GamesRPGBaldur’s GateBaldur’s Gate 3"Don’t kick squirrels!": Baldur’s Gate 3’s Jennifer English talks bringing God’s Favorite Princess to life and her “conditions” for playing Shadowheart againWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
GamesRPGBaldur’s GateBaldur’s Gate 3"Don’t kick squirrels!": Baldur’s Gate 3’s Jennifer English talks bringing God’s Favorite Princess to life and her “conditions” for playing Shadowheart againWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
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(Image credit: Larian Studios)
It’s been a year and a half sinceBaldur’s Gate 3launched, but from how much we’re still talking about it, you would have thought it released yesterday. It’s hard to overstate the impact of Larian’s stint in Faerûn, but you don’t need to tell that to Jennifer English. When we last sat down for an interview – just weeks before Baldur’s Gate 3’s release – the Shadowheart actor was thrilled with her performance, but like many of us, had no idea just how much the game would blow up.
Fast-forward, and English has been selected for this year’sBAFTA Breakthrough– a Netflix-supported initiative that supports emerging talent – because of her role as Shadowheart. “My life has changed completely since last we spoke,” English tells GamesRadar+, grinning. “I’ve been traveling the world, meeting fans because of Baldur’s Gate 3, and have gone from complete absurdity to being recognized on the street! […] This has probably been the best year of my life.”
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(Image credit: Larian Studios)
Natural 20(Image credit: Larian)Baldur’s Gate 3 review:“A new gold standard for RPGs”
Natural 20
(Image credit: Larian)Baldur’s Gate 3 review:“A new gold standard for RPGs”
(Image credit: Larian)
Baldur’s Gate 3 review:“A new gold standard for RPGs”
It’s a level of recognition that may not surprise many of the game’s fans. Shadowheart’s journey of self-discovery is one of Baldur’s Gate 3’s very best stories, leading to the Cleric being the game’smost-romanced character. The overwhelmingly positive reception influenced English’s view on Shadowheart retrospectively – she nowappreciates the character more– but looking further afield, it won’t be a factor in how she tackles future roles.
“I love acting so much,” says English. “I love the process of it, and I think it’s really important to just go for the truth of a character and not think about whether they’re going to be a fan favorite, or loved, because then you’re going to create a kind of performative style of performance – which isn’t me.”
“Sometimes people will love that character and sometimes people love to hate that character,” she adds. “I’m kind of okay with that going forward. It’s so important for us as performers to focus on that truth, and when we start thinking about the reaction, we lose some of that. That’s why I’m really glad I didn’t know how huge this game’s success would be – if I did, it wouldn’t have served the character at all.”
(Image credit: Larian Studios)
“That’s the point of Baldur’s Gate 3. It’s yours, it’s whatever you choose it to be"Jennifer English
“That’s the point of Baldur’s Gate 3. It’s yours, it’s whatever you choose it to be”
“There is no right or wrong way to play this game… unless you have sex with a bear – that’s weird,” English jokes. “[And] don’t kick squirrels!”
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Though Shadowheart’s future is ultimately the players' to decide, whether we’ve seen the last of her is cause for debate. WhileLarian has ruled out making Baldur’s Gate 3 DLC, Dungeons & Dragons owner Hasbrocould choose to pursue its own gamewith these characters. “That’s one thing I love about Larian – their integrity,” says English.
As for whether she would personally return as Shadowheart, English lays out some ground rules. “I think we’re [the cast] all open to the future of it […] If there is a future with Shadowheart, I would want it to be beautifully written and honor the game’s audience, and how inclusive and forward-thinking Larian is. If that opportunity came up and shewasbeautifully written, and that audience and inclusivitywashonored, I would certainly consider it – but only with those conditions.”
“I wouldn’t want to take her and make her into a cartoon version of her,” she adds. “I’d want to go forward with that only if it honors her in a way I think we would all be proud of.”
If you like Baldur’s Gate 3, you should play one of BioWare’s best-ever choice-driven sci-fi RPGs
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