GTA V's Franklin Nearly Quit On The First Day
While Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto V has become an icon thanks to its cast of characters, Shawn Fonteno admits he nearly quit on the first day of playing Franklin.
13th Apr 2022 13:57
Rockstar Games | Instagram Shawn Fonteno
GTA V's Franklin Nearly Quit On The First Day
While Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto V has become an icon thanks to its cast of characters, Shawn Fonteno admits he nearly quit on the first day of playing Franklin.
13th Apr 2022 13:57
Rockstar Games | Instagram Shawn Fonteno
In the nine years since Rockstar Games unleashed the beast that is Grand Theft Auto V onto the world, the names Franklin, Michael, and Trevor have become synonymous with the automotive adventure. Alongside Tommy, CJ, and Niko, this terrific trio joined the long line of well-rounded GTA anti-heroes.
When it comes to GTA V, each of the big three had their own story to tell. As well as retired bank robber Michael De Santa, there was drug lord Trevor Phillips, and street gangster Franklin Clifton. The three worked perfectly together as we navigated the criminal underworld of Los Santos, but it was almost a very different tale.
Why Did Shawn Fonteno Nearly Quit GTA V?
In his new book, Game Changer: My Journey From the Streets to Your Video Game Console, Fonteno explain how he nearly walked away from GTA V on the first day of filming. According to the star, he was only ever used to providing voice recordings for video game characters. This became a problem when GTA V demanded full motion capture.
Fonteno says that when he walked into Rockstar's New York studio, he thought he'd just be providing the vocals for Franklin. When he had to put on a tight-fitting motion capture suit, Fonteno said he felt self-conscious and wanted to quit. In an interview with Say Cheese, the actor explained: "There's all these people staring at you, and it's like 50 to 60 people standing around cameras everywhere in the studio. I felt like people were saying, 'Look at his stomach, look at his ass." I had quit actually, I was like, 'Man, f**k this stupid sh*t.'" So what changed?
Fonteno adds that he stormed off the set and back into his dressing room. If it wasn't for the game's Director, he would've quit there and then. Instead, Fonteno was pacified by the promise that everyone on the set would wear a motion capture suit to help him feel at ease. It's a bizarre, but fun, tale about how GTA V started out.
Will Franklin Return To GTA V?
Adding to the hilarity of playing Franklin, Fonteno claims he only realised he was working on GTA about a year into recording: "Halfway through filming maybe it took me a year to start really getting in the groove of it. That's when I found out I was working with Grand Theft Auto... I said 'we working on motherf****ng Grand Theft Auto 5? Oh sh*t!'" This wasn't the end of the road for Franklin, and although he got his dream house in Vinewood Hills, Fonteno would later reprise his role for last year's GTA Online DLC called The Contract.
While there's still scope for Franklin's return, Fonteno has been vocal about what he wants to see from the long-awaited GTA 6 (whenever it releases). As well as having the ability to fly from Vice City to Liberty City, Fonteno says all the previous protagonists should unite. "I don’t care what age they are, whether they’re old now, they gotta bring them back," he said. "I think they should bring everyone back for this one little reunion. Make one big nice reunion for Grand Theft Auto where you can get on a plane and go to different areas." Well, that's one way to keep the paycheques coming in.
About The Author
Tom Chapman
Tom is Trending News Editor at GGRecon, with an NCTJ qualification in Broadcast Journalism and over seven years of experience writing about film, gaming, and television. With bylines at IGN, Digital Spy, Den of Geek, and more, Tom’s love of horror means he's well-versed in all things Resident Evil, with aspirations to be the next Chris Redfield.
