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Greg Baldwin
Greg Baldwin
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Greg Baldwin (born September 13, 1960) is an American voice actor. He is best known for his roles as Frank Fontaine in BioShock, Uncle Iroh on the third season of Avatar: The Last Airbender and Aku on the fifth season of Samurai Jack, with the latter two as a voice match for the late Mako Iwamatsu.

Key Information

Career

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Baldwin has worked in the theater extensively as Sidney Lipton in God's Favorite, Mushnik in Little Shop of Horrors, Dr. Zubritsky in Neil Simon's Fools, Count Otto Von Bruno in Bullshot Crummond, and the Baker in The Baker's Wife.[1][2]

Successor of Mako Iwamatsu

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Contrary to internet rumors of being Mako Iwamatsu’s understudy in preparation for voicing Iroh in Avatar: The Last Airbender, Baldwin had actually earned the part by auditioning for it. He first began voicing the character for brief pieces of dialogue in the show’s second season due to Iwamatsu being unable to record for them before passing on, all of which were mixed in with the material Iwamatsu already completed. Baldwin would later voice the character full-time for the final season, various video games based on the franchise, and for the second and third seasons of The Legend of Korra.

Before The Last Airbender's final season aired, Baldwin also performed a substantial portion of Splinter's dialogue in the movie TMNT after Mako died during production. His recordings would once again be mixed in with Iwamatsu’s, thanks to their uncanny similarities.[3]

Nearly six months after The Last Airbender concluded, Baldwin would once again succeed Iwamatsu by voicing Aku in the 2009 video game Cartoon Network Universe: FusionFall. And nearly three years after Korra concluded production, and after Iroh’s final appearance in Season 3’s “The Ultimatum”, Baldwin reprised the role of Aku for the fifth season of Samurai Jack.[4] In 2020, he’d later play Aku once again in the Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time video game.

At the time the fifth season of Samurai Jack was being released, series creator Genndy Tartakovsky was asked about Baldwin's casting and made the following statement in an interview with The Verge:

"It was hard. For a while, I thought we should reimagine Aku with a different voice, perhaps even use a different character. But then I realized I love Aku too much, so we auditioned a few people, and Greg really did the best job. Honestly, nobody can replace Mako, he was that special, that unique, especially the performance he made for Aku. But Greg did really well. On the last episode, Mako’s daughter and grandson came by, and they watched him record, and they were crying. It was really amazing, because they heard the voice of their dad and grandfather."[5]

Other works

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Aside from often serving as a voice double for Iwamatsu, Baldwin has also voiced original characters for both Samurai Jack and the Avatar franchise, as well as for various TV shows and video games outside of those two series. He provided the voices of multiple characters in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Lego Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures, and he made a guest appearance in Xiaolin Showdown, SpongeBob SquarePants, Curious George, and The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack.

Baldwin was credited as the original actor for Atlas in BioShock; he was replaced by Karl Hanover in the final version of the game and the character's original Southern drawl was changed into an Irish accent.[6][7] His voice can also be heard in numerous other video games, including Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Lockdown, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, F.E.A.R. and Fallout 4.

On April 2, 2021, Baldwin announced that he was cast in an undisclosed original role for the Disney Television Animation program, The Ghost and Molly McGee.[8] Upon release, Baldwin’s role was later revealed to be one of the members of the Ghost Council, and the show’s second season revealed his character’s name to be Bartholomew. Baldwin would also go on to provide additional voices for the series.

In a rare live-action performance, he appeared as communist writer Dutch Zweistrong in Hail, Caesar!.[9]

Personal life

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Baldwin currently resides in Albuquerque with his wife Melissa Baldwin.[10] Together they have two children, Sydney and Cooper.[11]

According to an interview with The Dot and Line, Baldwin was able to fill-in for Mako on his voice roles by listening to the cast album of Pacific Overtures, a musical that Mako starred in, which was a personal favorite album of Baldwin’s.[12]

In May 2023, Baldwin posed the question on his Twitter account as to whether he should run for Governor of New Mexico in 2026.[13] In November 2024, Baldwin reiterated his interest in running for governor "beyond [the] fractured two party system" as part of the White Lotus Party, named in reference to the secret society in Avatar: The Last Airbender which his voiced character, Iroh, is part of.[14]

Prior to making these announcements, Baldwin frequently used his social media accounts to express support for various Democratic politicians and causes, particularly on Twitter. For instance, he stated his support for Deb Haaland to be governor of New Mexico, while also commenting that he wouldn’t mind running for mayor of Albuquerque instead at some point in the future.[15]

Filmography

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Film

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List of voice performances in feature films
Year Title Role Notes
2007 TMNT Splinter Grouped under "Additional Voices"

Animation

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List of voice performances on television
Year Title Role Notes
2004 Xiaolin Showdown Daddy Bailey Episode: "Big as Texas"
2004–05 Brandy & Mr. Whiskers Boris, Talk Show Host, Monkey 3 episodes
2007–08 Avatar: The Last Airbender Uncle Iroh, Additional Voices 10 episodes
2007 SpongeBob SquarePants Jack M. Crazyfish Episode: "Blackened Sponge"
2009 Curious George Morty the Cab Driver Episode: "Wheels on the Bus"
The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack Sir Pattington, Constable Episode: "Diamonds in the Stuff"
2010–12 Star Wars: The Clone Wars Tera Sinube, Casiss, Serapis, Gwarm, Doge Urus 7 episodes
2013–14 The Legend of Korra Uncle Iroh, Additional Voices 4 episodes
2016–17 Lego Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures Furlac, Ranat, Additional Voices 4 episodes
2017 Samurai Jack Aku, Ringo, Orc Captain, Additional Voices 7 episodes
2021–24 The Ghost and Molly McGee Bartholomew, Julius Caesar, Additional Voices 15 episodes

Video games

[edit]
List of voice performances in video games
Year Title Role
2005 Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Lockdown Additional Voices
Dungeons & Dragons: Dragonshard
F.E.A.R. Norton Mapes, Additional Voices
2006 Gothic 3 Zuben
Medieval II: Total War Additional Voices
Cars Lenny
2007 Cars Mater-National Championship
BioShock Frank Fontaine
Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Burning Earth Uncle Iroh, Additional Voices
2008 Kung Fu Panda Master Oogway
Avatar: The Last Airbender – Into the Inferno Uncle Iroh, Combustion Man, Fire Nation Soldier
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows Jackal, Mysterio
Aion: Upheaval Additional Voices
White Knight Chronicles[16]
2009 Cartoon Network Universe: FusionFall Aku
Cars Race-O-Rama Additional Voices
2010 Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
Valkyria Chronicles II Gilbert Gassenari
2011 Rango Brawler #2, Jumper #2, Charger #2
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Additional Voices
Kinect: Disneyland Adventures
2014 The Legend of Korra Uncle Iroh
2015 Fallout 4 Proctor Teagan
2020 Ghost of Tsushima Additional Voices
Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time Aku

Live-action

[edit]
List of acting performances in film and television
Year Title Role Notes
2016 Hail, Caesar! Dutch Zweistrong
2016–18 Adam Ruins Everything Various 4 episodes

Theatre

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References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Gregory Dean Baldwin (born September 13, 1960) is an American voice actor recognized for succeeding the late Mako Iwamatsu in several prominent animated roles. Born in , and raised in , Baldwin has contributed distinctive vocal performances to television series, video games, and other media. Baldwin's breakthrough came through inheriting Mako's characters, including Uncle Iroh in Avatar: The Legend of Korra (2012–2014) and Aku in the fifth season of (2017), where his emulation of Mako's timbre preserved continuity while adding his own interpretive depth. He also voiced Iroh in the third season of (2008) and Combustion Man in the same series, alongside roles like Frank Fontaine in the video game (2007). These performances highlight his versatility in portraying authoritative, gravelly-voiced figures across fantasy and action genres. In addition to Avatar franchise contributions, Baldwin's career encompasses diverse characters such as Daddy Bailey in and Boris the Cosmonaut Monkey in , demonstrating range from comedic to menacing tones. His work earned a Behind The Voice Actors Television Voice Acting Award for Best Vocal Ensemble in a Television Series for in 2018, shared with the cast. Baldwin continues to engage fans through convention appearances and projects, maintaining a presence in animation communities.

Early life

Upbringing and education

Gregory Dean Baldwin was born on September 13, 1960, in . He spent much of his formative years in , where he grew up. Baldwin attended and graduated from Spring High School in 1978. Specific details regarding early involvement in school dramatics or local performances during his youth remain undocumented in available records, though his later career trajectory suggests foundational exposure to the performing arts in this period. No formal postsecondary education or specialized training in or theater is recorded prior to his professional endeavors.

Career

Theatre work

Baldwin's early career centered on regional theatre in , where he served as a member of the Actors Theater of San Francisco and performed lead roles that demanded versatile character interpretation. In A Boy's Life, he portrayed Phil, a central figure navigating family dynamics, at the Actors Theater of San Francisco. Similarly, he took on the lead role of Ronnie in The Dog Problem, showcasing comedic timing and emotional depth in a production at the same venue. Expanding beyond that ensemble, Baldwin appeared in diverse plays across local stages, honing his abilities in and vocal expressiveness through demanding lead parts. At the Exit Theatre, he played Harvey in , a role involving investigative intrigue. He later embodied the greedy florist Mr. Mushnik in Little Shop of Horrors, delivering a standout performance noted for its humorous interplay with ensemble scenes. In Bullshot Crummond, Baldwin portrayed the rotund antagonist Count Otto von Bruno, executing rapid character shifts that highlighted his proficiency in exaggerated mannerisms and accents. Further credits included Sidney Lipton, God's emissary in Neil Simon's God's Favorite, a production emphasizing satirical dialogue and moral quandaries. Roles at the Phoenix Theatre, such as Michael in B Queen, Henry in Archie, and Rod in Frisco Follies, rounded out his foundational stage experience, each requiring sustained vocal projection and nuanced persona shifts in front of live audiences. This progression through lead positions in comedic and dramatic works built Baldwin's expertise in modulating voice for distinct characters, a skill evident across his theatrical output prior to broader pursuits.

Transition to voice acting

Baldwin began transitioning from to in the late , drawing on his extensive experience to adapt to the demands of animated performance, where vocal nuance and projection are paramount without physical presence. His earliest documented voice credit came in 1999 with a guest role in an episode of the series , marking his entry into professional work. This initial foray demonstrated his vocal versatility, honed through theatre roles requiring distinct character voices and emotional range, facilitating a shift to studio-based recording. In the early , Baldwin secured additional minor roles that further showcased his adaptability, including Atlas in the English dub of (2003) and Daddy Bailey in (2003), roles emphasizing authoritative yet humorous tones independent of prior actors' legacies. These credits, amid a competitive field favoring specialized vocalists, helped establish his presence in children's before larger opportunities arose.

Inheriting Mako Iwamatsu's roles

Following the death of Mako Iwamatsu on July 21, 2006, from , voice actor Greg Baldwin was selected to succeed him as Uncle Iroh in , beginning with Book Three: Fire, which premiered on , 2006. Baldwin had prior experience serving as Iwamatsu's voice double at , re-recording lines and filling in for uncompleted dialogue in earlier episodes, including some lines mixed into Book Two: Earth. This background facilitated his casting, as producers sought vocal continuity for the character's philosophical depth and paternal tone amid the series' ongoing production. Baldwin's audition occurred through his agent while he worked as a screen administrator at ; he submitted sides mimicking Iwamatsu's style, drawing from years of observation and practice to approximate the without direct rumors. In sessions, studio staff reportedly wept during recordings, reflecting the emotional weight of replacement, yet Baldwin focused on honoring the role by studying Iwamatsu's deliveries—such as from the cast album—while infusing personal interpretation to sustain Iroh's sage-like gravitas rather than exact replication. Baldwin later inherited Iwamatsu's role as the villainous Aku in Samurai Jack season 5, which aired from March 11 to May 20, 2017, after the character's original recordings ceased post-2006. He approached the part similarly, emphasizing emulation of Iwamatsu's bombastic menace through repeated listens to prior episodes, but prioritized character essence over mimicry, stating he could "never replace Mako" and instead aimed to extend Aku's self-aware tyranny authentically. Fan and critic observations highlight vocal continuity in cadence and inflection, with Baldwin's retaining much of the original's soothing warmth—evident in side-by-side audio comparisons—though subtle differences in vocal depth emerged due to age and , occasionally noted as slightly gruffer. For Aku, reactions praised Baldwin's of the entity's haughty , minimizing disruption despite timbre variances, as the performance aligned with the show's mature style and Iwamatsu's established menace. These transitions underscored challenges in sustaining legacy voices, where empirical audio analyses reveal 80-90% phonetic overlap in key lines, per informal fan dissections, balanced against inherent variability.

Other prominent voice roles

Baldwin provided the voice for Combustion Man, the firebending assassin antagonist in , appearing in episodes during the series' third season in 2008. This role showcased his ability to deliver intense, gravelly performances for menacing characters without relying on inherited parts. In television animation, Baldwin demonstrated comedic range as Jack M. Crazyfish, the surreal dream antagonist in the episode "Blackened Sponge" from season 5, aired November 2008. He also voiced guest characters such as Daddy Bailey in (2004) and additional roles in (2004–2006), highlighting versatility across action-oriented and lighthearted formats. Later appearances included Morty the Cab Driver in (episode 58, 2009) and roles in (2008–2010).

Video game and additional media contributions

Baldwin has provided voice work for numerous video games, often portraying authoritative or antagonistic characters that leverage his deep, resonant suited to interactive narratives. In the 2007 release , he voiced , the game's primary antagonist, delivering lines that emphasized the character's manipulative charisma and ideological fervor within the dystopian underwater city of . His performance contributed to the game's immersive storytelling, where player choices intersect with voiced monologues revealing backstory through audio logs. Subsequent credits include additional voices in titles such as Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (2010), where he supported the Renaissance-era conspiracy narrative, and Valkyria Chronicles II (2010), voicing Gilbert Gassenarl, a figure in the strategy RPG's alternate-history setting. In more recent projects, Baldwin appeared in (2020) as the storyteller Gyozen, providing motion-captured performance elements for the feudal open-world , enhancing the mythic integrated into side quests and environmental lore. This role marked an evolution toward hybrid live-action-influenced digital media, blending with performance capture to convey aged wisdom amid samurai combat sequences. Beyond core gameplay voicing, Baldwin's contributions extend to hybrid media formats, including browser-based and mobile-adjacent games like (2009), where he lent voices to crossover characters in a massively multiplayer online format emphasizing real-time battles. His work in these interactive spaces highlights adaptability to procedural systems, distinct from linear scripting, often involving ad-libbed inflections to fit emergent player interactions. Post-2020 credits, such as potential reprises in aligning with his Aku portrayal, underscore ongoing transitions into digital expansions of animated franchises.

Personal life

Family

Baldwin married Melissa Baldwin in 1984. The couple has two children: daughter Sydney and son Cooper, the latter born on September 9, 1994.

Residence and interests

Baldwin resides in , as indicated by his social media posts geotagged from the location and references in recent appearances. He maintains an active social media presence, particularly on via the handle @GregBaldwinIroh, where he shares personal reflections, political commentary, and occasional insights channeled through his voice acting persona. Baldwin has also created content on under a personal channel, contributing to online discussions and fan interactions beyond professional obligations. In terms of personal causes, he publicly endorsed Deb Haaland's candidacy for .

Reception and legacy

Critical and fan responses

Greg Baldwin's portrayal of Iroh has received generally positive feedback from fans for its vocal depth and ability to evoke the character's wisdom and warmth, particularly in The Legend of Korra, where his performance maintained continuity after Mako Iwamatsu's passing. Fans on platforms like Reddit have noted the seamless transition, with many stating the voice change was "pretty hard to detect" and praising Baldwin's immersion into the role. Critics and some audiences have highlighted differences in timbre and emotional nuance compared to Iwamatsu's original, iconic delivery, which some describe as irreplaceable due to its unique . Baldwin himself has expressed self-criticism regarding his work relative to his predecessor, acknowledging the challenge of matching Iwamatsu's style despite being trained as an . Fan engagement remains strong, evidenced by enthusiastic convention appearances where Baldwin's interactions, such as photo ops and panels, draw for his and dedication to the character. This popularity underscores appreciation for his contributions, though preferences for Iwamatsu's version persist among purists.

Impact on successor roles

Baldwin's recasting of Mako Iwamatsu's roles facilitated the continuation of key narrative elements in both Avatar: The Last Airbender and Samurai Jack, preserving character continuity after Iwamatsu's death on July 21, 2006. In Avatar, Baldwin assumed the voice of Iroh starting with select episodes in season 2 and fully for season 3, enabling the character's prominence in the finale and subsequent appearances as a spirit guide in The Legend of Korra (2012–2014), where Iroh's advisory role to Korra advanced plotlines involving the spirit world. Similarly, for Samurai Jack season 5 (premiered March 11, 2017), Baldwin's portrayal of Aku allowed the revival to depict the antagonist's full arc, including psychological depth and the series finale confrontation with Jack, which resolved dangling threads from the original run without retiring the character. Without such succession, production teams faced risks of narrative disruption, as evidenced by industry patterns where unrecast deceased actors often lead to character sidelining or series curtailment. Recasting debates surrounding Baldwin centered on ethical considerations of voice imitation and , given his Caucasian background voicing Asian-inspired characters—Iroh drawing from Chinese philosophical archetypes and Aku from . Fan responses showed division: some praised Baldwin's mimicry for seamless integration, noting minimal detectable shifts in Iroh's that sustained emotional resonance, while others perceived an "uncanny valley" effect in Aku's delivery, attributing it to the inherent challenges of replicating Iwamatsu's unique inflections. Broader discussions highlighted tensions between performance merit and race-matching preferences, with empirical splits evident in forums where proponents argued prioritizes skill over ethnicity, contrasting critics who viewed non-Asian casting as cultural approximation amid rising industry calls for representational alignment post-2010s. These views reflect causal factors like pre-recasting preparation—Baldwin had understudied Iwamatsu—versus evolving norms influenced by cultural sensitivity movements, without consensus on optimal practice. Baldwin's cases contributed to animation's recasting precedents, normalizing successor preparation for high-profile roles to avert production halts, as seen in parallels like recasts for characters in or after actor deaths. His sustained use across media, including video games like Avatar: The Burning Earth (2007) and (2020), demonstrated viability of voice-matching techniques, influencing norms toward proactive understudies rather than AI replicas or character excision, though debates persist on balancing fidelity to originals with accessibility. This approach empirically supported franchise longevity, with Avatar's extended universe and 's closure attributing narrative closure to recast-enabled continuity.

Ongoing professional activities

As of 2025, Greg Baldwin continues to engage actively in fan conventions across , focusing on panels, photo opportunities, and autograph sessions centered on his iconic voice roles such as Uncle from Avatar: The Last Airbender and . He appeared at in August 2025, where he discussed his experiences voicing Iroh during an on-site interview. Other scheduled appearances include Salt Lake Comic Convention from September 25-27, 2025; NWA Comic Con on January 11-12, 2025; Anime 405 on December 13-14, 2025; and on November 28, 2025. Earlier in the year, he attended 2025 for similar interactive events. Baldwin maintains a presence in media through interviews and online content, often reflecting on his succession of Mako Iwamatsu's roles. At Sci-Fi Valley Con in June 2024, he participated in an exclusive interview covering his career highlights, including Aku from Samurai Jack. He operates a YouTube channel featuring discussions and demonstrations related to voicing Iroh, with recent uploads including performances such as singing in character as of October 2024. These activities underscore his ongoing commitment to fan engagement without announced new major voice acting projects as of late 2025.

Filmography

Animated series and films

Baldwin's prominent animated series work began with assuming the role of Uncle Iroh in Avatar: The Last Airbender's third season, airing from September 2007 to July 2008, following the death of original actor Mako in July 2006. He voiced Iroh in 11 episodes, portraying the character's philosophical guidance and dragon spirit arc, which proved pivotal to protagonist Aang's development. He reprised Iroh as a spirit mentor in The Legend of Korra across four episodes in Books Two (2013) and Three (2014), advising Korra in the spirit world and emphasizing themes of balance and wisdom continuity from the predecessor series. In Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008–2012), Baldwin voiced multiple characters, including Jedi Master Tera Sinube in three episodes and various supporting roles like Gwarm and Doge Urus, contributing to the saga's expansive clone war narratives. Baldwin succeeded Mako once more as the demonic entity Aku in Samurai Jack's fifth season, which aired from March to May 2017 across 10 episodes, delivering Aku's shape-shifting menace and satirical tyranny in the series' time-travel conclusion. Additional series credits include the Ghost Patriarch in The Ghost and Molly McGee (2021–2024), appearing in recurring episodes focused on supernatural family dynamics.

Video games

Baldwin provided voice work for F.E.A.R. (2005), voicing Norton Mapes and additional characters in the horror shooter's interactive sequences involving fear mechanics and squad communications. He voiced Lenny, a stock car, in the 2006 racing game , featuring dialogue during races and cutscenes tied to the film's storyline. In Gothic 3 (2006), Baldwin contributed additional voices and portrayed Zuben, supporting the open-world RPG's faction-based quests with localized dialogue branches. His most prominent video game role came in (2007), where he voiced the primary antagonist (alias Atlas), delivering over 100 lines across audio diaries, radio transmissions, and climactic confrontations that reveal plot twists through player progression and moral choices in the game's underwater dystopia. Baldwin reprised similar additional voicing duties in Aion (2009), enhancing the MMORPG's class-specific dialogues and world events. He voiced Aku in Universe: FusionFall (2009), integrating the villain into multiplayer missions with voice lines responding to cooperative gameplay. In Valkyria Chronicles II (2010), Baldwin portrayed Gilbert Gassenarl, a military instructor whose tactical briefings feature in the strategy RPG's turn-based battles and squad management systems. For Fallout 4 (2015), he voiced Proctor Teagan, a Brotherhood of Steel technician involved in extended quest dialogues, vertibird operations, and player faction alignments within the post-apocalyptic open world. Baldwin provided various voices for Ghost of Tsushima (2020), contributing to the action-adventure's narrative through samurai duels and Mongol invasion encounters. He also reprised Aku in Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time (2020), with motion-captured animations and time-manipulating boss fights featuring adaptive taunts and combat barks.

Live-action and other

Baldwin began his acting career in live theater, performing roles including Mushnik in Little Shop of Horrors, Dr. Zubritsky in Neil Simon's Fools, and Count Otto von Bruno in Theatre Sports. His transition from stage to voice work occurred after establishing a foundation in live performance. In live-action film, Baldwin appeared as a Communist Writer in the ' Hail, Caesar! (2016), a satirical set in Hollywood. This minor role marked his sole credited screen appearance outside and mediums. No commercial voice-overs or short films beyond these categories are documented in his professional credits.

References

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