21 Video Game Characters Who Were Inspired By Real-Life Celebs (8 of 9)

Andrew Ryan (BioShock) — Howard Hughes

Step into the dystopian depths of Rapture, where the enigmatic figure of Andrew Ryan reigns supreme in BioShock. Drawing parallels with real-world eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes, Ryan embodies the same fervent desire for autonomy and ambition. Like Hughes, Ryan is a visionary with a utopian dream, striving to create a society free from external influences and regulations. However, as Rapture descends into chaos, Ryan’s obsessive pursuit of perfection mirrors Hughes’ own descent into reclusiveness and madness. Both figures exemplify the complexity of power and the fragility of human ambition, leaving a profound imprint on the worlds they inhabit.

John Marston (Red Dead Redemption) — Josh Brolin

John Marston, the gruff gunslinger of Red Dead Redemption, is brought to life by the equally gruff Josh Brolin. Brolin perfectly captures Marston’s hardened exterior, a man shaped by a violent past (and probably a few too many shootouts in the hot sun). With a gravelly voice that could curdle milk and a piercing gaze that could make tumbleweeds change direction, Brolin conveys the character’s internal struggle between redemption and his outlaw nature. Whether facing down enemies or trying (and failing) to understand his teenage son, Brolin embodies Marston’s complexities, making him a memorable video game protagonist, even if his idea of fatherly bonding is sharing a bottle of cough syrup by the campfire.