Entertainment · Gaming · 21 hrs ago
Mark Meer’s Steve Buscemi impression shaped the sound of Mass Effect’s salarians
Mark Meer’s Steve Buscemi impression helped define how salarians speak in the Mass Effect games.
Meer, a voice actor, was brought in while BioWare was developing the series to suggest how its alien species might sound.
He made the first salarian for a demo using a Buscemi-style cadence, and the approach stuck.
Meer later auditioned for and won the role of male Commander Shepard, while continuing to voice aliens including the vorcha.
Jennifer Hale, who voiced female Shepard, said Meer helped set the tone for the character by recording early sessions first.
His work shows how one performance choice can shape a fictional species for a long-running game series.
Meer and Hale also discussed their hopes for Mass Effect’s future, but no next step for the series is specified here.
Mark Meer’s Steve Buscemi impression helped shape the sound of the salarians in Mass Effect.
Meer first performed the voice for a demo while the game was in its concept art stage.
The impression stuck, and Meer said salarians share Buscemi’s cadence.
Meer also helped suggest how other alien species might sound before auditioning for Commander Shepard.
He ultimately voiced male Shepard and continued recording alien characters, including the vorcha.
- Who
- Mark Meer, voice actor for male Commander Shepard, performed the first salarian voice.
- What
- Meer’s Steve Buscemi impression for a demo helped establish the salarians’ cadence in Mass Effect.
- When
- During Mass Effect’s concept art stage; the sources give no date.
- Where
- BioWare; the sources do not state where the demo recording took place.
- Why
- BioWare asked Meer to help suggest how the game’s alien species might sound.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
BioWare brought Meer in to suggest how the aliens might sound, and he performed a salarian voice for a demo.
BioWare asked Meer to audition for Commander Shepard.
- Actor
- Mark Meer
- Game
- Mass Effect
- Salarians’ cadence
- Steve Buscemi impression
- Meer’s Shepard role
- Male Commander Shepard
- Other alien role
- Vorcha
What people are saying
I do take credit for the salarians all having the cadence of Steve Buscemi
The first salarian he did was essentially a Buscemi impression for a demo, and it stuck.
I don't know if people realize how instrumental Mark was in defining the sound of every single species in this game