GQ: Shawn, in your TMZ interview you mentioned that Franklin is you and you are Franklin. How do you guys relate to each other?
Shawn Fonteno (Franklin): [Laughs] We relate tremendously, man. I feel like changing my name to Franklin. Everything he’s doing, I’ve done it. I don’t want to put myself out there on blast, but I’ve done it. I’m an ex-gang member. I’m an ex-thief. I’m an ex-car stealer. I’ve done it. I know what it feels like to be on both sides of the gun, go to jail, et cetera. We’re tied together forever.
GQ: What about you, Steven? You’re not crazy, right? You’re not totally Trevor, are you?
Steven Ogg (Trevor): I like to call it a crazy little thing called… acting. [Laughs] It’s one of those forgotten arts in this culture. There’s a lot of talk nowadays about how “acting is you, you are who you are” but no, it’s acting. That’s my job. That’s what I do for a living. I’m an actor. [Laughs]
GQ: Were there any concerns about working on game that’s gotten some criticism about its violence and treatment of women?
Shawn Fonteno (Franklin): Nah, not at all. It has to be treated the same way as the movies. Scarface. Boardwalk Empire. You see all the same stuff that’s happening in these games in comic books and TV shows. It’s just a script. We’re having fun. They have to treat this the same as they treat the movies.
Ned Luke (Michael): GTA is what it is. Anybody that expects anything different is fooling themselves. I love women. I’m crazy about them. I have a beautiful wife, who’s the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me, and I teach my son to respect women and other people’s position in the world, whatever it is.…People are always looking for something to hate on. If this is something for them to target and hate on, that’s their thing. I look at it as satire.