Grand Theft Auto has a cast of characters as extensive as the sandbox environments themselves. Although the games do share a universe, three different ones (2D, 3D, HD) in fact, the stories and characters within them tend to be self-contained. However, that has not prevented Rockstar Games from putting characters from previous Grand Theft Auto games into the newer ones on occasion, especially with the Grand Theft Auto Trilogy.
Several characters in the series have been lucky enough to appear in multiple games through cameos and recurring roles. The 3D universe, the other common name for the Grand Theft Auto Trilogy, consisting of GTA 3, Vice City, San Andreas, and the spinoffs released in that era, started this trend. The following characters are not the only ones to appear in multiple games, but they are easily some of the most notable.
Catalina
Catalina is one of the series' most sadistic characters, rivaling even the likes of Trevor Philips. She was romantically involved with both Grand Theft Auto 3’s Claude and San Andreas’ CJ, and manages to betray both of them. In GTA 3, Catalina's introduction sees her shooting at Claude and his partner to keep the stolen loot to herself. Despite being more of a backstabber than Claude and having obvious symptoms of sociopathy, she leads a drug cartel and is only stopped at the very end of the game.
Even though San Andreas takes place before GTA 3, Catalina is even more unhinged during her escapades with CJ. She constantly threatens him and revels in violent acts. Some lines imply that she has cannibalistic tendencies, with one instance of her claiming that CJ is lucky he is not being fried on her barbecue being a standout example. She eventually dumps CJ and would go on to become Grand Theft Auto 3’s main antagonist, and one of GTA's most infamous characters.
Claude
Claude, the main character of Grand Theft Auto 3, is notorious for his complete stoicism, to the point of being a silent protagonist in a series full of loudmouthed criminals, He has no backstory to speak of, and is essentially a blank state for the player to project themselves onto. He does not have much of a personality besides being as much of a backstabber as the people around him, but his cold demeanor reflects the darkest parts of Grand Theft Auto’s cynical world rather well.
Claude returns as a minor character in the ever so timeless San Andreas, which takes place almost a decade before Grand Theft Auto 3. He owns an abandoned garage and participates in an illegal racing ring. He eventually gives his garage to CJ and leaves San Andreas with Catalina, leading up to the events of Grand Theft Auto 3.
Fernando Martinez
Fernando is a longtime member of the series’ posse of radio personalities, which continues to get bigger thanks to updates in Grand Theft Auto Online. He has made the most appearances in the series alongside fellow radio host Lazlow Jones. In this world of stereotypes, Fernando’s looks, alongside his lecherous, narcissistic, and chauvinistic personality, paint him as a “Latin lover”. Passionate about romance, he uses his platform to “guide” his listeners on how to approach a woman and maintain a relationship with her.
Fernando’s “advice” in the games is predictably toxic and sexist, and depicted in ridiculous ways to get a laugh out of the player. Although he never physically shows up in the games, the player can experience the slow downfall of his schtick if they pay attention to his shows in the newer Grand Theft Auto games. Most notably, his show in Grand Theft Auto 5 is about him trying, and failing, to abandon his outdated, womanizing ways.
Ken Rosenberg
Rosenberg is the first and only character on the list to be introduced in the classic yet somewhat outdated Vice City. Despite not being nearly as well known as the protagonists and long-lasting radio hosts, Rosenberg is actually one of the most important characters in the 3D era of Grand Theft Auto. A main character in both Vice City and San Andreas, he is a corrupt lawyer with connections to the mafia and a drug addiction problem. He’s eccentric and full of neuroses, but he proves himself to be a competent ally despite what he says about his own history. There are several implications that Rosenberg is the reason Tommy never stays in jail when cops catch him.
Rosenberg’s story is a rather somber tale at times. Rather than dying or becoming a high-ranking member of a criminal empire, his cocaine addiction gets the best of him and costs him his friendship with Tommy as of San Andreas. Fortunately, he ends up being useful once again after he started working with CJ.
Lazlow Jones
Named and modeled after his voice actor, the prolific radio personality was introduced in Grand Theft Auto 3 and became a staple of the series’ iconic radio stations. He is one of the only characters to break Rockstar’s rule of “different universes never interacting with each other,” as he appears in both the 3D universe and the HD universe, currently consisting of Grand Theft Auto 4 and 5. Lazlow’s recurring role does not only provide great side entertainment for players on the road. If players pay attention, they will be able to learn about Lazlow’s entire media career, and the scandals that turned him into the memorably arrogant and profoundly insecure character everyone knows.
Over a decade after his introduction, Lazlow finally made a physical appearance in Grand Theft Auto 5. He has a major role in three missions, and also appears in Grand Theft Auto Online in the nightclub players can set up. By the time the game’s events happen, Lazlow has been reduced to an easy target for mockery and humiliation by the narrative, a far cry from his earlier days as one of the more “stable” radio hosts in Grand Theft Auto 3. Fans can only hope Lazlow will stay in the series after his voice actor and namesake left Rockstar.
Salvatore Leone
Another character that appears in Grand Theft Auto 3 and San Andreas, Salvatore basically plays the same role in both the aforementioned games. He’s the patriarch of one of the most respected gangs in Liberty City, and his contrasting attitudes in GTA 3 and San Andreas show the story of a powerful man’s mask cracking. Grand Theft Auto 3’s Salvatore is more of a wannabe antagonist than anything else. A paranoid, ruthless mess of a man, he ends up being another character that betrays Claude. His own issues lead to his early demise in the game.
That being said, Salvatore’s personality in GTA 3 is understandable when you see how he came to be that way in San Andreas. He is still prone to aggressive decisions, but he at least tries to be civil to his allies, including the initially loyal CJ. Once CJ betrays him in one of San Andreas' many ambitiously depicted crimes, all hopes of Salvatore being rational for gangster standards are long gone. If CJ can put a dent on such an imposing figure, then no wonder he tends to be the most acclaimed Grand Theft Auto Protagonist.
Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - Definitive Edition releases November 11, 2021 on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.