'Rescue Me' Star James McCaffrey Dead at 65

The actor also starred in 'Viper' and 'New York Undercover' and is also remembered for his career in video game voice acting.

By Allison Schonter

James McCaffrey, who voiced Max Payne in the popular video game franchise and also starred as Jimmy Keefe in Rescue Me, has died. McCaffrey passed away at his home in Larchmont, New York on Sunday following a battle with multiple myeloma, a form of cancer that affects white blood cells, his wife, actor Rochelle Bostrom, told The Hollywood Reporter. McCaffrey was 65.

"One of Dick Wolf's proteges (Swift Justice), McCaffrey went on to a successful 35-year career in television and film," the actor's representative shared in a statement with TMZ, which was first to report news of McCaffrey's passing. "Trained at the Actor's Studio, he never lost his love for creating characters; however, his good looks often pushed him toward leading man roles."

McCaffrey had a 35-year career in television and film that began in the late '80s with his breakout role on Fox's police drama New York Undercover. On the series, McCaffrey portrayed the recurring role of Captain Arthur O'Byrne in Season 3. He went on to appear in the NBC action series Viper when it originally ran for one season in 1994, later returning for Season 4. He is perhaps best remembered, though, for his role as James Xavier "Jimmy" Keefe on FX's Rescue Me. The actor starred as a series regular on the series during the first three seasons and then appeared in a recurring capacity until its finale in 2011. His other acting credits include Sex and the City, Suits, Blue Bloods, As the World Turns, Jessica Jones, The Orphan Killer, Camp Hope, Excuse Me for Living, and many more.

McCaffrey is also well-remembered for his career in video game voice acting. Video game fans will best remember him as the voice of Max Payne the former NYPD officer who becomes a vigilante after his family is killed, in the video game series of the same name. The actor voiced Max in all of the character's games: the original 2001 video game Max Payne, its sequel Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne (2003), and the final installment, Max Payne 3 (2012). His other video-game work includes 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.

McCaffrey's friend and fellow actor, Kevin Dillon, who first announced the actor's passing Sunday night, wrote in a social media tribute, "[RIP] James McCaffrey we were lucky to have known you. my best friend you will be missed." The official Alan Wake II X (formerly Twitter) account wrote, "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. 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 his wife Rochelle Bostrom and daughter Tiernan.

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