Rich Keeble has had his fair share of memorable roles, but none quite like Monoco. The brooding, battle-thirsty philosopher from Sandfall Interactive’s breakout RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 quickly became a fan favorite for his calm delivery, dry wit, and unexpected emotional depth.
With the game hailed as a modern classic and topping critic lists, I caught up with Keeble to reflect on his journey into the role, how Monoco’s voice came to life, and what it’s been like watching the character explode in popularity.
A Booming Introduction
Keeble first came across the part through a fairly standard audition request, and is no stranger to voicing creatures and monsters. The character brief described Monoco as “ageless,” with a “deep, rich, booming” voice and a standard RP (Received Pronunciation) accent. He was sent a visual of the character, which ultimately didn’t change much from what fans now know: a masked figure with a monk-like air and a penchant for violence.
“I remember thinking, obviously a non-human character, and the voice brief was pretty typical of what I get asked for,” Keeble recalls. “But then I read the audition script, and it was actually really funny. That surprised me. It wasn’t your usual serious, dramatic video game moment.”
Rather than exaggerate the humor, Keeble leaned into naturalism. “I just did it deadpan,” he says. “The dialogue was funny enough on its own. I didn't need to play it for laughs.”
Those instincts worked. The version of Monoco that players now know, a deep-voiced, eloquent warrior with a dry sense of humor, is almost exactly what Keeble delivered in his first audition. “The way I do it in the game is pretty much how I did it in the audition. So I guess they liked it.”
Alone in the Booth, Together on Screen
One of the standout elements of Expedition 33 is its dialogue. Conversations between characters feel authentic, overlapping, and emotionally charged, despite the fact that the actors recorded their lines separately.
“You wouldn’t believe we weren't all in the room together,” Keeble says. “Ben [Starr] would record his lines for a scene, and then they played them back for me. His performance was great, and you really do feed off that energy, even if they're not in the booth with you.”
"But also," Keeble adds, "I think because the writing was just so fucking good. You got the intention quickly, which made the lines easy to deliver."
This is where Rich Keeble’s experience across screen acting and voice work served him well. With many on-screen performances, including Good Omens and Rivals, He’s no stranger to shooting out of sequence or acting to a bit of tape attached to a camera instead of another actor, and when it came to voice acting, he drew from previous work on games like Strange Brigade and the Warhammer series. “You get used to it,” he says. “And when the writing is strong and the other actors are on their A-game, it just works.”
The Mask and the Monk
Monoco’s distinctive look "” mask, furry mane, lanky arms "” didn't just define his appearance, but helped inform Keeble’s approach to the character.
“He's this supposedly monk-like figure who relaxes through combat,” Keeble laughs. “There's so much contrast there, and that's what makes him fun to play.”
Despite being part of the game's Gestral race, Monoco stands out in tone and speech; the other Gestrals are all high-pitched or kind of oafish. “Monoco wasn't like that at all. They gave me a lot of freedom there. I just went with what felt right.”
Even when Monoco had to cry in a pivotal scene, Keeble found the emotional switch easy to tap into. “By that point, I knew who Monoco was. It wasn’t hard to get into that mindset.”
No Ad-Libs, All Heart
Though Monoco's lines often feel improvised "” and have been heavily quoted online "” Keeble is quick to give credit where it's due.
“I can't take credit for anything, really. It was all written,” he admits. “They planned it really well. Even the dot-dot-dots and the overlapping dialogue were all mapped out in the script.”
Still, his delivery gave the character life. Lines like “Not now, son. I’m busy beating up strangers” have become viral hits. Clips featuring Monoco have reached millions of views, and memes like “Monoco-core” have cropped up across TikTok and Twitter.
“It's surreal,” Keeble says. “People are getting tattoos. I've had 1000s of people follow me since the game came out. Even old neighbors have messaged me.”
From Creatures to Characters
Known for his work in games like Lord of the Rings: Gollum, Keeble admits that non-human roles come with the territory. “In voice work, I tend to get asked to play things with deep voices, and that often means creatures. In live action, I'm usually a middle-aged bald man.”
He doesn't resent the typecasting, but he hopes Expedition 33 opens more doors. “I'd love to do more characters like Monoco. There's more freedom there. And when the writing is this good, it's just a joy to perform.”
A Legacy in the Making
As Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 continues to soar, fans and critics alike are already positioning it as a generational touchstone "” the kind of game people will talk about for decades.
Keeble doesn't take that lightly. “It's great to be part of something good, because you never know,” he says. “I've done jobs where I thought, ‘This one's going to take off,’ and nothing happens. Then something like this explodes, and it's wild.”
"Without the fans, it's nothing, is it? Whether you're making music, TV shows, or games, if people don't like it, what can you do? So thanks to everyone for taking it to their hearts. I love hearing from people "” their lovely remarks about Monoco, François, and everyone else. It really does lighten my day."
From seeing his character go viral to watching streamers quote his lines mid-playthrough, Keeble is enjoying every moment. “I think we always knew it would be good. But this? This is something else.”
I would like to express my gratitude to Rich Keeble for taking the time to talk with me about his experience getting the role of Monoco, his feelings on Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and his insights into voice acting.
Rich Keeble has his own YouTube Channel, where he shares his passions for acting, music, and running. You can follow Rich on Bluesky, Twitter/X, TikTok, and Instagram.
For our full thoughts on the game, you can read our Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Review.
