Which Witch?
PlatinumGames has finally broken its silence on the ugly Bayonetta 3 voice actor controversy that has been the height of internet discourse for the past week — In a new statement posted to Twitter, the studio reaffirmed its solidarity with actor Jennifer Hale, who will portray the gunslinging witch in the new sequel, which hits the shelves next week after years of anticipation.
The incredibly straight statement, presented unemotionally and sparsely worded as if it has been passed through several legal departments, outlines Platinum’s desire to continue forward with Hale as the “new Bayonetta”, while thanking all those who have contributed to the franchise’s past success, (though choosing not to reference anybody in particular by name.)
A Message from PlatinumGames pic.twitter.com/5ym1JxtBBn
— PlatinumGames Inc. (@platinumgames) October 21, 2022
While the story itself hardly needs recalling, given that it has been the week’s hottest topic of discourse, Hellena Taylor — the long-time voice of the sultry demon slayer — explained that she refused to portray the character in the new sequel due to an “insulting” pay off of allegedly just $4,000. Taylor suggested that the dedicated Bayonetta fanbase boycotted the new release and instead gave the money they would have spent on the game to a charity of their choosing.
Things got messier, however, in the wake of a report by Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, who suggested that the figure quoted by Taylor was false, a report backed up — but never officially confirmed — by news outlet VGC’s own sources. These latter reports state that Taylor was offered $4,000 per session, for an estimated total of four sessions, but in response asked for a six-figure payoff alongside post-release residuals. Taylor has since called these reports an outright lie, and an effort by the studio to “save their ass and the game”. Hale, speaking on Twitter, states that their NDA disallows them from commenting.
Regardless of the truths and falsities, it appears that PlatinumGames has clearly made its decision, and will go ahead with the launch of Bayonetta 3, with Jennifer Hale now the voice of the iconic character for the foreseeable future.
The whole debacle, whoever is in the right, has once again shone light on the fragile and unstable business of voice acting — forever dice-roll in regards to who gets what role, how long for, how much the actor is worth to the brand, the value of the individual’s voice, and how/whether long-term loyalty is rewarded. These and many other problems have faced actors, publishers, and producers in all dramatic media industries for many years, with no sign of a clear line ever being drawn.
