is easily his most vulnerable performance. He captures that "exhausted dad" energy perfectly. What’s wild is that he actually plays two roles in the game. Did you catch it? He’s also the voice of the Chief Squirrel. Yeah. The militant, slightly unhinged squirrel leader in the tree level is the same guy who voices the sensitive stay-at-home dad. That’s range.
Balderrama has talked in various interviews about the physical toll of the role. Since Cody and May are constantly climbing, falling, and being chased by angry wasps, the recording sessions were incredibly athletic. It’s not just about saying the lines; it’s about making the grunt sound like you’re actually being swung around by a giant mechanical bird.
🔗 Read more: Free games free online: Why we're still obsessed with browser gaming in 2026
Annabelle Dowler and the complexity of May
May is a tough character to get right. She’s the "working mom" archetype, but she can come off as harsh or uncaring if the performance isn't handled with care. Annabelle Dowler nailed it. She brings a specific sharpness to May that feels defensive rather than mean. Dowler is a classically trained British actress with a massive resume in radio drama and TV, including The Archers and Doctors.
The chemistry between the It Takes Two voice actors feels real because it was built on-set. They weren't recorded months apart in different countries. They were in the suits, doing the scenes together. When Cody and May argue about whose fault it is that they turned into dolls, that snappy timing is the result of two actors actually looking each other in the eye.
The Dr. Hakim Controversy
Look, we have to talk about the book. Dr. Hakim, the "Book of Love," is played by Joseph Balderrama as well. This is a polarizing character. Some people find him hilarious; others want to throw their console out the window every time he thrusts his paper hips. Balderrama leaned heavily into a specific, over-the-top accent and persona that Fares (the director) clearly loved. It’s a huge departure from the grounded, relatable tone of Cody, and it shows just how much Balderrama was carrying the weight of the game's narrative.
Why the performances changed the "co-op" genre
Most co-op games use generic avatars. Think about Portal 2. Atlas and P-Body are cute, but they don't have marital problems. It Takes Two is a romantic comedy disguised as a platformer. If the It Takes Two voice actors hadn't landed the "divorce talk," the gameplay would have felt disconnected from the story.
💡 You might also like: Catching the Blue Marlin in Animal Crossing: Why This Giant Fish Is So Hard to Find
Instead, the actors managed to make a scene about "killing" a stuffed elephant (if you know, you know) feel genuinely disturbing and heartbreaking. That scene is a meme now, sure, but the reason it stuck with people is that Dowler and Balderrama played it with such conviction. They made these characters feel like people who were genuinely desperate to get back to their daughter, even if they were doing horrible things to get there.
- Performance Capture: This wasn't just voice acting. The actors wore suits with sensors.
- Dual Roles: Balderrama’s work as the Squirrel Chief is often overlooked but shows his comedic timing.
- Chemistry: The dialogue was often tweaked to fit the natural flow of the actors' interactions.
The Director's Influence
Joseph Fares is a chaotic force in the gaming industry. You might remember him from his "F*** the Oscars" speech. He comes from a filmmaking background (Jalla! Jalla!, Zozo), and he treats his voice actors like film stars. He demands high energy. He wants the takes to feel raw. This approach is why the dialogue in It Takes Two doesn't have that "clean" or "sanitized" feeling you get in a lot of AAA titles. It’s messy. People talk over each other. They sigh. They mumble. It feels like a real conversation between two people who have been married for fifteen years and are tired of each other's jokes.
Beyond the Main Pair
While the leads get all the credit, the supporting cast is filled with character actors who bring the household objects to life. You have the vacuum cleaner, the toolbox, and the various animals. The sheer amount of vocal work required to make a shed feel like a living, breathing world is massive.
The game won Game of the Year at The Game Awards in 2021, and while the mechanics were praised, the narrative—carried by these actors—was the anchor. It’s rare for a game to tackle the mundanity of a failing marriage and turn it into a high-stakes adventure.
📖 Related: Ben 10 Ultimate Cosmic Destruction: Why This Game Still Hits Different
Technical Hurdles in Performance
Recording for a game like this is a nightmare. Unlike a film, where there is one linear path, these actors have to record "barks"—the small bits of dialogue that happen when you fail a jump or stand still for too long.
- The actors have to maintain the same emotional "pitch" for hours.
- They recorded thousands of lines that many players will never even hear.
- The physical stunts in the mo-cap suits are grueling for actors not used to digital spaces.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Aspiring VOs
If you’re looking into how these performances were crafted, or if you're interested in the world of performance capture, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Watch the Behind-the-Scenes: Hazelight released footage of the mo-cap sessions. Watching Annabelle Dowler and Joseph Balderrama in their grey suits with balls stuck to them really puts their talent into perspective. You see how much they have to imagine.
- Listen for the "Barks": Next time you play, stay still. Listen to the idle dialogue. The It Takes Two voice actors recorded specific lines for when Cody and May are just waiting around, and it adds so much flavor to their relationship.
- Study the Nuance: If you're an aspiring voice actor, notice how Dowler uses breath. She doesn't just say the lines; she uses sighs and sharp intakes of air to signal May's impatience. It’s a masterclass in non-verbal storytelling.
The reality is that It Takes Two wouldn't be the same game with different people in those roles. It’s a specific lightning-in-a-bottle situation where the writing, direction, and acting all hit the same frequency. Cody and May are flawed, sometimes annoying, and deeply human—which is a hell of an achievement for a pair of dolls made of clay and wood.
To truly appreciate the work, pay attention to the final chapter. The "Symphony" level requires a level of vocal softness that contrasts sharply with the screaming matches in the beginning. It’s a subtle arc that the actors navigate beautifully. If you've only played it once, it's worth a second run just to listen to the evolution of their tone. You’ll hear the exact moment they stop being two people forced together and start being a team again.
Check out the official Hazelight social media channels or the "Making of" documentaries available on YouTube for a closer look at the actual recording booths. Seeing the physical space where Cody and May were born gives you a whole new appreciation for the game.