{"id":2138632,"date":"2026-09-10T21:55:33","date_gmt":"2026-09-10T18:55:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2138632"},"modified":"2026-09-10T21:55:33","modified_gmt":"2026-09-10T18:55:33","slug":"arthur-morgans-coughing-fits-in-red-dead-redemption-2-sound-so-real-because-actor-roger-clark-was-actually-sick","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2138632","title":{"rendered":"Arthur Morgan&#8217;s Coughing Fits in Red Dead Redemption 2 Sound So Real Because Actor Roger Clark Was Actually Sick"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-cy=\"article-content\" class=\"jsx-2154984108 article-content page-0\">\n<section data-cy=\"article-subtitle\" class=\"article jsx-3932497636 article-section jsx-2044616299 news\" data-autopogo=\"true\">\n<section class=\"article-page\">\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><em>This article contains spoilers for Red Dead Redemption 2<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"accent-divider\" class=\"jsx-3449795453 divider jsx-2786329600\"><\/div>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/games\/red-dead-redemption-2\">Red Dead Redemption 2<\/a> actor Roger Clark has revealed that Arthur Morgan&#8217;s gnarly coughing fits were actually recorded when he was sick in real life.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">I recently <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/WJKvK1A7Mow?si=0KVx142A4LxDBnqX\" class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">interviewed Roger Clark for a YouTube video<\/a> about how Arthur Morgan from Red Dead Redemption was crafted. During our lengthy conversation, I was able to ask him something I&#8217;ve always wondered: How taxing is it to pretend to violently cough like Arthur does? According to Clark, it&#8217;s actually not that bad \u2014 and in some cases, he wasn&#8217;t even pretending.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">&#8220;It&#8217;s not as bad as you&#8217;d think, because I had five years to spread it out,&#8221; said Clark. &#8220;If ever there was a really bad coughing scene, we&#8217;d always save it for the end of the day. So, it wasn&#8217;t as bad as you might think. I had five years to space it out. In five years, there&#8217;s plenty of colds. There was a lot of data we got that was pretty damn genuine. [&#8230;] I&#8217;d be like &#8216;Hey, I&#8217;ve got a cold, let me get in there.&#8217; And they&#8217;d be like, &#8216;Okay.&#8217; [&#8230;] Nice good bit of phlegm.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"jsx-2896921488 video jsx-2008855984 aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9\">\n<div class=\"badge jsx-1349606671 jsx-3647116352\"><span class=\"ign-icon icon-play jsx-2750866048 jsx-1044454891\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"false\" data-cy=\"icon-play\" aria-label=\"Play\" style=\"mask:url(https:\/\/kraken.ignimgs.com\/_next\/static\/media\/Play.59e5540b.svg?cors=1) no-repeat center center \/ contain;background:currentColor\"><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">There&#8217;s really no better way to act than to actually experience the scene in your real life. Arthur Morgan is almost partially defined by his coughing; the character contracts Tuberculosis early on in the story after beating a man to death for some money. It&#8217;s almost a cruel karmic punishment for the life Arthur has led and, depending on the player&#8217;s choices, they can attempt to redeem the cowboy by helping out others.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">As the game goes on, Arthur&#8217;s coughing gets worse and worse. The player isn&#8217;t initially aware of why Arthur is so sick, until he starts hacking up his lungs, passes out, and is dragged into a doctor for a proper diagnosis. It&#8217;s a unique direction to take a game in, and it&#8217;s part of what makes the story of Red Dead Redemption 2 so memorable.<\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"accent-divider\" class=\"jsx-3449795453 divider jsx-2786329600\"><\/div>\n<section class=\"author-sign-off\" data-cy=\"author-sign-off\"><span class=\"stack jsx-59817748 jsx-1927875859\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"rounded jsx-444076027 jsx-4218469134 profile-thumb jsx-2141281959 aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-1-1\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Cade Onder Avatar\" class=\"progressive-image profile-thumb-img jsx-249361588 jsx-2338608387 expand\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/assets-prd.ignimgs.com\/avatars\/69efa48a05b5ac001d9134e5\/Cade_PFP-1777388827678.jpg?crop=1%3A1&amp;width=56&amp;format=jpg&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=80\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"stack jsx-2509706801 jsx-3630940851\"><span class=\"stack jsx-2959124702 jsx-702910195 author-sign-off-header\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/person\/cadeonder\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"interface jsx-1132626198 jsx-2809511915 bold underlined\">Cade Onder<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"caption\" class=\"caption jsx-1762799490 muted\">Freelance Writer<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"stack jsx-2509706801 jsx-1220387432\"><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"author-sign-off-socials\" class=\"jsx-2877214176 author-sign-off-socials\"><button type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"listbox\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-label=\"View social links\" class=\"jsx-2877214176 socials-trigger\"><span title=\"X\" class=\"jsx-2877214176 social-icon-avatar\"><span class=\"ign-icon jsx-2877214176 jsx-2750866048 jsx-2788214270\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-cy=\"jsx-2877214176\" style=\"mask:url(https:\/\/kraken.ignimgs.com\/_next\/static\/media\/Twitter.d0b97af5.svg?cors=1) no-repeat center center \/ contain;background:currentColor\"><\/span><\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<div role=\"listbox\" class=\"scrollbar jsx-2772765485 jsx-4243969252 jsx-3705869475 dropdown-menu jsx-3625955085\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.twitter.com\/@Cade_Onder\" id=\"author-sign-off-social-twitterHandle\" class=\"menu-item jsx-3565735818 jsx-3927327418\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"caption\" class=\"caption jsx-1762799490 menu-item-text\" data-text=\"X\">X<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"ign-icon icon-twitter jsx-2750866048 jsx-3701596282\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-cy=\"icon-twitter\" style=\"mask:url(https:\/\/kraken.ignimgs.com\/_next\/static\/media\/Twitter.d0b97af5.svg?cors=1) no-repeat center center \/ contain;background:currentColor\"><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"interface jsx-1132626198 sign-off-text\">\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><em>Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN&#8217;s news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/span><\/section>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"jsx-2511205168 preferred-source\"><strong class=\"jsx-2511205168\">Get IGN&#8217;s Biggest Stories FIRST. Set Us as Your Source.<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.ign.com\" class=\"button-text jsx-729543028 button button--secondary jsx-3027214138 icon-button contained centered large\" title=\"Add Source\" aria-label=\"Add Source\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"ign-icon icon-google jsx-2750866048 jsx-3701596282\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"false\" data-cy=\"icon-google\" alt=\"Google\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/kraken.ignimgs.com\/_next\/static\/media\/Google.9e99a9d7.svg?cors=0\"><span class=\"button-text jsx-729543028 large\">Add Source<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"stack jsx-1475529924\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"jsx-2155806329 adunit-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"jsx-2155806329 bobble bobble-1 pogocnt pg-article\">\n<div data-mix-name=\"secondaryMedrec\" data-pos=\"1\" data-pogo-hide=\"1\" class=\"jsx-343126785 pogo-slot\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/div>\n<section class=\"article-page\">\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><em>This article contains spoilers for Red Dead Redemption 2<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"accent-divider\" class=\"jsx-3449795453 divider jsx-2786329600\"><\/div>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/games\/red-dead-redemption-2\">Red Dead Redemption 2<\/a> actor Roger Clark has revealed that Arthur Morgan&#8217;s gnarly coughing fits were actually recorded when he was sick in real life.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">I recently <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/WJKvK1A7Mow?si=0KVx142A4LxDBnqX\" class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">interviewed Roger Clark for a YouTube video<\/a> about how Arthur Morgan from Red Dead Redemption was crafted. During our lengthy conversation, I was able to ask him something I&#8217;ve always wondered: How taxing is it to pretend to violently cough like Arthur does? According to Clark, it&#8217;s actually not that bad \u2014 and in some cases, he wasn&#8217;t even pretending.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">&#8220;It&#8217;s not as bad as you&#8217;d think, because I had five years to spread it out,&#8221; said Clark. &#8220;If ever there was a really bad coughing scene, we&#8217;d always save it for the end of the day. So, it wasn&#8217;t as bad as you might think. I had five years to space it out. In five years, there&#8217;s plenty of colds. There was a lot of data we got that was pretty damn genuine. [&#8230;] I&#8217;d be like &#8216;Hey, I&#8217;ve got a cold, let me get in there.&#8217; And they&#8217;d be like, &#8216;Okay.&#8217; [&#8230;] Nice good bit of phlegm.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"jsx-2896921488 video jsx-2008855984 aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9\">\n<div class=\"badge jsx-1349606671 jsx-3647116352\"><span class=\"ign-icon icon-play jsx-2750866048 jsx-1044454891\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"false\" data-cy=\"icon-play\" aria-label=\"Play\" style=\"mask:url(https:\/\/kraken.ignimgs.com\/_next\/static\/media\/Play.59e5540b.svg?cors=1) no-repeat center center \/ contain;background:currentColor\"><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">There&#8217;s really no better way to act than to actually experience the scene in your real life. Arthur Morgan is almost partially defined by his coughing; the character contracts Tuberculosis early on in the story after beating a man to death for some money. It&#8217;s almost a cruel karmic punishment for the life Arthur has led and, depending on the player&#8217;s choices, they can attempt to redeem the cowboy by helping out others.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">As the game goes on, Arthur&#8217;s coughing gets worse and worse. The player isn&#8217;t initially aware of why Arthur is so sick, until he starts hacking up his lungs, passes out, and is dragged into a doctor for a proper diagnosis. It&#8217;s a unique direction to take a game in, and it&#8217;s part of what makes the story of Red Dead Redemption 2 so memorable.<\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"accent-divider\" class=\"jsx-3449795453 divider jsx-2786329600\"><\/div>\n<section class=\"author-sign-off\" data-cy=\"author-sign-off\"><span class=\"stack jsx-59817748 jsx-1927875859\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"rounded jsx-444076027 jsx-4218469134 profile-thumb jsx-2141281959 aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-1-1\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Cade Onder Avatar\" class=\"progressive-image profile-thumb-img jsx-249361588 jsx-2338608387 expand\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/assets-prd.ignimgs.com\/avatars\/69efa48a05b5ac001d9134e5\/Cade_PFP-1777388827678.jpg?crop=1%3A1&amp;width=56&amp;format=jpg&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=80\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"stack jsx-2509706801 jsx-3630940851\"><span class=\"stack jsx-2959124702 jsx-702910195 author-sign-off-header\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/person\/cadeonder\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"interface jsx-1132626198 jsx-2809511915 bold underlined\">Cade Onder<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"caption\" class=\"caption jsx-1762799490 muted\">Freelance Writer<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"stack jsx-2509706801 jsx-1220387432\"><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"author-sign-off-socials\" class=\"jsx-2877214176 author-sign-off-socials\"><button type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"listbox\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-label=\"View social links\" class=\"jsx-2877214176 socials-trigger\"><span title=\"X\" class=\"jsx-2877214176 social-icon-avatar\"><span class=\"ign-icon jsx-2877214176 jsx-2750866048 jsx-2788214270\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-cy=\"jsx-2877214176\" style=\"mask:url(https:\/\/kraken.ignimgs.com\/_next\/static\/media\/Twitter.d0b97af5.svg?cors=1) no-repeat center center \/ contain;background:currentColor\"><\/span><\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<div role=\"listbox\" class=\"scrollbar jsx-2772765485 jsx-4243969252 jsx-3705869475 dropdown-menu jsx-3625955085\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.twitter.com\/@Cade_Onder\" id=\"author-sign-off-social-twitterHandle\" class=\"menu-item jsx-3565735818 jsx-3927327418\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"caption\" class=\"caption jsx-1762799490 menu-item-text\" data-text=\"X\">X<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"ign-icon icon-twitter jsx-2750866048 jsx-3701596282\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-cy=\"icon-twitter\" style=\"mask:url(https:\/\/kraken.ignimgs.com\/_next\/static\/media\/Twitter.d0b97af5.svg?cors=1) no-repeat center center \/ contain;background:currentColor\"><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"interface jsx-1132626198 sign-off-text\">\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><em>Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN&#8217;s news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/span><\/section>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This article contains spoilers for Red Dead Redemption 2. Red Dead Redemption 2 actor Roger Clark has revealed that Arthur Morgan&#8217;s gnarly coughing fits were actually recorded when he was sick in real life. I recently interviewed Roger Clark for a YouTube video about how Arthur Morgan from Red Dead Redemption was crafted. During our [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,243],"class_list":["post-2138632","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-ign-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2138632","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2138632"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2138632\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2138632"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2138632"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2138632"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}