James McCaffrey, Voice of Max Payne and Rescue Me Actor, Dead at 65

Actor Kevin Dillon confirmed the death of his "best friend" McCaffrey on Instagram Sunday night, alongside a photo of the two

Actor James McCaffrey attends Screen Actors Guild Foundation 2nd Annual New York Golf Classic at Trump National Golf Club Westchester on September 29, 2014 in Briarcliff Manor, New York.
James McCaffrey . Photo:

Theo Wargo/Getty

James McCaffrey, a longtime actor best known for voicing the title character in the Max Payne series of video games and starring on the series Rescue Me, has died. He was 65.

McCaffrey's friend and fellow actor Kevin Dillon confirmed the news on Sunday night, sharing a photo of the pair with their arms around one another.

"#rip James McCaffrey we were lucky to have known you. my best friend you will be missed 🙏🏼," Dillon, 58, wrote in the caption.

While Dillon didn't give a cause of death, Variety reported that McCaffrey had been diagnosed with cancer before his death, citing his manager.

A rep for McCaffrey did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment Monday.

Actor James McCaffrey as Joe Astor in VIPER Season 1
James McCaffrey in Viper.

NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty

Aside from his voice work in video games, McCaffrey appeared in a number of film projects like The Truth About Cats & Dogs (1996), American Splendor (2003), She Hate Me (2004) and more.

His biggest and most well-known live-action role was perhaps as James Xavier “Jimmy” Keefe on FX's Rescue Me, which he played in a series-regular capacity during the first three seasons and then recurring until its finale in 2011.

Other television roles the actor was known for included stints on Viper, Swift Justice, Jessica Jones, As the World Turns and Sex and the City.

McCaffrey's video-game work also extended to titles like Area 51 (2005), Alone in the Dark (2008) and Alan Wake (2010), reprising the role (his final) of Alex Casey in 2023's Alan Wake II.

The official Alan Wake II X (formerly Twitter) account posted a touching tribute to McCaffrey on Monday morning, alongside a handsome photo of the star in a black suit.

"We are deeply saddened to hear about the passing of our beloved friend and collaborator James McCaffrey, the iconic voice of Max Payne and Alex Casey," the accompanying tweet read.

It concluded, "His remarkable talent not only gave life to our characters but also left an enduring impact on our community. Our hearts go out to his family in this time of loss."

McCaffrey is survived by wife Rochelle Bostrom and daughter Tiernan.

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