I made my way to the ROG super-sized booth at Gamescom, and who did I bump into but Shawn Fonteno and Ned Luke, otherwise known as Franklin Clinton and Michael de Santa from 2013’s Grand Theft Auto 5. The pair were there with ROG and were promoting the new ROG Xbox Ally X, but I pulled them aside for a brief chat, diving quickly into the topic of Grand Theft Auto 6.
Amidst their impressions of the trailers and what they’re most excited for, I asked Ned and Shawn if they’d imparted any GTA-related wisdom on the actors in Grand Theft Auto 6.
Here’s the full video interview before you jump in:
‘It’ll Probably Last Another 10, 15, 20 Years’
Even now, the actors behind Lucia and Jason in Grand Theft Auto 6 haven’t been confirmed, but people have their suspicions. When I ran into Shawn Fonteno and Ned Luke at Gamescom, I knew I had an opportunity to delve into the topic with some of the most in-the-know people: the most recent lead actors in the Grand Theft Auto franchise.
With that in mind, I asked Shawn if he’d had the opportunity to impart his wisdom and experience on the new generation of actors in GTA 6:
If I knew who they were, I would. I tell them in interviews to get ready, you know? (They’re) fitting to go on a great ride, it’ll probably last another 10, 15, 20 years or something. Just get ready for it, it’s an experience that me, Ned, Steven, the whole GTA 5 cast, we’re still riding this wave.
Either Fonteno was playing coy with me, or he genuinely doesn’t know who is behind Lucia and Jason in Grand Theft Auto 6.
What Ned and Shawn said makes complete sense, though. In 2013, Grand Theft Auto hit the shelves and never saw any additional story content or expansions released. They stepped into the booth roughly between 2010 and 2013, and then as soon as the game came out, they never looked back.
And yet here they are, 12 years later, still beloved parts of a thriving GTA community.
That’s what Ned alluded to:
You can’t imagine what it’s like. We love our fans, they’re awesome, they’re very loyal. The thing that’s great about our fans is that they appreciate us, and they don’t really know that we appreciate them more than they appreciate us. If we didn’t have the fans, we’d have nothing. We’re lucky to have that.
Grand Theft Auto 6 will be released in May 2026. Until then, millions of fans worldwide will continue to explore the story portrayed by Shawn Fonteno, Ned Luke, and Steven Ogg (Trevor Philips) more than a decade ago.
Let me know who you think the actors in GTA 6 are on the Insider Gaming forum.
For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out the news that Dying Light: The Beast has a hugely diverse world
Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.
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