Brooklyn Nine-Nine and The Big Bang Theory Star Officially Confirms GTA 6 Role

If you have watched enough television in the last three decades, you have already met Stephen Root. He is an actor with an instantly recognizable voice, especially because of his time on King of the Hill. So, fans already suspected that he voiced one of the characters appearing in the upcoming game, GTA 6.

Now, he has done something no Grand Theft Auto actor does. Speaking to AP News at the BAFTA TV Tea Party over the weekend, Root was asked about the long-running speculation that he had been cast in GTA 6. Instead of dodging the question, Root divulged his voice acting role. He shared:

It appears that Root has finally put a crack in Rockstar’s famous wall of silence around its cast. He turned up in Brooklyn Nine-Nine as Lynn Boyle, the shamelessly odd father of Charles Boyle, and he showed up on The Big Bang Theory as Dan, Bernadette’s boss who is afraid of her.

Who Is Stephen Root Playing in GTA 6?

Stephen Root as Brian Heder in a still from GTA 6 | Credits: Rockstar Games

Stephen Root plays Brian Heder in GTA 6, although this information has yet to be officially confirmed. In the game, Heder is a veteran drug smuggler operating out of the Leonida Keys who appears to act as a mentor figure to Jason Duval, one of the game’s two protagonists.

When the second trailer landed, players immediately clocked Heder’s gravelly delivery and pointed at Root, mostly because millions of people grew up hearing him as Bill Dauterive and Buck Strickland on King of the Hill.

Root himself admitted as much, saying his character had been visible in the marketing for close to a year and that too many people simply knew the voice. Heder showed up again in Netflix’s Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look, sharing a surprisingly tender conversation with Jason, which only strengthened the theory.

When asked about his experience playing the role, Root shared, “Absolutely. I’m so happy to be involved with it. It’s an amazing thing to look at.” GTA 6 launches November 19, 2026 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.

Stephen Root Is Nominated for an Emmy for Widow’s Bay

Stephen Root as Wyck Crawford in Widow’s Bay | Credits: Apple TV

Stephen Root is having a very good awards season, which is probably why he was at a BAFTA tea party in the first place. He played Wyck Crawford in Apple TV’s critically acclaimed show, Widow’s Bay. He is nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Katie Dippold’s show follows a remote New England island town where mayor Tom Loftis, played by Matthew Rhys, keeps insisting the place is not cursed while everyone around him knows better. Wyck is the local fisherman who firmly believes in the curse.

He plays the character as a cranky and weathered old man who is completely convinced of the curse. It is exactly the kind of part Root has built a career on. The series became a genuine phenomenon, pulling 19 nominations for its debut season, including Outstanding Comedy Series. It has already been renewed for a second run.

Remarkably, this is only the second major awards nomination of Root’s career. The first was in 2019, for playing Monroe Fuches in HBO’s Barry. With the GTA 6 role announcement, Root’s career is getting the mass attention it long deserved.

What do you think of Root’s revelation? Let us know in the comments below!