The Best Games That Feature Oscar Winners

Summary

• Video games showcase Oscar-winning actors like Paul Newman and Emma Stone in various iconic roles.
• Renowned composer Hans Zimmer has transitioned his talent to the world of video games, creating iconic themes.
• Hollywood legends like Steven Spielberg and Guillermo del Toro have influenced popular video games such as Medal of Honor and P.T.

The perception of video games has evolved dramatically over the years. While debates continue about whether they qualify as art, there’s no denying the incredible artistic talent and creative storytelling behind many of them.

But how do we validate artistic talent? Some believe the answer lies in prestigious award shows — and none are more iconic than the Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars.

Surprisingly, video games and the Oscars have crossed paths more often than you might think. From significant milestones to unexpected moments, here are some of the most noteworthy and unexpected intersections between gaming and Hollywood’s biggest night.

10

Paul Newman (Cars: The Video Game)

From Salad Dressing to Talking Cars

Yes, we’re starting the list with Cars: The Video Game. While the trailers for this 2006 game adaption of the first Cars film fail to mention it, it does in fact include an Oscar-winning actor and salad-dressing legend – Paul Newman.

Newman, who won an Oscar in 1987 for the film The Color of Money, reprised his role as Doc Hudson from the Cars franchise. The rest of the film’s cast also reprised their roles for the video game, which was a very common occurrence with 2000s movie tie-ins.

9

Hans Zimmer – (Crysis 2)

Hans Down, the Best Composer

Hans Zimmer is, to put it lightly, a big deal. The legendary composer boasts twelve Academy Award nominations and has won two Oscars for The Lion King and Dune: Part One. Not content with conquering Hollywood, Zimmer eventually set his sights on the world of video games.

His first foray into gaming was with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, where he composed the game’s iconic menu theme (while Lorne Balfe did everything else). Zimmer and Balfe later teamed up with Borislav Slavov and Tilman Sillescu to craft the incredible main theme for Crysis 2. As a bonus, he even collaborated with Vince Staples to remix the UEFA Champions League Anthem for FIFA 19.

8

Emma Stone (Sleeping Dogs)

We’re Living In The Stone Age

Though likely just a small blip in Emma Stone’s impressive career, Sleeping Dogs (2012) was a hit among fans when it launched. In the open-world crime action game, Stone voiced Amanda Cartwright, an NPC players could take out for a date. She even lent her star power to the game’s promotional material, appearing in several trailers.

Ultimately, it’s a surprisingly brief cameo for the two-time Oscar winner (La La Land and Poor Things), but hey — who can blame her for snagging that sweet voice-acting paycheck?

7

Mahershala Ali (Madden NFL 18)

Moonlighting in Voice Acting

An Academy Award-winning actor appearing in a Madden NFL game sounds unlikely, but that’s exactly what Mahershala Ali did in Madden NFL 18. It should be noted that this was a full year before he won Best Supporting Actor for Green Book.

Ali appeared in the game’s first-ever story mode, Longshot, where he played Cutter Wade, the father of protagonist and rising football star Devin Wade. As a fun side note, Ali also lent his voice to the less-prestigious CSI: Fatal Conspiracy, a Telltale game.

6

Rami Malek (Until Dawn)

He Will, He Will Shock You

Years before donning the ‘stache and prosthetic teeth for his Oscar-winning portrayal of Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody, Rami Malek appeared in 2016’s Until Dawn. In this interactive, story-driven horror game, Malek provided both his voice and likeness to Josh Washington, a pivotal character whose fate is in the player’s hands.

Supermassive Games is no stranger to star power, with Until Dawn also featuring talents like Hayden Panettiere, Brett Dalton, and the forever-spooky Peter Stormare. Whether players save or doom these famous faces is entirely up to them.

5

Gary Oldman (The Legend of Spyro Series)

Oldman the Professional

Gary Oldman has been Count Dracula, Harry S. Truman, Winston Churchill (which earned him his Academy Award), and many more notable characters and people. His chameleon-like ability to vanish into roles continues to leave audiences shocked when his name appears in the credits.

One role he fully embraced — enough to return three times — was Ignitus in The Legend of Spyro trilogy. This reboot of the beloved Spyro franchise also featured other big names, such as Elijah Wood and Mark Hamill. But Oldman’s video game credits don’t stop there. He’s a familiar voice in iconic franchises, having appeared in multiple Call of Duty titles, Medal of Honor, and even Star Citizen.

4

J.K. Simmons (Portal 2)

Don’t Tell Him He Did a Good Job

Most fans recognize J.K. Simmons for his iconic portrayal of the gruff, fast-talking J. Jonah Jameson in the Spider-Man films. However, it was his intense role as the drill sergeant jazz conductor in Whiplash that earned him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar.

From voicing the tragic Santa in Klaus to the brutal Omni-Man in Invincible, Simmons has proven his voice-acting range is second to none. But in the world of video games, he truly shined as Cave Johnson in Portal 2. The eccentric CEO of Aperture Science was a tour de force role, with Simmons nailing the balance between charisma and absurdity as the shouty, over-the-top 80s businessman.

3

Guillermo del Toro (P.T.)

We Were Left Stranded

One of the most iconic entries on this list isn’t even a full game — it’s a demo. P.T. was too good for this earth. Guillermo del Toro, the three-time Oscar-winning director and writer, teamed up with legendary game designer Hideo Kojima to create this critically acclaimed playable teaser for the ill-fated Silent Hills project.

Fans have been lamenting its cancellation ever since, as the small morsel they received was both terrific and terrifying. If it’s any consolation, del Toro and Kojima reunited to collaborate on Death Stranding, which became a critical success in its own right.

2

Trent Reznor (Quake)

Nine Inch Nailgun

Trent Reznor isn’t just one half of Nine Inch Nails; he’s also an Academy Award-winning composer (The Social Network) and an avid gamer.

While he later composed and performed the theme for Call of Duty: Black Ops II, his work on the original Quake can not be ignored! Reznor created all the game’s original music and went so far as to help record sound effects and ambient audio. In a nod to his contributions, id Software placed the iconic NIN logo on nailgun ammunition boxes scattered throughout the game.

1

Steven Spielberg (Medal of Honor)

A Spiritual Successor to Saving Private Ryan.

Academy Award-winning director and father of the blockbuster, Steven Spielberg, has never hidden his love for video games. At the height of his career, he co-founded DreamWorks Interactive, a game studio in partnership with Microsoft. After a few unsuccessful releases, the studio struck gold with 1999’s Medal of Honor. Spielberg is credited with shaping the story, effectively creating a spiritual successor to his film Saving Private Ryan.

Not only did Spielberg revolutionize cinema, but he also laid the groundwork for historic war-based first-person shooters, paving the way for the Call of Duty series. The game also earns extra points for featuring a full orchestral score by Oscar-winning composer Michael Giacchino (Up).