When you think of voices that are synonymous with video games, some obvious names come to mind: Troy Baker, Jennifer Hale, Nolan North, Laura Bailey, just to name a few. I’d wager that it’s high time Debra Wilson be added to that hall of fame.
The prolific actress has had a wide-ranging career, starting as a comedy staple on sketch shows like Mad TV and becoming a video game staple beginning in the late 2000s. Wilson has only gained momentum throughout the 2020s, becoming a go-to actress who’s popped up in everything from Date Everything! to, just this week, Marvel’s Wolverine, where she plays Callisto.
While her surprise appearance in so many high-profile games has almost become a meme for some players (the joke du jour: which studio can make the best Debra Wilson character model?), it makes perfect sense. Wilson has proven to be a versatile voice actress who can nail a comedic performance, demand respect as a hardass, and even find the soul in a hulking monster. To prove that, we’ve ranked her five best performances below, but frankly, this list only scratches the surface of a career that includes roles in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, The Outer Worlds, Bugsnax, and so much more.
5
Grýla (God of War Ragnarök)
It’s no surprise that one of Wilson’s best roles comes from God of War Ragnarök, considering that Santa Monica Studio has a knack for courting strong, emotional performances. Wilson portrays Grýla in Ragnarök, a Giantess who briefly appears as a crucial boss fight during an Atreus segment. She nailed the assignment as Angrboda’s ruthless grandmother, spitting pure venom with deliveries like “I should have thrown you to the wolves right after I pulled you out of your mother.” Though Grýla is a small part in Ragnarök’s grand tapestry, Wilson’s performance cuts deep enough to make for a standout moment.
4
Cere Junda (Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order)
What really stands out about Respawn’s Star Wars Jedi games is their ability to create a wholly original cast of characters that feel just as core to the universe as its most iconic heroes and villains. Cere Junda is a perfect example of that. Wilson plays a Jedi Master dealing with some serious baggage in the aftermath of Order 66. She runs with that backstory to craft a cool and collected mentor who occasionally cracks just enough to show how nervous she is about Cal Kestis’ survival. Wilson only turns that up more in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, getting a chance to unleash her Jedi power and establish herself as a hero.
3
Savathûn (Destiny 2)
There are plenty of great Destiny story arcs that made Bungie’s MMO series so memorable, but Destiny 2: The Witch Queen might have been its finest hour. That’s thanks in large part to Savathûn, that expansion’s excellent villain. Savathûn had long been a lurking figure in the series’ background lore, so it was imperative for Bungie to deliver once it came time for her starring role. Wilson was perfectly equipped for that job, portraying the Hive queen as an eloquent monster that could so effortlessly manipulate creatures into doing her bidding. Now that Destiny 2 is no more, there’s a good case to be made that Savathûn is the series’ best antagonist.
2
Amanda Waller (Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League)
Amanda Waller is a role that Wilson was born to play. The Suicide Squad’s handler is a ruthless bureaucrat who is best handled by someone who can play the role with the right level of commanding intimidation and dry wiseassery. Wilson does all of that and more in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, making for a bright spot in an otherwise forgettable superhero (well, antihero) game. Her star moment comes when a bloodsoaked Waller snaps on the team for trying to go rogue. She gets a damn good bark in when King Shark tries to push back on her by saying “In my home my father would never allow…” only to be cut off by Wilson’s vicious “I’m your daddy now, Shark!” that silences the room.
1
Grace Walker (Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus)
The first time I really became aware that Debra Wilson was making a name in video games was in 2017’s Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus. She played Grace Walker in Machinegames’ Nazi-killing shooter, a revolutionary who comes to aid B.J. Blazkowicz’s righteous cause. It was Wilson’s real breakthrough moment in the world of games, and for good reason. Wilson steals the show anytime she’s on screen, whether she’s ripping on the “Klu Klux motherfucking Klan” or spilling her guts in a haunting monologue that gives The New Colossus its narrative staying power. If you’re confused as to why Wilson seems to be in every game nowadays, revisit her performance there. You’ll get it.
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