GTA 6 Interviewing Ned Luke the Real Michael De Santa Part 2 - Ep228

·30 min·2 clips

Larry Lawton, America's biggest jewel robber, admits he robbed the same jewelry store in Marietta that appears in GTA.

This episode is part two of an interview between host Larry Lawton and guest Ned Luke, focusing on Ned's role as Michael De Santa in GTA 5. Ned explains his audition process, where he had to compete in an 'act off' with another actor and improvise with new material handed to him last minute. He details how the writers at Rockstar, including Rupert Humphrey and Dan Houser, gave him freedom to improvise but insisted on keeping the famous line about forgetting things. Ned discusses his brief involvement in Red Dead Redemption 2, where his voice was removed to avoid players recognizing him as Michael, though his character model remained. He shares anecdotes about fan interactions, including a trip to Brazil where 300,000 people attended a game show. The conversation touches on topics like the challenges of acting in video games, the importance of consistency in production teams, and the respectful behavior of GTA fans. Larry and Ned also bond over personal interests like golf and cigars, with Larry mentioning his past as a jewel robber in Marietta. The episode concludes with mutual appreciation and plans for future collaborations.

As heard by us

Ned Luke's account of auditioning for Michael in GTA 5 anchors a loose, enthusiastic conversation.

Ned Luke's account of auditioning for Michael in GTA 5 is the reason to hear this conversation. He recalls an "act off" involving two candidates for Michael and two for Trevor. They had prepared other material, then an assistant handed them seven new pages to perform that day.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You get Ned Luke's account of the audition that led to Michael in GTA 5.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from The Real Deal w/Larry Lawton