Brendan O’Brien, the longtime voice of beloved video game character Crash Bandicoot, has died at the age of 60.
O’Brien played the mutant Australian animal and several secondary characters in 1996’s Crash Bandicoot and subsequent sequels until he took a hiatus from acting in 2004.
He voiced antagonist Dr. Neo Cortex before Clancy Brown took over the role for 1997’s Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back.
“Sharing our sincere condolences to Brendan O’Brien’s loved ones for his passing,” the video game series’ Twitter account posted Monday.
“He was an incredible talent who brought Crash Bandicoot and other Crash characters to life. He will forever live on in the hearts of Crash fans.”
O’Brien is notably responsible for Crash’s iconic “Woah!” that always signaled action or bad news. It’s become a delightful meme and memory for millennials and gamers alike.
O’Brien’s obituary noted that voicing the legendary character — in games considered by PlayStation to be some of the consoles’ “greatest hits” — became “one of his proudest moments.”
“He encouraged nostalgic Crash fans in their own pursuits and loved signing their memorabilia. Like music, designing character voices for animation, radio and video games came naturally to him,” the notice read.
Twitter users took to the app this week to remember O’Brien, who died March 23. A cause of death was not announced.
“Rest in peace. I was sad when I heard this news,” tweeted one fan. “One of our childhood voice actors has passed away. Brendan O’Brien will always live on in our hearts.”
“Very saddened by the news of Brendan O’Brien’s passing,” wrote another. “The Crash trilogy birthed my love for video games, and his voice will forever be a staple in my nostalgia.”
O’Brien — who was born on May 9, 1962, and raised in Hollywood, California — began acting at 10 years old in the first episode of the crime drama “The Streets of San Francisco.”
He was put in a shot alongside his father, Oscar winner Edmond O’Brien. His mother, Olga San Juan, was an entertainer as well.
“This opportunity and spending time with his parents on location would shape his own career,” the obituary added.
In addition to his role as Crash, O’Brien — who loved to play the guitar and explore nature trails with his wife, Ingrid K. Behrens, and their dogs — also appeared as Zed in the 1998 kids kung fu comedy “3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain.” In 2020, he had a supporting role in “Riverdale” as well.
“He touched strangers, friends and family with his love of life, his humor and positive attitude. No words can express how much he is missed. We love you, Brendan,” the obituary concluded.
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