{{short description|American actress and voice actress (1978–2020)}} {{Infobox person | name = Brett Madden | birth_name = Brett Barcroft Madden | birth_date = {{Birth date|1978|09|22|df=y}} | birth_place = Hartford, Connecticut, United States | death_date = {{death date and age|2020|09|19|1978|09|22|df=yes}} | death_place = Telluride, Colorado, United States | other_names = ''Brett B. Kelly'' | education = Bradford Central Christian High School | alma_mater = University of Vermont | occupation = {{Hlist | Voice actress | Actress | Producer}} | years_active = 2002 – 2020 | agent = Don Buchwald & Associates <br> Associates Agency | spouse = {{marriage|Neil MacLean Kelly|2009|2020|end=died}} | children = 1 | relatives = George G. Blaisdell (great-grandfather) <br> Harriett Blaisdell (grandmother) <br> Sarah Blaisdell Dorn (grandmother) }}
'''Brett Madden''' (September 22, 1978 – September 19, 2020), also known by her married name '''Brett Barcroft Madden Kelly''', was an American actress and voice actress.<ref name=btva>{{cite web|url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Brett-Madden/|title=Brett Madden (visual voices guide)|access-date=November 1, 2025|type= A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.}}</ref><ref name=HollenbeckCahill/> She is best known for her voice and likeness role as Alice Wake in the Remedy Entertainment video games ''Alan Wake'', ''Alan Wake: The Signal'', ''Alan Wake: The Writer'' and ''Alan Wake's American Nightmare''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/video-games/Alan-Wakes-American-Nightmare/|title=Alan Wake (2012)|date=February 22, 2012|website=Behind the Voice Actors|access-date=November 10, 2024}}</ref>
== Early life and education == Brett Barcroft Madden was born on September 22, 1978, in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.<ref name=HollenbeckCahill/> She was the great-granddaughter of George G. Blaisdell, the founder of the Zippo Manufacturing Company.<ref name=Legacy.com/><ref name=HollenbeckCahill/>
She attended the Community School of Naples, Florida, and Bradford Central Christian High School in Pennsylvania, where she participated in basketball, cheerleading, ski club, and drama club.<ref name=Legacy.com/> Madden graduated from the Taft School, a preparatory school in Watertown, Connecticut, in 1996.<ref name=HollenbeckCahill/> At Taft, she played on the varsity field hockey team and was an art editor for the school's annual publication.<ref name=HollenbeckCahill/> She was a talented artist and spent much of her free time in the art studio.<ref name=HollenbeckCahill/>
Madden attended the University of Vermont (UVM), graduating in 2000 with a major in Studio Art and a minor in Theatre.<ref name=Legacy.com/><ref name=HollenbeckCahill/> She studied art in Florence, Italy, during her time at UVM and was a cast member in a production of ''The Elephant Man'' during her junior year.<ref name=HollenbeckCahill/> Concurrently, she participated in summer acting workshops at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York City.<ref name=HollenbeckCahill/>
== Career == Madden's early professional experience included internships at Zippo Manufacturing Company from 1994 to 1996.<ref name=HollenbeckCahill/> From 2004 to 2006, she worked at MacGuffin Films, starting as a receptionist and later becoming a production supervisor.<ref name=HollenbeckCahill/>
In 2002, she appeared in short film ''Beccerra'' as Renee Beccerra. In 2006, Madden worked as a commercial actor and voice-over artist represented by Don Buchwald and Associates Agency.<ref name=HollenbeckCahill/> Her acting career largely focused on voice-over performances in the video game industry. In a 2014 interview, she mentioned growing up with classic games like ''Mario Brothers'' and ''Sonic the Hedgehog'', and being amazed by the realistic visuals and storytelling capabilities of modern video games when she was cast in ''Alan Wake''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/video-games/Alan-Wake/Alice-Wake/|title=Voice of Alice Wake - Alan Wake <nowiki>|</nowiki> Behind The Voice Actors|website=Behind The Voice Actors|access-date=July 10, 2025|type= Check marks indicates role has been confirmed using screenshots of closing credits and other reliable sources}}</ref> In 2011, she voiced several characters in video game ''Homefront''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/video-games/Homefront/|title=Homefront (2011)|date=March 15, 2011|website=Behind the Voice Actors|access-date=June 19, 2025}}</ref> She voiced Alice Wake in ''Alan Wake'' and its related episodic content (''The Signal'', ''The Writer'') and sequel (''American Nightmare''). She provided both the voice and the physical likeness for the character.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/video-games/Alan-Wakes-American-Nightmare/Alice-Wake/|title=Voice of Alice Wake - Alan Wake's American Nightmare <nowiki>|</nowiki> Behind The Voice Actors|website=Behind The Voice Actors|access-date=May 2, 2025|type= Check marks indicates role has been confirmed using screenshots of closing credits and other reliable sources}}</ref>
In 2023 the game ''Alan Wake 2'' was dedicated to her memory and the role of Alice Wake was recast to actress Christina Cole for the sequel.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thegamer.com/alan-wake-2-first-game-control-returning-characters/|title=Every Returning Character From The First Game And Control In Alan Wake 2|website=The Gamer|date=January 1, 2024}}</ref>
== Personal life == Madden married Neil MacLean Kelly on June 9, 2009.<ref name=HollenbeckCahill>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollenbeckcahill.com/Obituary.aspx?id=5400|title=Brett B. Kelly|website=Hollenbeck Cahill|date=January 2, 2025}}</ref> They had one daughter together, Nico Blaisdell Kelly.<ref name=Legacy.com/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.courant.com/obituaries/brett-kelly-hartford-ct/|title=Brett Kelly|website=Hartford Courant|date=November 26, 2025}}</ref>
== Death == Madden died on September 19, 2020, in Telluride, Colorado, at the age of 41, after a four-year battle with brain cancer.<ref name=Legacy.com>{{cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/hartfordcourant/name/brett-kelly-obituary?id=7864462|title=Brett Kelly Obituary|website=Legacy.com|date=September 19, 2020}}</ref> She was residing in Telluride at the time of her death.<ref name=HollenbeckCahill/> She was laid to rest at Willowdale Cemetery.<ref name=HollenbeckCahill/>
== Filmography == === Television === {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |- style="text-align:center;" ! scope="col"|Year ! scope="col"|Title ! scope="col"|Role ! scope="col"|Notes |- |2023 | ''Alan Wake II: Behind the Scenes'' | Alice Wake | Posthumous release |}
=== Film === {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |- style="text-align:center;" ! scope="col"|Year ! scope="col"|Title ! scope="col"|Role ! scope="col"|Notes |- |2002 | ''Beccerra'' | Renee Beccerra | Short film |- |rowspan="3"|2010 | ''Alan Wake: Building the Drama'' | rowspan="4"|Alice Wake | rowspan="4"|Voice |- | ''Alan Wake: Building the Thriller'' |- | ''Alan Wake: Building the Technology'' |- |2012 | ''Alan Wake's American Nightmare: Dev Diary'' |}
=== Video games === {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |+ List of voice performances in video games ! class="unsortable" | Year ! class="unsortable" | Title ! class="unsortable" | Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | rowspan="3"|2010 || ''Alan Wake'' || rowspan="3"|Alice Wake || Xbox 360<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/video-games/Alan-Wake/|title=Alan Wake (2010)|date=May 14, 2010|website=Behind the Voice Actors|access-date=October 2, 2023}}</ref> |- | ''Alan Wake: The Signal'' || Voice |- | ''Alan Wake: The Writer'' || Voice |- | 2011 || ''Homefront'' || Computer voice / Soldiers || Additional voices |- | 2012 || ''Alan Wake's American Nightmare'' || Alice Wake || Xbox 360<ref name=btva/> |- | 2021 || ''Alan Wake Remastered'' || Alice Wake || Posthumous release |- | 2023 || ''Alan Wake 2'' || Alice Wake (motion-capture) || Posthumous release |}
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb name|1241762}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Madden, Brett}} Category:1978 births Category:2020 deaths Category:American musical theatre actresses Category:American stage actresses Category:American film actresses Category:American voice actresses Category:American television actresses Category:American video game actresses Category:American women film producers Category:Deaths from brain cancer in Colorado Category:Actresses from Connecticut Category:University of Vermont alumni Category:People from Hartford, Connecticut