In conversation with Devora Wilde & Jennifer English - Swapping Joysticks - 2 Oct 2023

Ep 107: Devora Wilde and Jennifer English, the voice actors behind Baldur's Gate 3's Lae'Zel and Shadowheart join us for an extra special chat about voice acting, representation in games, working through lockdown, and even a bit of Kylie.
▼ Devora Wilde's links ▼
● Follow on Twitter - / devora_wilde
● Follow on Instagram - / devorawilde
▼ Jennifer English's links ▼
● Follow on Twitch - / jenniferjenglish
● Follow on Instagram - / jenniferjenglish
▼ Ben's links ▼
● Follow on Twitch - / biggusbennus
● Follow on Twitter - / biggusbennus1
● Follow on Instagram - / biggusbennus
● Join the Discord - / discord
▼ Ed's links ▼
● Follow on Twitch - / ed_nights
● Follow on Twitter - / ed_nights

[@WalterPavlikII]

"Our imaginary friends became real friends." THAT is the sweetest thing.

[@kaiserstritz136]

Now I'm just imagining Devora doing a mistake at home and goes Tsk'va !

[@BigThiccEnergyy]

That'll get her kid to behave real fast LOL

[@mosselyn5081]

This was lovely! As a woman with 4 decades of gaming experience, I love all the things both women had to say about women's roles and about exclusivity. Thank you to all the VA's who have been so generous about sharing their experiences with the community.

[@Markle27]

28:30 - I believe it was Neil Newbon who mentioned he felt the sex in this game was not the "win state" for romance. He said it when Dev went on his stream.

[@sofaking1627]

Rip Bing Bong. Wanted to give MAJOR props to Larian for the way they did the romance in this game. Just like what Devora and Jennifer said about the sex scenes not being a "Win state" and how you actually have to maintain the relationship after. I was shocked when a certain companion that I spent a night with ended up bringing it up later and more shocked much later when I completely screwed up that relationship. 😅 Like I said, props to Larian.

[@Thurrak]

SOMEONE HOOK DEV UP WITH A BANGER PC NOW SO SHE CAN PLAYYYYY :D:D:D

[@BiggusBennus]

She got a PS5! Check her Twitter 😍🎉🍾

[@baronjutter]

She shouldn't have to suffer playing on a PS5 like that.

[@The_Real_Kitsune]

nothing fking wrong with a ps5@@baronjutter

[@digitaldevil696]

​@@The_Real_Kitsune idk if the previous comment was intended as an insult to PS in general, however I personally think it's not a PS5 problem, it's just BG3 controller options are kinda clunky, CRPGs are usually much easier to manage on mouse and keyboard

[@TwistedMagoo]

@@The_Real_Kitsune indeed, if you can't afford a computer, it's an acceptable backup I guess.

[@apfelschweindelight]

OH MY GOD, that kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZTHqJttZ5J0p7M moment where Jennifer talked about how she would not be cast as Shadowheart on Netflix hit like a hammer. She was overtaken by emotions for literally a split second before she got control of it, but in that second, you could see all those emotions served on a plate. What an amazing gift for an actor to be able to (or maybe even can't help but) broadcast how they feel. BG3 has phenomenal writing and great performances from the whole cast, but there were so many moments where Shadowheart specifically made me feel something on a level I would not expect not only from a game but from any kind of performance. Jennifer is an absolutely terrific actress, and I do hope to see her playing a complex character on Netflix if that’s what she wants.

[@robnmore]

Great conversation! You can tell Dev and Jen were excited about the questions

[@oopsallluke]

Props for making Dev’s baby breaks nbd

[@BovineGirl3]

amazing interview! hope we get to see you interview the other casts. the chemistry they all have are infectious.

[@BiggusBennus]

Thank you so much. That would be a dream - it’s a top tier lineup of fantastic voice actors!

[@danlaw1991]

A brilliant interview with 2 amazing talents. I’ve not had a chance to play the last week and now I’m itching to jump back in. Amazing questions guys. Thanks for asking ours as well. Also, what a way to end the episode. Padam!

[@Salsa8D]

Get minthara next! We're all waiting for her and nobody interviewed her :D

[@Анастася-ь9ъ]

Yeeees❤

[@SoulessStranger]

It was mentioned in some other interview she sadly refused the interviews or streaming, I suppose not everyone is cool with attention and that's fine, she still rocked as Minthara and her voice is absolutely awesome.

[@sofaking1627]

Yes, PLEASE Minthara is easily my favorite companion

[@sofaking1627]

Ah, totally fair.@@SoulessStranger

[@kitten_with_bad_breath]

​@@SoulessStrangerthat is otally what minthara would do

[@lledelwin]

The Circus Devora talk about is in the begining of Act 3, just to let you know. It's an optional area but you can't miss the zone.

[@BiggusBennus]

Perfect! Thank you, I’m really looking forward to that bit now 😅

[@sintopiaa6]

I don't usually watch interviews but you all made it really fun to sit and watch! I love BG3 and the VAs are so funny! Love you Devora and Jennifer!! Thanks for the vid you guys loll

[@BiggusBennus]

Thank you so much! This really means a lot

[@Leowkun]

omg dev and jen , i love she both

[@istranuwonk7260]

for the algorithm's recognition of great content: In love with the actors! Thank you very much for the interview.

[@gregleiner1608]

Love this!! Thank you! Such a great actors.

[@whisperedshadow4947]

I love how both Lae'zel and Shadowheart are written they are unique in their own ways and that's what makes an interesting character which makes them worth interacting with and getting to know.

[@FirelillyHeals]

Ya know, I want people to do articles on the VA vs MA stuff. I really think Critical Role really did a lot to boost up Voice actors. Also you had Mia go from that 70s to a lot of animated VAing roles. A lot of the Critical Role members were sort of the first ones to become famous for what they do - in my perspective anyway. It's amazing to put a face and a person behind the characters we fell in love with in the game, and I might love the people more than the game character at this point lol.

[@Khornelia]

Lovely interview! The whole cast is so talented and wonderful!

[@BiggusBennus]

Thank you! They really are 🥰

[@dantesinferno7350]

I want to know if Dev rolled her eyes for mocap when she said Teathlings

[@xs10shul]

This is great! I've seen a lot of interviews with these folks, and this is one of the more insider-y discussions.

[@BiggusBennus]

Thank you so much! They were wonderful to chat to!

[@Aneatea]

Guys, thanks for this podcast. It made me happier ^_^

[@BiggusBennus]

This means the world to hear 🥰

[@MartizaTV]

Lol I love the entire cast of BG3. Thank you for the interview

[@Waldoz53]

when the youtube algorithm hits just right

[@cosmicprison9819]

Lae’zel had to go attend to the Githyanki egg.

[@cosmicprison9819]

Not a damsel in distress? You do recall in what state we first encounter Shadowheart, right? 😂

[@naynomura]

Holy shit Ben, has llegado lejos :) enhorabuena por entrevistar a estas dos maravillas de persona

[@BiggusBennus]

🤩🤩 muchas gracias Beatriz! ❤️

[@greyngreyer5]

R.I.P Bing Bong

[@kirstenwyatt9675]

On the topis of the characters possibly being liked more if they were male, one thing that tickled me about the game, that I don't know if it was intentional or not, but the three women are higher strength, martial classes, and the 3 men are the lower strength, "softer," non front line classes.

[@BiggusBennus]

That’s a really good point!

[@pafmortim]

justice for Bing-bong!

[@andyscherpenberg]

To answer Devora's question on 55:30 : because (greedy) people intentionally put systems in place to make sure the bulk of the profit goes to the top , which is harder to do if you create celebrities

[@xantares13]

Lol they’re still going on about Bing Bong

[@wetwillie]

Is it too early to start talking about BG4 with all of the same cast?

[@hawkname1234]

Honestly, just fire up the same engine and game assets and write some more story and get the actors back. And/or new actors. But, seriously. Sell us new adventures. Charge whatever you want.

[@dominika3762]

You can't get the same cast, because each and every one of their characters could go a different path or could be dead

[@Balnazzardi]

@@dominika3762 Ye its exactly because of that multiple different endings that Larian already said that its not certain at all that they would even make DLC for Baldur's Gate 3. Perhaps they could do something like Bioware did for Mass Effect trilogy where based on your decisions in BG3, you could use/port a save file for BG4 and then those characters that did live at end of BG3 up in BG4, but its unlikely. Most likely they would do a new story with new set of characters, but I think its a given that with huge success of BG3 there will be another Baldur's Gate game. However Im fairly certain that next Larian wants to do Divinity: Original Sin III, before doing another Baldur's Gate

[@dominika3762]

@@Balnazzardi wizards of the coast may want more for the next installment than Larian is willing to pay

[@drewwendell]

1) It's about 2 years too early. Lurian is going to do a shorter project before they get involved in something huge like a BG game 2) Expect this cast to show up in bit parts for a sequel but I think the idea with the BG series is to tell complete (or close to complete) stories for the characters. 3) Wizards thinks D&D is under-monetized (their words), which means they are going to (a) spend at least 3 years printing money with merch, Funkos, etc., and (b) likely want enough money for the IP that only a triple A, hyper-monetized, micro-transaction obsessed studio will be able to afford it. People at Hasboro are likely already screaming "What do you mean there's no season pass!?!?!?!? No loot boxes?!?!?!" Enjoy what we have because, while we might get some new quest lines or dungeons or boss fights, it takes about 4 years (more like 6) to make a game like BG3, and by that time, who knows what the industry will look like.

[@krschu00]

Why the heck did the guy try to move and not let Jennifer finish her "favorite bit" from dnd. She was gone for like 7 seconds.

[@cvnts_u]

1:04:01 BEST PART AHAHAHSDGHAAH

[@user-qz6xf4uo1v]

Love her voice.

[@FirstLast-cw6tz]

Padam tsk’va

[@kratosGOW]

I’m sorry but two VAs in Baldur’s Gate 3 in an interview with “Swapping Joysticks” automatically made me think of swinging. 😂🤘😉

[@RandomGuyCDN]

D&D starting going mainstream after CR blew up in popularity. BG3 is just another thing building ontop of that foundation with the game being able to automate (most of the time considering the game still hitches on enemy decisions) a lot of the combat which is a slog if its a big battle that has allowed it to be a gate way for people

[@Remrau]

"You can be anyone you want in this game" - Except fat/thick/chubby/chonky. It's the only thing I find a bit odd tbh that there's no options for. Since they indeed have been quite inclusive otherwise in the character creation. Oh and well, the lack of diverse voices for Tav.

[@DoffyDogg]

Hard to be fat in medieval times when u burn a lot of calories by doing manual work and diet is completely different. Here is europe people started becoming fat the last decade or so, in most of the photos of my parents or grandparents there was 1 fat dude in about 50 to 100 people. Now it's 1 out of 3-4.

[@Remrau]

@@DoffyDogg yeah, I mean it was probably hard fighting off those damn dragons and demons too, but somehow they made it into the game. And not to mention the Githyanki, they must have been a real pest back in the medieval times. Especially in Europe.

[@dominika3762]

DnD is not medieval Europe xD You could be a chubby wizard no problem

[@DoffyDogg]

@@dominika3762 then what it is? you see fast food on every corner you turn? all fantasy genre is a fake universe of medieval europe.

[@Dark-Lord-Of-The-Sith]

I am personally not attracted to women that are submissive. I am drawn to women that question me, challenge me, and that grow me as a person.

[@lordnelsonmc.billionberg9166]

Whats with that anti-white flag in the thumbnail ? :D

[@BiggusBennus]

I think you'll find that's the Progress Pride flag. Here's a little light reading for you: www.vam.ac.uk/articles/the-progress-pride-flag