Bernie Crane (Florian Cravic) in Grand Theft Auto IV

Florian Cravic, a main character in Grand Theft Auto IV, changed his name to Bernie Crane when he moved to the US from Eastern Europe. Bernie was apparently deeply closeted before he moved to the US, where he came out as more openly gay. His police record indicates he has been arrested for being a sex worker. The player-character Niko must protect Bernie from the gay bashing Hater in the mission “Hating the Haters.” Bernie is dating Deputy Mayor Bryce Dawkins, who is closeted and married to a woman. In the game, Bernie asks Niko to help stop the blackmailers who are trying to out Dawkins. The video where Niko first meets Bernie (Niko came to the US to track down Florian/Bernie) is below. A video of all of the cut scenes involving this character is available here.

In the game GTA: Lost and Damned, the player-character Johnny bugs Bryce’s car, but the only one heard speaking is Bernie (video here).

LGBTQ references in this game series:

Grand Theft Auto (1997): El Burro

Grand Theft Auto II (1999): Tetsuo

Grand Theft Auto: London 1961 (1999): Pretty Charlie

Grand Theft Auto III (2001): Gay Pedestrian; LGBTQ References

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002): The Psycho; LGBTQ References

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004): LGBTQ References; LGB Characters; Queens; OG Loc Mission

Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (2005): Kazuki Kasen; LGBTQ References

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (2006): Reni Wassulmaier; LGBTQ References

Grand Theft Auto IV (2008): Brucie Kibbutz; Tom “French Tom” Rivas; Bernie Crane/Florian Cravic; Bryce Dawkins; LGB Love-meet.net users; Elizabeta Torres; Talbot Daniels; Marcus; The Hater; Eddie Low;  Unnamed Homosexual NPCs; LGBT NPCs in LCPD Database; LGBT Media Personalities; LGBTQ References 

Grand Theft Auto: The Lost and Damned (2009): Trans Man

Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony (2010): Anthony “Gay Tony” Prince; Clay “Pain Giver” Jackson; Jacob; The Celebinator; Evan Moss; LGBTQ References

Grand Theft Auto V (2013): Trevor Philips; Peter Dreyfuss; Transgender Sex Workers; Locations; LGBTQ References

Citations:

  1. Bernie Crane. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.grandtheftwiki.com/Bernie_Crane
  2. Bernie Crane. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://gta.wikia.com/wiki/Bernie_Crane
  3. Fontville, T. (2009, October 18). Gender trouble in a virtual criminal world. Masters of Media. http://mastersofmedia.hum.uva.nl/2009/10/18/gender-trouble-in-a-virtual-criminal-world/
  4. Hating the Haters. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://gta.wikia.com/wiki/Hating_the_Haters
  5. Masaki, L. (2008, May 12). Say hello to “Grand Theft Auto IV”s gay characters. The Backlot. http://www.thebacklot.com/say-hello-to-grand-theft-auto-ivs-gay-characters/05/2008/
  6. Stefy. (2013, April 28). GTA IV- Meeting Bernie Crase (Florian Cravic). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jz-1KZFB7-c
  7. whatever57010. (2013, November 4). Bernie Crane (Florian Cravic). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FpKhbtsn7s
  8. whatever57010. (2013, January 13). GTA TLaD: Bryce Dawkins Bug Calls. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-G_82gyN3Q