Charlie Cox, best known for playing Daredevil in Marvel’s Netflix series and the Disney Plus revival, has received a Best Performance nomination at The Game Awards 2025 for his voice work as Gustave in the critically acclaimed RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. However, in a display of humility that has earned widespread praise, Cox deflected credit to French actor Maxence Cazorla, who provided the motion capture performance that brought Gustave to life. The actor’s gracious response highlights an ongoing debate about recognition in performance capture roles.
Cox’s Humble Response
Speaking at a recent press conference, Cox addressed his Game Awards nomination with characteristic humility. He stated that he’s thrilled for the nomination, but emphasized that any credit he receives should be shared with Cazorla. Cox explained that Cazorla did almost all of the motion capture for Gustave, and he believes the performance of the character is really down to him, with his voice being just part of that process.
This isn’t the first time Cox has downplayed his contribution to Clair Obscur. Throughout the game’s promotional campaign, he has consistently directed praise toward Sandfall Interactive and the development team. When asked about the game’s success, his immediate response has been to congratulate the studio and emphasize that they deserve all the credit. He has even previously stated he felt like a total fraud for the amount of praise he’s received for the role.
The Four Hour Recording Session
Cox’s modesty may stem partly from how little time he actually spent on the project. According to multiple sources, including Cox himself, he was in and out of the recording studio within approximately four hours. He took the role somewhat on a whim, hasn’t played the game, and admits he has no particular interest in gaming generally. The brevity of his involvement reportedly surprised him when the outpouring of admiration for his performance began.
This makes his nomination even more remarkable. Voice actors typically spend significantly more time recording for major video game roles, with multiple sessions spread across months or even years as scripts evolve during development. Cox’s ability to capture Gustave’s emotional depth in a single brief session speaks to both his talent and the quality of voice direction provided by Sandfall Interactive.
Maxence Cazorla’s Contributions
Maxence Cazorla is a French actor, director, and screenwriter who has built his career between Paris and Los Angeles. He’s been widely awarded for his short films including Ineffable, UPYA, and Eon’s Echo, creating emotionally driven genre cinema supported by the AGBO Storytellers Collective founded by the Russo brothers.
For Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Cazorla didn’t just perform motion capture for Gustave. He also provided the performance capture and French voice acting for multiple central characters including Esquie, Verso, and Renoir. This means Cazorla was responsible for bringing to life some of the game’s most memorable personalities through both movement and voice, at least in the French language version.
The Opening Scene Performance
Community discussion has highlighted Cazorla’s motion capture work in the game’s opening gommage scene as particularly outstanding. During this emotionally devastating sequence, Gustave says farewell to his lover Sophie before she disappears in the Paintress’s yearly culling. Charlie Cox delivers only one line throughout the entire moment, with the emotion and storytelling conveyed almost entirely through motion capture performance. Many players cite this scene as one of the game’s most powerful moments, testament to Cazorla’s acting ability.
Cazorla’s performance as Esquie has also received special praise from players, with many considering that character the game’s standout personality. The fact that he provided both the French voice and motion capture for Esquie while also handling the same duties for other major characters demonstrates remarkable range and commitment to the project.
About Clair Obscur Expedition 33
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a turn-based RPG developed by French studio Sandfall Interactive and published by Kepler Interactive. The game launched in April 2025 to critical acclaim, praised for its unique real-time mechanics integrated into traditional turn-based combat, stunning visuals powered by Unreal Engine 5, and emotionally resonant storytelling.
Set in a dark fantasy Belle Époque setting inspired by late 19th and early 20th century France, the game follows volunteers who join Expedition 33 on a desperate mission to destroy the Paintress. This mysterious entity performs an annual ritual called the Gommage, where she paints an ever-decreasing number on a monolith, causing everyone at or above that age to turn to smoke and disappear. With the next number being 33, the expedition members have only one year left to live unless they can stop her.
Critical and Commercial Success
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has been nominated for seven awards at The Game Awards 2025, including Game of the Year, Best Game Direction, Best RPG, Best Art Direction, Best Score and Music, Best Audio Design, and three Best Performance nominations. This ties the record set by Baldur’s Gate 3 at the previous year’s ceremony, demonstrating the game’s exceptional quality across multiple categories.
At the Golden Joystick Awards 2025, Clair Obscur won seven awards, including Ultimate Game of the Year. The fact that three actors from the game, Ben Starr, Charlie Cox, and Jennifer English, were all nominated for best performance speaks to the quality of the voice acting and motion capture work throughout the entire production.
The Performance Capture Recognition Debate
Cox’s comments have reignited discussion about how the gaming industry recognizes performance capture work. The Game Awards describes the Best Performance category as being granted to an individual for voice-over acting, motion and/or performance capture. However, in practice, every nominee in the award’s history has been a voice actor, even though some like Christopher Judge (Kratos) and Melina Juergens (Senua) provide both voice and performance capture for their characters.
This practice is quite rare in AAA games, which likely explains why award panels may not have considered nominating Cazorla separately. When voice and motion capture are performed by different people, which is increasingly common as studios hire celebrity voice actors, the motion capture artist rarely receives recognition despite contributing equally to the final performance. Critics argue this represents a significant oversight that undervalues the physical acting required to bring digital characters to life.
Advocacy for Motion Capture Artists
Cox’s public acknowledgment of Cazorla’s contributions represents important advocacy from a high-profile actor for motion capture artists to receive more recognition. As a well-known name from television and film, Cox’s words carry weight and help bring attention to the often-invisible work that performance capture actors do. Community responses have praised him for using his platform to highlight Cazorla’s talent and the broader issue of credit in collaborative performances.
Some industry observers note that this mirrors conversations happening in film and television, where stunt performers, digital effects artists, and other behind-the-scenes contributors fight for recognition alongside headline actors. The gaming industry’s increasing reliance on performance capture technology makes addressing these credit and recognition issues increasingly urgent.
Community Reactions
The gaming community has responded overwhelmingly positively to Cox’s humility and advocacy for Cazorla. Reddit discussions praise Cox for demonstrating remarkable grace and consistently redirecting focus away from himself toward the development team and fellow performers. Many commenters note that his self-deprecating attitude, calling himself a fraud despite delivering an acclaimed performance, makes him more endearing to fans.
However, some players argue that Cox deserves more credit than he’s giving himself. While Cazorla’s motion capture work is undeniably crucial, Cox’s voice performance adds essential emotional layers that complete the character. The combination of Cazorla’s physical performance and Cox’s vocal delivery creates something greater than either contribution alone, suggesting both artists deserve equal recognition for Gustave’s impact.
Will Cox Attend The Game Awards
Despite his nomination, industry observers consider the odds of Cox actually attending The Game Awards ceremony on December 11, 2025, as slim to none. Cox has been candid about treating the voice work as just a brief job for extra cash and has shown no particular interest in gaming culture. He’s currently filming the second season of Daredevil: Born Again, which wrapped in July 2025, and has other acting commitments that likely take priority over gaming award shows.
His absence, if it occurs, wouldn’t diminish the significance of his nomination or his advocacy for Cazorla. The conversation he’s sparked about recognition for performance capture artists may prove more valuable than any acceptance speech.
Other Best Performance Nominees
The Best Performance category at The Game Awards 2025 includes six nominees: Ben Starr (also from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33), Charlie Cox, Erika Ishii (Ghost of Yōtei), Jennifer English (also from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33), Konatsu Kato, and Troy Baker. The fact that three nominees come from Clair Obscur demonstrates the exceptional quality of the game’s voice acting across its entire cast.
This makes Clair Obscur only the second game in Game Awards history to receive three Best Performance nominations in a single year, after Baldur’s Gate 3. Whether Cox, Starr, or English takes home the award, Sandfall Interactive’s debut title has already made history.
FAQs
Who is Charlie Cox?
Charlie Cox is a British actor best known for playing Matt Murdock/Daredevil in Marvel’s Netflix series and the Disney Plus revival Daredevil: Born Again. He voices the character Gustave in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
Why did Charlie Cox deflect credit for his Game Awards nomination?
Cox stated that French actor Maxence Cazorla, who performed the motion capture for Gustave, deserves the credit for the character’s performance. Cox believes his voice work was just part of the process, with Cazorla’s physical acting being the foundation of the character.
Who is Maxence Cazorla?
Maxence Cazorla is a French actor, director, and screenwriter who provided motion capture and French voice acting for multiple characters in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, including Gustave, Esquie, Verso, and Renoir.
How long did Charlie Cox spend recording for Clair Obscur?
Cox was in and out of the recording studio within approximately four hours. He took the role somewhat on a whim and hasn’t played the game, admitting he has no particular interest in gaming.
What is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 about?
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a turn-based RPG set in a dark fantasy Belle Époque setting where an entity called the Paintress performs an annual ritual that erases everyone at or above a certain age. Players join Expedition 33’s desperate mission to stop her before everyone dies.
When are The Game Awards 2025?
The Game Awards 2025 will take place on December 11, 2025, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, streaming live on multiple platforms.
How many Game Awards nominations did Clair Obscur receive?
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 received seven nominations at The Game Awards 2025, including Game of the Year, Best Game Direction, Best RPG, and three Best Performance nominations, tying the record set by Baldur’s Gate 3.
Will Charlie Cox attend The Game Awards?
Industry observers consider it unlikely. Cox has shown no particular interest in gaming culture, treated the voice work as a brief job, and has other acting commitments. His attendance has not been confirmed.
Conclusion
Charlie Cox’s gracious deflection of credit to Maxence Cazorla represents more than just personal humility. It highlights an important conversation about how the gaming industry recognizes collaborative performances where voice acting and motion capture are performed by different artists. While Cox’s voice undeniably contributes emotional depth to Gustave, Cazorla’s physical performance provides the foundation upon which that character stands. Both artists deserve recognition for creating one of 2025’s most memorable gaming characters. Cox’s advocacy from his position as a high-profile actor helps bring overdue attention to the often-invisible work of performance capture artists. Whether he attends The Game Awards ceremony or not, his nomination and subsequent comments have already made an impact by sparking discussion about fair recognition in an industry increasingly reliant on performance capture technology. For Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the three Best Performance nominations represent validation for Sandfall Interactive’s commitment to exceptional acting across their entire cast. Whether Cox, Ben Starr, or Jennifer English wins the award, the debut title from the French studio has already made history and set a new standard for narrative-driven RPGs.