Merchant: Portal 2 role was "exhausting"

By Fred Dutton Published 12 May, 2011

"I can never do this again."

Recording his dialogue for Portal 2 was one of the most exhausting jobs Stephen Merchant has ever taken on, so says The Office co-creator.

There may be spoilers ahead.

Merchant told MTV that the process of trying to embody the role of robotic sphere Wheatley was a physically gruelling process.

"I'm in this little recording booth, shouting down these imaginary corridors, imaginary gantries, pretending to fall off things and really trying to move around and live it as best I could," he recalled.

"I know it sounds really pretentious, but really try to move around like this robot so my voice would feel like it was animated.

"I was really working hard to try and put myself in that environment, I guess, which is not something I normally do as a performer," he admitted. "Normally I just rock up and I do the lines and I go away again. I'm not an accomplished actor. But for some reason I was really working hard."

He added that the experience initially put him off the idea of potentially reprising the role in any future Portal games.

"When I finished it I was like, I can never do this again, I'm so tired. Honestly, I'm not just exaggerating for the interview. I was really tired.

"By the third or fourth session, I was not looking forward to it. I was just like, I'm gonna be exhausted after this. So, at the time, I was thinking, Oh, I don't fancy doing this again."

However, the positive reaction he's had since the game's release last month has given him a new perspective.

"What I was really pleased by how people seemed to respond to it in the way they do with a movie they've enjoyed, or a TV show they've enjoyed. They seemed to respond to it as entertainment.

"It never occurred to me that people would respond to it in the way they do with other stuff I've done. I felt like, 'Oh, actually this is a really legitimate, creative art form now.'"

Alas, Merchant didn't have any intel on what the future might hold for Wheatley, not to mention the series in general.

"I'm a robot, I don't need to die. They could bring me back anyway if they wanted. Make it a prequel!"

Portal 2 snagged a perfect 10/10 from Eurogamer last month, with Oli Welsh singling out Merchant's performance for praise.

"Merchant's prattle might chafe with some players, but I loved his deflating, humanising effect on Portal's cold brilliance."

Check out the trailer below for a quick taste of Merchant in action.

Picture of Fred.

About Fred Dutton

Fred Dutton is Eurogamer's US news editor, based in Washington DC.

Read more articles from Fred by visiting the Fred Dutton archive page.

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Comments (48) Latest comment 1 year ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • randompanda #1 1 year ago

    Er so after reading the article - something even the bloody writer seems somehow to have managed to avoid - you come up with a bi-line saying he'll never do it again, despite him saying otherwise later in the article?

  • dean0null #2 1 year ago

    I was amazed by the tran...ah, shucks...I don't want to spoil it.

  • CaptainQuint #3 1 year ago

    STOP WITH THIS CYNICAL HIT-BAITING GARBAGE, EG. YOU FUCKING WHORES. GET SOME CLASS.

    Merchant was superb, by the way.

  • Retro_ #4 1 year ago

    News is a bit quiet at the moment being pre E3, and any news is better than none at all. Perhaps a decent DF PS3 vs 360 is what this place needs.

  • captainrentboy #5 1 year ago

    Absolutely loved his work on Portal 2. Infact his great lines and delivery became the highlight towards the end if the game, hearing what he'd have to say next is what kept me ploughing onwards.

  • LukehMuse #6 1 year ago

    I want to say he was the best thing about Portal 2, then I remember Cave Johnson. And the actual game itself. And everything about Portal 2. Part of me is still a bit amazed how Valve managed to actually get away with making Portal 2 so close to perfection after how good the original seemed.

  • azic #7 1 year ago

    Ahhh my heart bleeds! Dam all those nurses, doctors, paramedics, police get it so easy while you sweat your bollox off in a nice booth acting a prat.
    He was the worst thing about the game IMHO, fucking stupid.
    The office is shit too.

  • Sonic_D #8 1 year ago

    I wish he didn't do the job in the first place with his bloody annoying Barclay's ad voiceover stylings all over the game. Had a negative impact on the game as a whole for me.

  • captain_Carl #9 1 year ago

    No one cares what you think, Sonic.

    Merchant was one of the best things about the game. he added a lot of humour

  • couloir #10 1 year ago

    edit: removed reference to the spoiler which was taken out of the article
    Edited by couloir at 13/05/11 @ 10:13

  • The_Bloody_Kettle #11 1 year ago

    Right. After watching that I am now ordering the damn thing.
    I wasn't going to, due to austerity measures (set in place because of my near maxed overdraft), but now I bloody well have to.

    I hope you're proud EG. I really do.

    Right.. amazon..

  • Ryboy #12 1 year ago

    The actual interview is nothing this article suggests. Yet more spectacular reporting EG.

    @Azic - You're a fucking useless, repugnant, loathsomeness individual who probably feels jealous as your shitty McJob hardly covers the money you need for your 'baccy', rizzla, ganja and your Xbox games (which in fairness you probably steal to supply the former). The fact that you would merely write off The Office, one of the best written, best directed and best acted comedies in the history of television as shit clearly proves what a turbo cretin you are. And this is how you spell bollocks.

    @Sonic_D - See above. You and Azic should meet up. Discuss how 'shit-hot' your Nova is when you try and 'cane' it round a corner and hopefully die slowly in some sort of chav / Nissan BBQ.

  • todoso #13 1 year ago

    At #10

    Sadly, yes, it is a bit of a spoiler.

  • hiddenranbir #14 1 year ago

    Fred, you're a dick.

    Needed a hook for a bloody Portal 2 article? FS.
    Edited by hiddenranbir at 13/05/11 @ 00:19

  • Sonic_D #15 1 year ago

    @Ryboy Erm... I'm a chav because I don't like one of the most overrated comedy personas of the last ten years? When he used the line "Man Alive!" in Portal 2 just like in those ads I cringed, it negatively impacted the atmosphere of the game for me.

    I listened to Gervais and Merchant on XFM in 1997 when they were actually still funny, not the caricatures they have now become. You probably haven't watched anything approaching non-mainstream comedy have you? Larry Sanders? 15 Storeys High? Mr. Show? Arrested Development? Look Around You? Anything?! Twat.

  • gjgjg #16 1 year ago

    I like merchants work generally but he was the worst part of P2 for me. Kinda felt forced.

    PS sorry for not having a popular view, those that would neg :p

  • andy10 #17 1 year ago

    To various people above: why do you feel the need to make personal jibes against Eurogamer writers? They're people too. If you don't like Eurogamer's style or choice of news - all of which you receive for free - then go somewhere else. You won't be missed.

  • curryking3 #18 1 year ago

    "Er so after reading the article - something even the bloody writer seems somehow to have managed to avoid - you come up with a bi-line saying he'll never do it again, despite him saying otherwise later in the article?"

    Yea, that was a little bullshit.

  • Collymilad #19 1 year ago

    Ryboy: contender for biggest arsehole on Eurogamer (no mean feat I tell ya!)
    Edited by Collymilad at 13/05/11 @ 00:52

  • Eraysor #20 1 year ago

    Cover that spoiler EG!!!

  • azic #21 1 year ago

    @Ryboy
    Firstly I'll bet you my job is better and pays more than yours and your family income combined, infact if eurogamer want to do a who's who on the forums than I'll prove it to you. They can come to my SW1 home in Cadogan Square London (look up house prices there)
    The office is shit, that's my opinion, as is it your right to make assumptions about me, it's my right to think a tv show is shit and it is.

    Why would I be jealous, perhaps you are, no I'm fine, the office appeals to your kind that's fine ( turbo cretin) so I'm faster than you I guess.

    Ok now back to your rotting council flat, or house if your really pulling the benefit strings. Ha ha assumptions assumptions!

  • Iain815 #22 1 year ago

    Stop dick measuring you two.

  • beep #23 1 year ago

    You'd think Wheatley being a spherical object would've been perfect for Karl Pilkington...
    God, that would make a great (?) expansion to Portal 2... imagine his moaning, whingey ways...

  • The-Jack-Burton #24 1 year ago

    Merchant was great!

  • beatwolf #25 1 year ago

    WHAT THE FUCK EG?? COVER THE SPOLERS YOU COCKSING ARSEHOLES!! NOT EVERYBODY HAS FINISHED THE GAME YET ! May you get run over

  • Romeric #26 1 year ago

    Merchant/Wheatley was, for me the biggest and most welcome surprise in Portal 2. Possibly one of the best characters I've seen in a game. I've never seen much of his TV work, apart from his appearance in adverts. Might check out some of his TV appearances now, having loved his work in Portal 2. Long story short - great writing and great delivery. Funny, funny, funny game.

  • goatjugsoup #27 1 year ago

    in case merchant ever reads any of these comments, just wanna put it out there that i thought that was some AWESOME VA work, never really thought about it before but I guess it would be kinda hard to pretend you're actually in the situation you are VAing for while in a booth.

  • ubergine #28 1 year ago

    Merchant was fantastic in Portal 2. Much better than in The Office, or trying to host the Golden Globes.
    Also, he's quite odious-looking, so animation work is probably for the best.

    How many people will correct this comment?

  • munki83 #29 1 year ago

    Can we have Karl Pinkerton for portal 3

  • Shikasama #30 1 year ago

    Andy10 - Because it is amazing that they are allowed to receive money for some of the crap they put onto one of the largest gaming sites in Europe. What Fred did there was bloody stupid and worse, plain misleading.

  • optimusprym8 #31 1 year ago

    When I discovered it was him diong the voice I was gutted as I cannot stand him or his over-used, one-style.

    However, before the negs pour in for daring not to agree with the masses, I was pleasantly surprised that I found myself smiling throughout the game at the lines and the natural, perfectly-timed delivery of them and thought he did a good job.

    So I have warmed to him a little bit but looking at his other work, this is his style, try watching a Barclays advert without expecting a robotic sphere to appear somewhere and sell you a mortgage

  • Sodding_Gamer #32 1 year ago

    Freaking loved the ending. "I'm in space" hahaha so funny.

  • bf #33 1 year ago

    I think Valve overdid the part, less would have been so much more for Wheatly regardless of the voice.

  • Goodfella #34 1 year ago

    I think Merchant is great, always has been and still is and loved his performance in Portal 2. Who seriously thought a West Country accent would have worked in a Portal game?!

    To be fair to Ryboy I can understand his reaction to azic, his post comes across as very aggressive and obnoxious.

  • martmart #35 1 year ago

    I agree about Karl Pilkington. He has got a head like a FUCKING orange, so they could easily map his face to a spherical object

  • orangpelupa #36 1 year ago

    whatley voice in portal 2 is too loud and just cant stop talking.

    yes it is funny (when he cant stop talking and commenting) but i ended lowering my tv volume.
    also many of the talk is so fast i cant understand, lucky there a subtitle. But some lines are out of sync with the sub...

    Edited by orangpelupa at 13/05/11 @ 08:35

  • TheNinkyNonk #37 1 year ago

    Man up, Merchant

  • Shadders #38 1 year ago

    Merchant's performance in Portal was quite simply, a triumph.

  • ubergine #39 1 year ago

    Holy Shit, I just picked up on the spoiler. Fuck you Fred Dutton.

  • ianegg #40 1 year ago

    that's a pretty huge spoiler. I was unfortunately expecting because of the EG review mentioning "an unexpected second act" but my brother thought he'd beaten the game when he reached the point that the spoiler spoils

    you could argue it's not entirely true though, in which case it's not really a spoiler?

  • wyp100 #41 1 year ago

    Hi guys,

    Thanks for your feedback. Apologies for any spoilers in this article. We've removed a keyword and popped a spoiler warning in high up.

    Cheers,

    Wesley

  • LeSpank #42 1 year ago

    Regardless of whether you think Merchant was funny or not in the game (I loved him and the character) you have to say it was brilliant voice acting.

    Good job :)

  • KreyAtiv #43 1 year ago

    I quite enjoyed his banter.

  • FortysixterUK #44 1 year ago

    I really liked portal 2 and his voice work...but what a luvvie.
    He probably earnt more in a few weeks doing this than the rest of us do in a year.
    Poof ! Man up and grow some balls before Portal 3

  • username84 #45 1 year ago

    So he was tired after work? Join the rest of us!
    These bloody pampered celebrities mumble grumble etc...

  • The_Inquisitor #46 1 year ago

    @azic - you may have an SW1 home in Cadogan Square London, but you've got 22 negs and counting. So I guess that balances it out.

  • samadriel #47 1 year ago

    Oo, yes azic, tremble at thought of NEGS!

  • azic #48 1 year ago

    @samadriel
    I know, my life is worth nothing now, I've been Neged, and I don't like the office.
    Still,l I loved Ryboy's attempt to be like his hero......and be completely and utterly a failure at it.
    In one instance he has me talking up my alleged vauxhall Nova then I'm dying in a Nissan??? Aside from the skyline/Gtr range what Nissan would a boy racer own?
    Perhaps his humour is off since watching the office.
    In any-case my reply was not in anyway a poke at council flats, I was brought up in one and I loved that flat in Bromley, however my post was about assumptions and he made many about me based of my comment about a show I feel is shite.

    /back to the ivory towers now.