The Grand Theft Auto V campaign is one of the greatest campaigns in the history of video games. We are taken on an impressive and expansive tour of Los Santos while being given the option to take a day off and wander the hills, jump into a dramatic race, or go on a variety of crazy side-quests.
While the action and visuals are incredible, at its heart is a selection of incredible characters. We’ve taken a look into the offline version of GTA V, including the main story and all of its side-quests, and ranked a few of the best characters it has to offer.
Updated on March 3, 2021 by Scoot Allan: A lot of Grand Theft Auto V's fanbase has moved on to the ongoing powerhouse Grand Theft Auto Online since the original game's release in 2013. However, there are a number of players who are either discovering the campaign story for the first time or re-exploring the game again who are enjoying the wide assortment of well-crafted characters. GTA V stands out among the franchise due to its use of multiple protagonists and rich storytelling, so we wanted to take another look at some of the best characters to celebrate our ongoing love for Rockstar Games' hit franchise.
15 Simeon Yetarian Is One Of The First Mission Providers In The Game
Simeon is one of the main characters in GTA V at the start of the campaign. In fact, the very first mission of the game shows Franklin and Lamar on a repo job for him.
He’s a car dealer with a feisty attitude, accusing anyone who wrongs him of being racist, while simultaneously running his business with totally corrupt values. After his encounter with Michael, we don’t see much at all from Simeon for the rest of the game.
14 Dr. Isiah Friedlander Provides A Terrible But Hilarious Look At Therapy
Michael De Santa is one of the game's main characters, though when players are first introduced to the character (following his masked debut in the prologue), he is seeing a therapist to help him deal with his failing marriage and personal issues.
Unfortunately, he's seeing Dr. Isiah Friedlander (voiced by Bryan Scott Johnson) which is soon revealed to be a bad decision if players keep attending therapy sessions. Friedlander's eventual attempts to cash in on Michael's stories make it all the more satisfying when delivering some of Michael's own brand of therapy on the good doctor.
13 Solomon Richards Brings Hollywood To Grand Theft Auto
GTA V's city of Los Santos is a parodied version of Los Angeles that even includes its own version of Hollywood known as Vinewood. Players get to explore the industry first-hand after meeting with legendary film producer Solomon Richards (Joel Rooks).
Michael de Santa is a big fan of Richards' films and jumps in to help him with some director issues on his latest film, which leads to some fun missions across Vinewood. Solomon Richards also appears in Grand Theft Auto Online, though only for a brief mission delivered through text.
12 Martin Madrazo Is A Mexican Cartel Leader With A Cool Name
The winner of the "coolest name in GTA" award goes to Martin Madrazo. He is a Mexican drug cartel leader and very rich man who ends up working his way into the campaign after Michael and Franklin tear his house down.
Unlike most characters in GTA, his actions make him seem somewhere between corruption and kindness. Even if Trevor cuts his ear off and tries to steal his wife, forcing Michael to buy back his trust with an Aztec statue.
11 Denise Clinton Is The Hard But Funny Aunt Of Franklin
Franklin Richards is one of the main protagonists of GTA V who players spend a great deal of time with during the early moments of the game before he makes Michael and Trevor's acquaintance. Franklin lives with Denise Clinton, his tough aunt who frequently calls him out in front of guests and asks him to move out of her house.
While Denise is pretty hard on Franklin, she's still an amusing part of the game, especially when Trevor deals out his unique charm on her during their first meeting. Denise is definitely an exaggeration of the hard feminist she frequently calls herself, but it works well for the character and storyline.
10 Lazlow Jones Is A Recurring GTA Character Based On A Real-World Writer
The character of Lazlow Jones has been appearing on the radio for years in various Grand Theft Auto games beginning with Grand Theft Auto III. The character is based on the real-world writer and producer Jeffrey Crawford "Lazlow" Jones, who also voices "himself."
Jones made his first full appearance in Grand Theft Auto V as the host of the Fame or Shame talk show that references his past as a disgraced radio DJ. This is just one of many moments that helped connect the separate events of the various games, which Jones' radio commentary also provided over the years.
9 Ron Jakowski Is Trevor's Conspiracy Theory-Fueled Right Hand Man
It makes sense that someone like Trevor Philips (more on him soon) would surround himself with equally memorable characters like Ron Jakowski (voiced by David Mogentale), who worked as CEO of Trevor Philips Enterprises.
Ron was filled with conspiracy theories and shady connections that helped Trevor maintain his criminal empire in Blaine County. Grand Theft Auto Online even saw the return of Ron Jakowski in the Smuggler's Run update as a new smuggling partner.
8 Jimmy De Santa Is The Sometimes Relatable Slacker Son of Michael
Jimmy De Santa is one of Michael’s two children. He gets himself into a fair few unusual situations, but we can put most of his behavior down to his complex relationship with his dad. While he is primarily a source of comedy in GTA, he is also an interesting window into a family dynamic we are only shown via Michael.
At the end of the game, his character arc is resolved successfully as he has forgiven his father and can remain in contact with the central characters, depending on the chosen ending of course.
7 Devin Weston Is The Primary Antagonist Of The Entire Campaign
One of the many rich men in Los Santos, Devin Weston is the primary antagonist of the entire campaign. As such, he is wholly unlikeable, but an interesting character nonetheless.
He owns a major share in Merryweather Security and has an influence in the FIB, despite his known criminal activities. In the incredibly satisfying 'Deathwish' ending, we get to see Weston’s car fly off of a cliff and explode.
6 Wade Hebert Is One Of The Funniest Characters In The GTA Franchise
The funniest character in GTA V (and maybe all GTA games) is Wade Hebert. A parody of the ’Juggalo’ fanbase of Insane Clown Posse, Wade is covered in tattoos and has dreadlocked hair.
He isn’t exactly the cleverest of the bunch, but he helps his friend Trevor out in a few situations, before moving into the Vanilla Unicorn strip club. His trademark southern drawl and total inability to comprehend most situations make him almost impossible not to laugh at every time he’s nearby.
5 Lamar Davis Is One Of The Most Unforgettable Campaign Characters
Much like Simeon, Lamar’s relevance to the GTA campaign is at its most prominent towards the start of the campaign. He is driving with Franklin in that opening repo job, and the two remain engaged in gang-based jobs throughout much of the campaign.
He is known for his use of interesting, if not quite grammar-focused language, and fans of the character were eventually reunited with Lamar Davis during the ‘Deathwish’ ending.
4 Lester Crest Is The Loveable But Creepy Man With The Plan
Lester Crest might be a creepy, sniveling man, but he has his morals straight. Michael kept him safe from the FIB, and as a result, Lester made sure no one knew about Michael’s fake death. He is a genius with an impressive understanding of how to do just about anything with computers, and as such, acts as the mastermind behind the game’s large-scale heists.
That said, he is rarely seen on the frontline, so watching him shoot rocket launchers out of Trevor’s helicopter towards the end of the game is a real treat for players who grew to love Lester over the course of the game.
3 Michael De Santa Is The Family Man Of The Main Heist Crew
The second of the three GTA V protagonists is Michael De Santa. By the events of the game, he had been put into witness protection and was living a wealthy life among his family before being dragged into the criminal activities of the game.
The reason he doesn’t rank as highly as Franklin or Trevor is simply because he’s a little more ‘normal’. He’s the sort of character we often see at the front of video games, so while his story is interesting, his character isn’t as unique as many others.
2 Franklin Clinton Is Morally The Best Member Of The Heist Crew
The central character in all of GTA V is Franklin Clinton. He is the first character we meet, the focus of the final three missions and the only one who definitely survives until the end. He is initially introduced as a stereotypical small-time criminal but develops into a well-rounded and mature man.
We learn that he is the most moral of all of the protagonists (and many of the supporting characters) and is simply a kind, likable guy.
1 Trevor Philips Is By Far The Most Intense Character In GTA V
Of course, the only character who could top this list is the iconic Trevor Philips. He is shown to be a crazy man, interested in alcohol and drugs while living in a beaten-up trailer, furiously taking out his rage whenever possible.
When you’re able to dive into his character a little more, you find a shell of a man who feels betrayed and hurt. He wants to keep his friends safe, and genuinely cares about them most of the time. His two-sided personality leads to one of the deepest characters in video game history.