A Tribute to Nigel Lambert (VA for Merle Ambrose)

It is with great sadness from all of us at KingsIsle that we pass along the information that Nigel Lambert, voice actor for Headmaster Ambrose, has passed away. 

Wizard101’s voice acting is a pillar of the game: these performances have always been the primary key that transports us to the wondrous world of the Spiral. Headmaster Ambrose may be the most important voice in the game – it is Ambrose who guides players through the tutorial, who helps us find our way through the story, and who always supports us as a friend and mentor. For a game that was such a big part of childhood for so many, it feels like we’ve lost a grandparent.  

Our mundane world may have lost a wonderful soul, but Nigel’s spirit still echoes through the Spiral. Every time you log in to Wizard101 and hear his voice, remember the talented source. As long as we hold on to these memories as one Spiral community, the great Nigel Lambert lives on. 

When we were writing this tribute, several team members wanted to express their condolences directly in some way. Please see below some of those responses about Nigel and his work: 

KingsIsle Team Quotes

“Nigel was a gifted actor and a wonderful person to work with. The consummate gentleman, yet with a bottomless well of playfulness and whimsy. His enthusiasm and compassion helped create the very essence of Headmaster Ambrose: later dialogue was inspired by the wonderful character he created in his first readings for us. Despite being a working actor for longer than any of us directing him had been alive, he was never difficult or untrusting of direction. And then there was his talent. It takes a special actor to be able to turn dry, formulaic informative text into rich, purposeful prose. The joy and love you heard in Merle’s voice was not mere show: it was real. 

Nigel was Headmaster Ambrose. 

And we will miss him dearly.” – Sound and Narrative Teams 

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“When we first heard Nigel Lambert’s audition for Merle Ambrose, we knew immediately he was the voice of our beloved Headmaster.  I only got to work with him once directly, recording VO lines, but it was a memorable experience to hear Nigel work his magic (and get to hear his ACTUAL voice, which is very different from Merle!).  We’re truly sad to hear of his passing and we at KI will always remember him!” – Leah “Professor Falmea” Ruben, Chief Operating Officer 

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“Nigel Lambert’s influence on Wizard101’s players has been felt for 16 years. We mourn this beloved actor’s passing and honor his special contribution. His kind and encouraging voice helped build the community of players we have the privilege to support.” – Associate Producer II, Product Department 

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“I remember watching television as a kid and being a little zoned out because a commercial break was happening, I then heard our esteemed headmaster say “[e]nter a world of wonder.” My ears perked up and I zoned right back in because I was mesmerized by what could possibly follow that hook. What came after that was a lifetime bond with an amazing game, where I would meet many friends, and even come to work for KingsIsle Entertainment. If I didn’t hear Nigel’s voice that day, I’m not quite sure where I’d be, but I’m forever thankful that he sparked my interest. May he rest in peace.” – Maceryn, Marketing Specialist 

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“Headmaster Merle Ambrose is one of the first characters you meet in Wizard101. The moment I heard his voice, I knew I had entered a truly magical place. I hope Nigel Lambert finds peace in part through our shared memories of his great work.” – Mathew “Sparck” Anderson, Lead Community Manager 

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“Wizard101 has been a huge part of my life since I was in elementary school, and by extension so has the character of Ravenwood’s headmaster, Merle Ambrose. At first glance, Ambrose may appear as just another ‘wise old wizard’ archetype without much three dimensionality to him. In fact, it has become almost a bit of a community wide joke that he just summoned our player character to the magical universe of the Spiral to deal with problems he ‘doesn’t want to deal with’.  

However, I want to take a moment to talk a bit more seriously about my own personal takeaways of Ambrose’s character that highlights the way Nigel Lambert helped bring this iconic character to life.  

There are many story moments that I could pick out and dissect across the last 16 years, but for me personally, I felt that we first got to see Ambrose’s humanity come to light during the second Arc of the game. There were scenes where we didn’t just get this silly old wizard professor, but saw him be frustrated, disappointed, fearful, uncertain, and even ruthless in ways- and I loved it.  

I loved seeing how Merle handled past apprentices compared to how he behaves with our player character, The Wizard, and that his hands-off ness with letting us handle huge problems on our own more often that not, is a stark contrast with how stiff and strict he was with his last apprentice, Morganthe. Yet, both approaches come from a place of care. He wanted to educate Morganthe safely, but knew he wasn’t fit to help her control her powers, so sent her away in an emotionally charged moment. So with The Wizard, he is much more liberal, allowing us to practice magic that he otherwise forbade Morganthe for using in the past.  

This, to me, was so informative about Ambrose’s character. That, despite his wisdom and knowledge, he still carries a lot of fear about his abilities as a teacher; yet he tries to do what he thinks is right because it comes from a place of love. He wants his students to prosper, but because of his past ‘failures’, his care for teaching can sometimes bring that fear to the surface, which affects how his students end up handling their powers (especially when it comes to Morganthe & The Wizard). 

I think that’s what Nigel’s performance really helped highlight with Ambrose’s character- his ability to balance Silly Wizard Mentor, with the seriousness and weight that comes with living through all the ages of the Spiral. His ability to bring both those characteristics to the character of Ambrose made playing the game that much more immersive and enchanting.   

While his family, friends, and fans are in a time of mourning, I hope it brings some comfort to talk about how much we loved his work. As I’m writing this, I want to make it clear that, by gushing over Ambrose’s character, I’m equally gushing about Nigel’s performance and talents. Just as Ambrose is a master Wizard, so was Nigel a master voice actor.  

Thank you Mr. Lambert. for bringing magic into my life, as well as countless others’ lives. You will be incredibly missed. 

En Magus Nos Fides.” – Erica A/Okidenshi, Associate Character Animator

Share Your Memories

We would like to let the family of Nigel Lambert know how much you all cared about his work. Email merle@kingsisle.com an 80 word or less message you’d want to pass on, include your community or character name. We may have to limit how many are sent, but we will do our best to include yours if we can, and all will be preserved by our team. Please submit your message by Friday, October 11, 11:59pm CDT. 

You can also share your memories through quoting your favorite Merle Ambrose line on social media. Include #NigelMerleTribute and #Wizard101 in your post.