Mark Meer, the voice of male Commander Shepard, shared insights into his early contributions to the Mass Effect series, including how his voice work for aliens inadvertently shaped the franchise's iconic soundscape. Meer, who also voiced characters in BioWare titles like Baldur's Gate 2 and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, initially contributed a single line to Baldur's Gate 2 before becoming a regular fixture at the studio.
During the conceptual stages of Mass Effect, Meer was instrumental in defining the voices of various alien species. He performed numerous alien vocalizations, including a memorable impression of actor Steve Buscemi for the salarians, a sound that ultimately became a defining characteristic for the race. "I do take credit for the salarians all having the cadence of Steve Buscemi," Meer stated.
Meer's journey to becoming Commander Shepard was unexpected. He auditioned for the role without high expectations, which he believes eased his nerves. Despite his initial doubts, he secured the part, which he shared with Jennifer Hale, the voice of the female Shepard. "It was sort of like being told, ‘You've been cast in this movie in the lead, and Meryl Streep will be playing opposite you playing the same character,’” Meer recalled.
He noted that his early recordings often set the tone for Hale's performance, as her team would play his lines for her before she recorded hers. This collaborative approach, along with BioWare's strict requirement for synchronized line delivery timing between the two Shepards, helped forge a cohesive character. "The one thing that they did really stress was you have to take the exact same amount of time to say the line," Meer said.
Meer found fulfilling the role of Commander Shepard to be a dream come true, especially given his appreciation for choice-driven RPGs. He and Hale worked with directors to establish Shepard's core personality, ensuring consistency between the Paragon and Renegade choices. They envisioned Shepard as a professional military officer capable of issuing commands under pressure, regardless of moral alignment. Meer described Paragon Shepard as an upstanding paladin and Renegade Shepard as a sociopath who gets the job done without politeness. "I always joke that Paragon's who I wish I was and Renegade's what I wish I could say,” Hale remarked, with Meer adding that while players aspire to be Paragon, they often wish they could act as Renegade.
Reflecting on the franchise's enduring legacy, Meer expressed humility and gratitude. "The fact that we are still talking about it, that we still have fans that are so passionate about that universe — it is impressive and humbling," he said, ahead of the first game's 20th anniversary.