The Rise of Ben Starr, from 3 games before Final Fantasy 16 to 14 after

It feels like Ben Starr is about to become the new Troy Baker, because it seems like he's into everything these days. Basically, if there's a new game coming out, chances are higher than they've ever been that Starr…will be in it. Known for his gritty register, brooding tone and emotional intensity and range, it's easy to see why the actor has been rising to prominence lately, starting with his breakout role as Clive Rosfield in Final Fantasy 16. Then the title of the last main line Final Fantasy entry (which just launched in 2023, by the way), Starr has already landed 14 other roles and counting, making him one of the gaming industry's most recognizable voice talents.

However, success has not always been as easy for the actor as his career before Final Fantasy 16 only stretched to three games, and his roles in those games weren't the leading kind he can get so easily today. If nothing else, it says something about his performance as Clive Rosfield – a protagonist of so many Final Fantasy has since been regarded by fans as one of the series' best. Obviously, that role fundamentally changed the types of opportunities that would and still do come his way.

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Before Final Fantasy 16, Ben Starr was still waiting for his breakout

Final Fantasy 16 may have eventually become Ben Starr's role in gaming, but everyone starts somewhere. For Starr, that meant taking on a temporary role to fill in where additional voices were needed rather than committing to a more demanding part. That's largely because the actor primarily worked in television early in his career instead of gaming. His biggest roles at the time were Captain James Hawdon in Dickensian and Dr Christopher Priestley i Jamestownboth recurring. Before and in between filming these shows, Starr also contributed to a few video games.

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Ben Starr's three roles before Final Fantasy 16

Company of Heroes 2 (2013) – Additional Voices
Quantum Break (2016) – Additional Voices
A way out (2018) – Additional Voices

Given that Starr had recurring roles in the television business and landed many more in various television shows, it was clearly not as difficult to find work as his small acting resume makes it seem. More or less, this was a choice that the actor seems to have made on purpose, as he probably had his eyes on other priorities. But despite trying to control the direction his career would go, Square Enix and Final Fantasy 16 had other plans for Starr when he landed a part he didn't even audition for.

Ben Starr originally auditioned for a much smaller role in Final Fantasy 16

It's hard to forget someone who Final Fantasy 16is Clive Rosfield. He's kind without being boring, so genuine that he feels like a real person, and has one of the deepest, most memorable character arcs of any main character in Final Fantasy history. But a large part of why he is so unforgettable is due to Ben Starr's impeccable performance. His voice gave Clive emotional credibility, his range and register allowed the quiet moments to land as well as the explosive ones, and his authentic delivery made the character's personality and emotions palpable. However, it turns out that acting wasn't always the plan when it came to Clive, and it certainly wasn't the plan for Starr himself.

Despite trying to control the direction his career would go, Square Enix and Final Fantasy 16 had other plans for Starr when he landed a part he didn't even audition for.

In an interview with DLBTAP, Starr specifically said he went in to read for a “very small part” for Final Fantasy 16only to stop reading something completely different. Just four days later he was told he had been cast as Clive Rosfield…Final Fantasy 16the main character. “When I was actually in the room,” Starr explained, “they said, 'Can you read for something else?' I ended up going blind, and that ended up being the main part.”

Ben Starr Rose to Stardom After Final Fantasy 16

It probably felt like an accident to the actor at the time, but it would end up being the only thing that made his career in gaming take off faster than he probably ever imagined. Since his show-stealing performance in Final Fantasy 16Ben Starr has become one of the most recognizable names and voices in the business, appearing in a whopping 14 more titles, and he's not done yet.

Ben Starr's fourteen roles after Final Fantasy 16

Arknights (2023) – Sharp
Atlas Fallen (2024) – Gauntlet Bearer (Male)
Warframe: 1999 (2024) – Arthur Nightingale
Tekken 8 (2024) – Clive Rosfield
Hades 2 (2025) – Prometheus
The First Berserker: Khazan (2025) – Khazan
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (2025) – Verso
Date everything! (2025) – Dorian
Dead Take (2025) – Vinny Monroe
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles (2025) – Count Dycedarg Beoulve
Marathon (2026) – Durandal
Earth must die (2026) – Enforcer Krall
Fortnite (2026) – The Visitor
Solasta 2 (2026 Early Access) – Richard Colwall

Of course, his biggest roles came from at least a year after the release of Final Fantasy 16as developers began to catch wind of Starr's success and hear his voice with their own ears. What followed was less of a gradual rise and more of a sudden, meteoric rise, as studios began casting him in some of the biggest roles in gaming. Characters like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33s Verso, The First Berserker: Khazanis Khazan, and Hades 2's Prometheus are central figures in their respective stories, each demanding the same emotional depth that made Clive stand out in the first place. In that sense, Starr's rise is one that has been built on trust, as developers are convinced he can and will deliver, which is a very different position to the one he held before 2023.

Since his show-stealing performance in Final Fantasy 16Ben Starr has become one of the most recognizable names and voices in the business, appearing in a whopping 14 more titles, and he's not done yet.

Before Final Fantasy 16Ben Starr's work in games was limited and largely unnoticed, but now he is consistently cast in roles that sit at the center of a story rather than at the edges of it. That kind of growth usually takes years to develop, but for Starr, it happened almost immediately after a defining performance. It's a rare kind of turning point, and one that makes it clear that his presence in the industry is something that will only continue to grow.