Destiny 2 Gives First Look at Keith David as Zavala

Highlights

• Keith David’s portrayal of Zavala in Destiny 2’s Final Shape expansion has been positively received by fans.
• Following the tragic death of Lance Reddick, David, an experienced actor with a deep vocal range, was chosen for Zavala’s new voice.
• While Reddick’s presence is missed, fans are excited to see how David will bring Zavala to life in the game’s next expansion.

As Destiny 2 prepares to launch the Final Shape expansion, Bungie shared a preview of how Commander Zavala’s new voice actor, Keith David, will portray the Vanguard of the Titans. David took over the role of Zavala in Destiny 2 in August 2023, following the death of Lance Reddick, Zavala’s former voice actor.

On March 17, 2023, Lance Reddick was found dead at age 60 in his home in Los Angeles. Aside from his voice work as Commander Zavala in the Destiny series, Reddick was both the voice and motion-capture model of the lone wanderer Sylens in the Horizon series. Reddick also appeared in games such as Quantum Break and Payday 2. Immediately following news of his death, many Destiny 2 players sought out Zavala in the game to pay respects to the late actor. Three months after his death, Bungie revealed Reddick’s final lines in Destiny 2 appeared in a HELM radio conversation between Zavala and Sloane.

As Destiny 2 continued working on The Final Shape before its June 4 release, players waited patiently to hear Keith David’s portrayal of Commander Zavala. In the Destiny 2 ViDoc video posted on May 23, Bungie gave players an early preview of Zavala’s new voice using in-game footage. Zavala’s appearance in the video was subsequently clipped and shared on social media by sources such as Destiny Bulletin. In the short clip, Zavala spoke in a subdued and somber tone as he sat down and talked to an unseen character. Later in the video, Zavala was seen with a look of determined resolve, with David’s gravelly and low voice setting the stage for a confrontation.

Destiny 2 Reveals Keith David’s Zavala

Keith David was cast as Zavala in August 2023, five months after Lance Reddick’s death. David is known for voicing the Arbiter in the Halo series, along with other film and TV characters such as Goliath in Gargoyles and Dr. Facilier in The Princess and The Frog. With a deep vocal range, David was chosen to play Zavala based on his experiences in popular roles. In response to Keith David’s take on Zavala, Destiny 2 fans approved the early performance. While fans stated that Reddick continues to be missed, they confirmed that David was a worthy successor to take up the torch.

How many lines Zavala will have in The Final Shape remains to be seen. Between the changes that Destiny 2 will make to abilities ahead of The Final Shape and the appearance of Zavala’s new voice actor, Destiny fans have a lot to look forward to in the weeks ahead.