Roman Bellic

Updated 29 October 2026 · Fan site. Not affiliated with Rockstar Games or Take-Two Interactive.

Roman Bellic is the cousin of Niko Bellic in Grand Theft Auto IV (2008). His letters about riches in America bring Niko to Liberty City, where Roman actually runs a small taxi firm and owes money to loan sharks. Whether he lives depends on the ending: he dies at his wedding in the Deal ending and survives in Revenge. Jason Zumwalt voices him.

Who is Roman Bellic?

Roman Bellic is the cheerful, chaotic cousin of Niko Bellic, the hero of Grand Theft Auto IV. The game came out on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on 29 April 2008, according to Wikipedia. Roman is the reason Niko comes to Liberty City at all: his letters home described a life of money, women and fast cars.

The GTA Wiki says Roman was born in the former Yugoslavia and moved to Liberty City in 1998. It adds that after the war his mother spent her savings to send him to America, and that Niko says Roman's mother raised them both.

What is Roman's taxi business?

The reality is far from the letters. Wikipedia describes Roman living in a small, dirty flat and running a taxi company that makes little money. According to the GTA Wiki, he saved up to buy a couple of cabs and a depot, called Express Car Service, in the Broker district, and he slept at the depot for over a year before he could afford his flat in Hove Beach. His girlfriend, Mallorie Bardas, works there too.

Roman's real problem is gambling. Wikipedia says he owes money to gamblers and loan sharks, and Niko's first jobs in the city are spent dealing with them. The GTA Wiki names the Albanian mob and Vladimir Glebov, a loan shark who is also seeing Mallorie behind Roman's back, among his creditors.

What happens to Roman during the story?

Roman's luck goes from bad to worse. Wikipedia says Russian mobsters kidnap both cousins early on. The GTA Wiki adds that the crime boss Mikhail Faustin shoots Roman in the stomach, though he survives. Later, men working for Dimitri Rascalov burn down Roman's flat and his taxi depot, and Dimitri briefly kidnaps him to lure Niko into a trap.

The kidnapping is also part of The Lost and Damned. The GTA Wiki notes that in that episode Johnny Klebitz helps snatch Roman for the Russians, and Niko then rescues him in the main game.

Roman bounces back. Wikipedia explains that he uses the insurance money from the fire to rebuild the business and buy an apartment in Algonquin. The GTA Wiki says a winning streak at the tables helped too, and his old cars were swapped for newer SUVs. He also proposes to Mallorie, and she says yes.

Does Roman die in GTA IV?

It depends on a choice near the end of the game. Niko must either make a deal with Dimitri or take revenge on him, and Roman's wedding to Mallorie is where the consequences land. The two outcomes, as Wikipedia describes them, are:

In both endings, Mallorie turns out to be pregnant. Our Niko Bellic and GTA IV pages cover the full ending in more detail.

How does Roman's friendship system work?

Roman is one of the friends Niko can spend time with. Wikipedia explains that hanging out with him, answering his calls and doing his missions raise his opinion of Niko. At a high level, Roman offers a favour: he will send a cab to take Niko anywhere for free. The GTA Wiki lists the outings he enjoys, including meals, bars, darts and other activities around the city.

Is Roman in other GTA games?

Roman has a small part in The Ballad of Gay Tony, where the GTA Wiki says he meets Luis Lopez at the Maisonette 9 nightclub. Both episodes are collected in Episodes from Liberty City. In Grand Theft Auto V, the GTA Wiki notes, he is referenced on Niko's social media profile, and another character mentions his cab depot.

Who voices Roman Bellic?

Roman is voiced by Jason Zumwalt. Wikipedia reports that Zumwalt was nominated for Best Male Voice at the 2008 Spike Video Game Awards for the role. The award went to his co-star Michael Hollick, the voice of Niko.