It feels like Ben Starr is on his way to becoming the new Troy Baker, in that it seems like he's in everything these days. Basically, if there's a new game coming out, the chances are higher than they've ever been that Starr is...starring in it. Known for his gravelly register, brooding tone, and emotional intensity and range, it's easy to understand why the actor has risen to such prominence lately, beginning with his breakout role as Clive Rosfield in Final Fantasy 16. Since headlining the most recent mainline Final Fantasy entry (which just launched in 2023, by the way), Starr has already landed 14 other roles and counting, making him one of the gaming industry's most renowned voice talents.
Success hasn't always been so easy for the actor, though, as his career prior to Final Fantasy 16 stretched only as far as three games, and his roles in those games weren't the leading kind he's able to get so effortlessly today. If nothing else, that says something about his performance as Clive Rosfield—a protagonist that many Final Fantasy fans have since regarded as one of the series' best. Clearly, that role fundamentally changed the kinds of opportunities that would and are still coming his way.
Why Final Fantasy 16's Clive Rosfield Deserves to be a Companion in Kingdom Hearts 4
Auron's addition in Kingdom Hearts 2 was well-received, and Final Fantasy 16's main star could give Kingdom Hearts 4 a similar popularity boost.
Before Final Fantasy 16, Ben Starr Was Still Waiting for His Breakout
Final Fantasy 16 might have eventually become Ben Starr's breakout role in gaming, but everyone starts somewhere. For Starr, that meant taking an occasional role to fill in where additional voices were needed rather than committing to a more demanding part. This is largely because the actor was primarily working on TV early on in his career instead of games. His biggest roles in those days were Captain James Hawdon in Dickensian and Dr. Christopher Priestley in Jamestown, both recurring. Before and in-between filming those shows, Starr also contributed to a few video games.
Who’s That Character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Ben Starr's Three Roles Before Final Fantasy 16
- Company of Heroes 2 (2013) – Additional Voices
- Quantum Break (2016) – Additional Voices
- A Way Out (2018) – Additional Voices
Considering Starr had recurring roles in the television industry and landed many more in various TV shows, it clearly wasn't as difficult to find work as his small gaming resume makes it seem. More or less, this was a choice the actor seems to have intentionally made, as he presumably had his eyes set on other priorities. However, despite trying to control which direction his career would go, Square Enix and Final Fantasy 16 had different plans for Starr when he landed a part that he didn't even audition for.
Ben Starr Originally Auditioned for a Much Smaller Role in Final Fantasy 16
It's hard to forget someone like Final Fantasy 16's Clive Rosfield. He's kind without being boring, so genuine that he feels like a real person, and has one of the deepest, most memorable character arcs of any protagonist in Final Fantasy history. However, a large part of why he's so unforgettable is due to Ben Starr's impeccable performance. His voice gave Clive emotional credibility, his range and register allowed the quiet moments to land just as well as the explosive ones, and his authentic delivery made the character's personality and emotions tangible. As it turns out, though, the actor wasn't always the plan when it came to Clive, and it certainly wasn't the plan for Starr himself.
Despite trying to control which direction his career would go, Square Enix and Final Fantasy 16 had different plans for Starr when he landed a part that he didn't even audition for.
In an interview with DLBTAP, Starr specifically said he went in to read for a "very small part" for Final Fantasy 16, only to end up reading something completely different. Just four days later, he was informed that he had landed the role of Clive Rosfield—Final Fantasy 16's lead protagonist. "When I was actually in the room," Starr explained, "they said, 'Can you read for something else?' I ended up getting these lines blind, and it ended up being the main part."
Ben Starr Rose to Stardom After Final Fantasy 16
It probably felt like an accident to the actor at the time, but it would end up being the one thing that caused his career in gaming to take off more quickly than he had likely ever imagined. Since his show-stealing performance in Final Fantasy 16, Ben Starr has become one of the most recognizable names and voices in the industry, having now appeared in a whopping 14 more titles, and he's not done yet.
Ben Starr's Fourteen Roles After Final Fantasy 16
- Arknights (2023) – Sharp
- Atlas Fallen (2024) – Gauntlet Bearer (Male)
- Warframe: 1999 (2024) – Arthur Nightingale
- Tekken 8 (2024) – Clive Rosfield
- Hades 2 (2025) – Prometheus
- The First Berserker: Khazan (2025) – Khazan
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (2025) – Verso
- Date Everything! (2025) – Dorian
- Dead Take (2025) – Vinny Monroe
- Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles (2025) – Count Dycedarg Beoulve
- Marathon (2026) – Durandal
- Earth Must Die (2026) – Enforcer Krall
- Fortnite (2026) – The Visitor
- Solasta 2 (2026 Early Access) – Rickard Colwall
Of course, his biggest roles came from at least a year after the launch of Final Fantasy 16, when developers began getting wind of Starr's success and hearing his voice with their own ears. What followed was less of a gradual climb and more of a sudden, meteoric rise, as studios began casting him in some of the biggest roles in gaming. Characters like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's Verso, The First Berserker: Khazan's Khazan, and Hades 2's Prometheus are central figures in their respective stories, each requiring the same emotional depth that made Clive stand out in the first place. In that sense, Starr's rise is one that has been built on trust, as developers are confident that he can and will deliver, which is a very different position than the one he occupied before 2023.
Since his show-stealing performance in Final Fantasy 16, Ben Starr has become one of the most recognizable names and voices in the industry, having now appeared in a whopping 14 more titles, and he's not done yet.
Before Final Fantasy 16, Ben Starr's work in games was limited and largely unnoticed, but now he's consistently being cast in roles that sit at the center of a story rather than the edges of it. That kind of growth usually takes years to develop, but for Starr, it happened almost immediately after one defining performance. It's a rare kind of turning point, and one that makes it clear his presence in the industry is something that's only going to keep growing.
Final Fantasy 16
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 87/100 Critics Rec: 91%
- Released
- June 22, 2023
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Publisher(s)
- Square Enix
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
