It was quite the genre shift at Calgary Expo on Saturday.
Minutes after Disney voice actors Jim Cummings and Bill Farmer charmed a family-friendly crowd with stories about bringing Winnie the Pooh and Goofy to life, the Percheron Ballroom transformed into something entirely different. In walked three men who spent years bringing some of gaming's most notorious anti-heroes to the screen: the cast of Grand Theft Auto V.
Ned Luke, Shawn Fonteno, and Calgary's own Steven Ogg took the stage for a panel aptly titled "Kings of Crime," and what followed was a reunion filled with sharp wit, colourful language, and unfiltered stories from one of the most successful video game franchises ever created.
"There are a few empty seats out there, and that pisses me the [expletive] right off," Luke joked early in the panel, setting the tone for what would become a raucous, adults-only conversation.
From Fictional Criminals to Streaming Superstars
The panel marked a rare gathering of the three main voices behind GTA V's most memorable characters. Luke portrayed Michael De Santa, a retired bank robber pulled back into a life of crime. Fonteno voiced Franklin Clinton, a young hustler trying to climb the criminal ladder. And Ogg brought Trevor Phillips to life—the volatile, unpredictable third wheel of the operation.
Released in 2013, GTA V became a cultural phenomenon, becoming one of the highest-grossing entertainment products of all time. The game's three protagonists—playable characters navigating elaborate heists in the fictional city of Los Santos—captured imaginations on social media and gaming forums worldwide, sparking countless discussions and fan theories that continue to this day.
"Content may not be appropriate for all ages," organizers warned beforehand. Most Disney fans had likely cleared out by this point; the audience was packed with devoted gaming enthusiasts hungry for deep-dive stories about the game's development, voice acting process, and the chemistry between the three actors.
A Calgary Connection in the Gaming World
Ogg, born in Edmonton but raised in Calgary, has parlayed his GTA V fame into an impressive acting career. Since lending his voice to the chaos of Trevor Phillips, he's landed antagonist roles in prestige television, including turns in Better Call Saul, Westworld, The Walking Dead, and the Canadian sci-fi series Revival.
For many in the room, seeing these three actors back together was a nostalgic highlight—a chance to celebrate a landmark moment in gaming history when video game voice acting finally earned the respect and talent it deserved.
This story is based on reporting by the Calgary Herald.