Roger Clark, the voice actor behind Arthur Morgan in Rockstar Games' 2018 hit Red Dead Redemption 2, has shared an unusual technique used to make the character's tuberculosis-induced coughs sound genuinely disturbing. Clark explained in a recent interview that over the five years he spent recording lines for the game, he sometimes recorded his vocal performances when he himself was suffering from a cold or sore throat.
Clark noted that the extended recording period for Red Dead 2 allowed for flexibility. For particularly harsh coughing sequences, the recording sessions were often scheduled for the end of the day, by which time his voice was naturally hoarse. This helped achieve a more convincing sound for Arthur's worsening condition.
Furthermore, Clark found that actual illnesses could be an asset. "In five years, there's plenty of colds," he stated. "There was a lot of data we got that was pretty damn genuine. […] I'd be like 'Hey, I've got a cold, let me get in there.' And they'd be like, 'Okay.' […] Nice good bit of phlegm." This approach meant that some of the phlegm and rasp heard in Arthur's coughs were not entirely simulated.
Clark's performance as Arthur Morgan earned him Best Performance at The Game Awards in 2018. Red Dead Redemption 2 has since become one of the best-selling games of all time, with over 87 million copies sold. Clark has also lent his voice to other games, including Fort Solis, Rosewater, and Marathon.