Steven Ogg

Last updated

Steven Ogg
Steven Ogg by Gage Skidmore.jpg
Ogg in 2024
Born (1973-11-04) November 4, 1973 (age 51)
OccupationActor
Years active
  • 1999–2003
  • 2008–present
Notable work Grand Theft Auto V
The Walking Dead
Children1
AwardsNew York Videogame Critics Circle Award
Website oggworld.com

Steven Ogg (born November 4, 1973 [1] ) is a Canadian actor [2] and writer. Ogg is best known for playing Trevor Philips in the 2013 video game Grand Theft Auto V, Simon in The Walking Dead, and being a spokesman for the American brand of male grooming products Old Spice.

Contents

He has also appeared in the Breaking Bad spin-off, Better Call Saul, Westworld, Snowpiercer, and many indie/short films.

Early life

Steven Ogg was born in Edmonton, Alberta, on November 4, 1973, and raised in Calgary. [3] [4]

Career

Ogg in March 2018 Steven Ogg - 2018076123859 2018-03-17 Walker Stalker Con - Sven - 1D X MK II - 0435 - AK8I8091 (cropped).jpg
Ogg in March 2018

After moving to New York City, he began acting in television shows such as Law & Order and Third Watch , in addition to some theater work and voice acting. He retired from acting in 2003 but returned in 2008.

After taking a break from acting to build a house, he was hired by Rockstar Games as the voice and motion capture artist for Trevor Philips in their 2013 video game Grand Theft Auto V . [2] [5] [6] His character was critically acclaimed and he received numerous award nominations as a result. [7] [8] [9] [10] In February 2014, he received an award on the 3rd Annual New York Videogame Critics Circle Awards for Best Overall Acting in a Game. [11] Ogg later reprised his role in the 2016 YouTube short film GTA VR. [12] [13]

Ogg made two appearances in Better Call Saul as Sobchak, a mercenary and private detective. In the 2015 episode "Pimento", he is one of three bodyguards hired for a protection job before getting into a verbal altercation with Mike Ehrmantraut. Mike humiliates Sobchak by disarming and incapacitating him. He reappeared in the 2020 episode "Dedicado a Max", undertaking clandestine investigative work for Saul Goodman under the pseudonym "Mr X". The name Sobchak was likely inspired by The Big Lebowski character Walter Sobchak, also a security consultant and weapons enthusiast with an inflated sense of his own achievements and abilities.

In The Walking Dead season 6 finale, he made his debut as Simon, a member of the Saviors and one of the main antagonists in season 7. [14] Ogg also portrayed Rebus in the HBO series Westworld , and provides the voice of Professor Venomous, in Cartoon Network's animated series OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes. In 2019, Ogg portrayed Flexon in the second season of the 2016 series The Tick .

Ogg noted in an interview that he is aware of being typecast as "the crazy guy and the unpredictable guy" (with one example being his portrayal of Trevor in Grand Theft Auto V) though he did not mind this if it led to steady work. He admitted, however, that he would ideally like to explore "different characters [and] different worlds", like his role as a father in the 2019 drama The Short History of the Long Road. [4]

In 2022, he appeared in Dan Mangan's music video for "Fire Escape", playing a personification of Mangan's self-critical inner voice. [15]

On October 5, 2022, a YouTuber uploaded a video titled "Does Steven Ogg Hate Trevor?" in which they shared a series of Cameo requests they had made to Ogg, asking him to perform in-character as Trevor Philips from Grand Theft Auto V. The author of the video claimed that despite paying $140, Ogg did not fulfill the request as expected. Instead, they described the actor's responses as passive-aggressive, accusing him of berating him during the videos. In those Cameos, Ogg emphasized that he is "an actor" and referred to Trevor as "a cartoon character," expressing irritation at being addressed as the character. [16]

On February 4, 2025, Ogg publicly addressed the topic, during an appearance on fellow actor Michael Rosenbaum's podcast, Inside of You. When asked directly if he hated Trevor, Ogg replied, "No. He's a great character, he's awesome. And, like—still, Shawn [Fonteno] and Ned [Luke], we're friends and we were just doing a ComicCon this past weekend." He went on to explain that he finds it "weird" when fans refer to actors by their character's names, and that he doesn't understand how people equate him with Trevor, who he describes as "a cartoon." [17]

In 2024, Ogg appeared in Amyl and the Sniffers music video for "U Should Not Be Doing That". [18]

Personal life

Ogg is a single father and has one son, named Bodhi, [19] whom his character's personal vehicle in Grand Theft Auto V is named after. [20]

Filmography

Key
Denotes series that have not yet been released

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1999Giving it UpAndre the Fashion Photographer
The Romantic Comedy with an EdgeDonny Don DonShort
2002Thousand Dollar ShoesMichel Gilligan
The Lovers-Video
2003Mail Order BridePavel
2013Out ThereCarlShort
DisgraceThe Father
2014Space DogsHomicidal DoctorVideo
The SandmanBiffShort
Kingdom ComeJames
Chapter 7Dad
2015 He Never Died Alex
BlackwellWalton BriggsShort
The Escort Warren
Moondog AirwavesJackShort
Black Dog, Red DogJoe Sr.
The Book of NedKennyShort
2016GTA VR Trainer [12] [13]
RematarUley
2017On The RunGwin
2018 Solis Troy Holloway
Patient 001Head Attendant
2019The PresentMister RussoShort
The Short History of the Long Road Clint
2022 V/H/S/99 The HostSegment: "Ozzy's Dungeon"
Emancipation Sergeant Howard
2023DivinityRestless Ricardo
2024Dad CompanyRickShort
Dark Match Joe Lean
Scared Shitless Don
All the Lost Ones Mikael
O.C.D. (Obsessor Coercio Deus)The AgentShort
HazardCarl
The Ghost TrapJames Eugley Sr.
2025Blind RiverWalker Donley
Sweetness John
Concessions Luke Plimpton [21] [22]
TBA The Dresden Sun Chilenger [23]

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2000 Law & Order Mark VeeEpisode: "Untitled"
2001 Third Watch ShooterEpisode: "A Hero's Rest"
2013 Unforgettable Larry YablonskiEpisode: "Day of the Jackie"
Person of Interest ChuckEpisode: "Liberty"
2014 Murdoch Mysteries Bat Masterson Episode: "Glory Days"
Broad City Creepy LocksmithEpisode: "The Lockout"
2015; 2020 Better Call Saul Sobchak / Mr. X2 episodes: "Pimento", and "Dedicado a Max"
2016Rush: Inspired by BattlefieldJames BraddockMain Cast [24]
2016–2018 The Walking Dead Simon Guest: Season 6, Recurring Cast: Season 7, Main Cast: Season 8
2016–2022 Westworld RebusRecurring Cast: Season 1, Guest: Season 2 & 4
2017 Stan Against Evil WereponyEpisode: "Curse of the Werepony"
2017–2019 OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes Various Roles (voices)Recurring Cast
2019 The Tick FlexonRecurring Cast: Season 2
2020–2022 Snowpiercer PikeRecurring Cast: Season 1, Main Cast: Season 2-3
2022 Sprung SpikeEpisode: "Chapter Eight"
2023 The Walking Dead: Dead City Simon Episode: "Everybody Wins a Prize"
Boiling Point NickEpisode: "Episode 3 & 4"
2024 It's Florida, Man JeffEpisode: "Mermaids"
2025 Revival Blaine AbelRecurring Cast [25]

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
2008 Alone in the Dark VinnieVoice
2009 Cursed Mountain AlexVoice and motion capture
2013 Grand Theft Auto V Trevor Philips
Grand Theft Auto Online

Music videos

YearSongArtist
2022"Fire Escape" Dan Mangan
2024"U Should Not Be Doing That" Amyl and the Sniffers

Commercials

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
2016–17 Old Spice Bob GiovanniDirt Destroyer [26]
Odor Blocker
Hydro Wash
2022Men Have Skin, Too
2024 Asus SalesmanRepublic of Gamers [27]

Accolades

YearAwardCategoryWorkResult
2013 Spike Video Game Award Best Voice Actor Grand Theft Auto V Nominated
Code Central AwardBest Male CharacterNominated
2014New York Videogame Critics Circle AwardBest Overall Acting in a GameWon
British Academy Games Award Performer Nominated
Behind the Voice Actors AwardBest Male Lead Vocal Performance in a Video GameNominated
Behind the Voice Actors AwardBest Vocal Ensemble in a Video GameNominated

Written works

References

  1. "Steven Ogg Birthday". National Today. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  2. 1 2 Vandergaag, Chris (October 11, 2013). "Steven Ogg, the man behind Trevor, the homicidal maniac in GTA V". Toronto Sun . Archived from the original on October 15, 2013. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
  3. Vernoff, Kaili; Ogg, Steven (May 21, 2020). "Steven Ogg (Trevor Philips in Grand Theft Auto V)". The Let's Play Podcast (Podcast). the*gameHERs. Event occurs at 12:10. Archived from the original on July 31, 2023. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  4. 1 2 Volmers, Eric (March 11, 2021). "Crazy, unpredictable roles like on Snowpiercer has Steven Ogg yearning for 'something sweet'". Calgary Herald . Archived from the original on April 16, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  5. Molina, Brett (October 9, 2013). "Interview: Crime pays for 'Grand Theft Auto V' actors". USA Today . Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
  6. Volmers, Eric (October 4, 2013). "Meet Steven Ogg, the Calgary-born actor who plays Grand Theft Auto's most violent character". Calgary Herald . Postmedia Network. Archived from the original on October 5, 2013. Retrieved October 17, 2013.
  7. Edge Staff (September 16, 2013). "Grand Theft Auto V review". Edge . Archived from the original on September 19, 2013. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
  8. Petit, Carolyn (September 16, 2013). "Grand Theft Auto V Review: City of Angels and Demons". GameSpot . Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
  9. Miller, Greg (September 30, 2013). "New York Comic-Con 2013: Let's Hang Out". IGN . Archived from the original on October 4, 2013. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
  10. "60 Seconds With Steven Ogg". IGN . October 11, 2013. Archived from the original on February 4, 2020. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
  11. "Steven Ogg: New York Videogame Critics Circle Awards". The New York Videogame Critics Circle. February 18, 2014. Archived from the original on February 4, 2020. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  12. 1 2 Phillips, Tom (October 11, 2016). "Trevor's back for GTA VR film". Eurogamer . Archived from the original on February 4, 2020. Retrieved October 13, 2016.
  13. 1 2 Polanco, Tony (October 11, 2016). "GTAV short film Stars the Real Trevor". Geek.com . Archived from the original on February 4, 2020. Retrieved October 13, 2016.
  14. Smith, Chris (October 10, 2016). "Brand new Walking Dead trailer probably revealed Negan's victim". finance.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on October 11, 2016. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  15. Mike Usinger, "On Our Radar: Dan Mangan's ghostly "Fire Escape" is a powerful lifeline for anyone who's staring into the abyss" Archived July 21, 2022, at the Wayback Machine . The Georgia Straight , July 20, 2022.
  16. Gosnell, Jeremy (October 13, 2022). "Grand Theft Auto 5 Trevor Actor Steven Ogg Sends Bizarre Cameo to Fan". Game Rant. Retrieved May 10, 2025.
  17. Dastoor, Vaspaan (February 6, 2025). "GTA 5 Trevor Actor Denies Rumours That He Hates His Character". TheGamer. Retrieved May 10, 2025.
  18. Amyl and The Sniffers (May 21, 2024). Amyl and The Sniffers - "U Should Not Be Doing That" (Official Music Video) . Retrieved May 22, 2024 via YouTube.
  19. Burlingame, Russ. "Grand Theft Auto V's Steven Ogg Talks About His Role on The Walking Dead".
  20. Medina, Mark (May 22, 2017). "13 Grand Theft Auto 5 Facts You (Probably) Didn't Know". IGN Southeast Asia. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  21. Ramachandran, Naman (July 15, 2025). "Michael Madsen Delivers One of His Final Performances in 'Concessions' Clip (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
  22. Wiseman, Andreas (September 11, 2024). "Michael Madsen, Steven Ogg, Josh Hamilton & More Lead Movie Theater Comedy 'Concessions'". Deadline. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
  23. Grobar, Matt (November 30, 2021). "Steven Ogg To Star In Cyberpunk Indie 'The Dresden Sun'; Bianca Santos Joins 'Invitation To A Murder'". Deadline. Archived from the original on February 22, 2022. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
  24. Petski, Denise (August 24, 2016). "'Battlefield'-Inspired Live-Action Digital Series To Premiere On Go90". Deadline. Archived from the original on May 11, 2021. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  25. Otterson, Joe (September 30, 2024). "Steven Ogg Joins 'Revival' Series Adaptation at Syfy (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety . Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  26. Odman, Sydney (March 23, 2022). "Steven Ogg Talks Old Spice Commercials, Desire to Do Indie Films: "I'm Still Reaching"". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved November 25, 2023.
  27. Prescott, Lane (August 16, 2024). "ROG teams up with iconic voice actors in cheeky new video". Asus (ROG). Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved September 6, 2024.