COVID-19 deemed the cause of death for 79 year old Rick May.
The voice actor behind characters such as Star Fox 64‘s Peppy Hare and Andross, along with Team Fortress 2‘s Soldier, has died. May’s death was announced by an arts school, Rekindle School, noting that over the past decade he had taught a number of courses in voiceover work and around dialects.
May’s two most prolific roles are widely shared and used as in jokes among various online communities. The TF2 intro video for his character, Meet the Soldier, may as well be a one man voiceover reel.
Our favourite Soldier TF2 lines:
“If God had wanted you to live he would not have created me!”
“You were loud and ugly and now you’re DEAD! Amen.”
“We have the eye of a tiger, the heart of a lion, the wings of an eagle, the big muscular arms of a panther-man, and the silent majesty of a kraken!”
Peppy Hare may be one of the most quotable characters in gaming. With lines like “It’s quiet, too quiet”, “Never give up! Trust your instincts!”, and “DO A BARREL ROLL!”, it’s hard to argue that May’s line delivery is anything but memorable. That last line is so iconic that it spawned a secret level in Star Fox Zero dedicated to the line, a dedicated knowyourmeme page, and a Google Easter egg that literally causes your screen to roll if you search the term.
Rick May chews up the most intense Star Fox 64 level, delivering much of the voiceover in a stage packed with voice lines and sound effects, taunting the player as Andross while also filling in Peppy’s requisite lines (“Shoot em down! We’re being marked!”).
Rick May’s last appearance was in the TF2 short “Expiration Date” according to IMDB.
[h/t Kotaku]
–with files from Evan McIntosh
