Craig Lee Thomas on how he became Helldiver’s 2 John Helldiver

In this episode of Main Quest, Craig Lee Thomas, better known to fans as “John Helldiver,” reflects on the strange, unpredictable path that led him from child acting and Shakespeare festivals to becoming the face and voice of one of gaming’s most iconic modern characters. What begins as a conversation about voice acting quickly evolves into a broader discussion about performance, imagination, and why Helldivers 2 resonated so deeply with players. 

Thomas pulls back the curtain on the often chaotic reality of video game acting, from recording endless death screams and improvised NPC dialogue to spending hours in motion-capture suits covered in tracking dots, all while helping shape the satirical, propaganda-inspired tone that made the game unforgettable. More than anything, the interview captures the sense that Helldivers 2 succeeded because the people behind it genuinely loved the world they were building, and that passion, humor, and creative trust translated directly into a game and community that took on a life of its own.