Nolan North to receive special BAFTA games prize

Voice actor and motion capture performer Nolan North will be handed a Special Award by BAFTA in recognition of his outstanding contribution to performance in games. It’s a prestigious award and one that North deserves, considering his fantastic performances (and ubiquity) over the years. If you’ve played a video game in the last ten years, chances are you’ve heard his voice, though he is most known for his portrayal of Nathan Drake in the Uncharted series.

The prize will be awarded at an event on Monday 11th June, the night before E3 kicks off, and will take place at The London (confusingly, not in London) in West Hollywood. It’s likely BAFTA picked the venue solely because of the name, but we can’t confirm as it’s not mentioned in the press release.

North is understandably super chuffed about the award. “To be recognized for one’s work is always special, but to be recognized by BAFTA is truly an honor,” he said. “I am humbled beyond words.”

Meanwhile, BAFTA’s Games Committee chair, Nick Button-Brown, reaffirms the academy’s commitment to the games industry. “We are thrilled to present our first special award in games performance to Nolan North,” Button-Brown said. “His singular talents, in both voice and mocap performance, help to tell incredible stories and make our game worlds so much more interesting. 

"He has created some of the most beloved characters in games for almost 20 years, setting the standard as a pioneer of the range of exceptional performances we enjoy in the medium today. BAFTA is committed to celebrating and promoting the very best in games artistry, therefore I’m especially glad that BAFTA is taking this moment to honour Nolan, and through him the essential role that performance plays in games.”