We have a companion character support group on Whatsapp,Baldurs Gate 3andResident Evil Villageactor Neil Newbon tells me.
From the moment we jump into a call together, its obvious that Newbon is a born performer.
One he is taking well in his stride.
Very much the opposite of a guy like Astarion.
I get a lot of trans men coming up to me, Newbon explains.
Which I think is amazing, not just for Astarion, but Heisenberg as well.
Im really blown away by that, and I feel humbled by it all.
Its really amazing, humbling, and something I wasnt quite prepared for.
But I love it.
I tend not to read too much because its healthy for ones ego to remain.
Its your story now, its your world, and you should enjoy that.
I should step back because Ive done my job.
The big thing for me identifying with Astarion is that hes pansexual, Newbon admits.
Hes attracted to anybody that hes attracted to, and he loves anybody that he will love.
This alone goes a long way to explain why millions are so obsessed with him.
Astarion can love anybody equally, and also manipulate anybody equally, Newbon says with a loud laugh.
And befriend everyone equally, because thats also an option.
Many see a spark between him and Karlach, which catches the actor by surprise as I mention it.
Theyre both trapped by their own natures in a way, which is very interesting.
But the honest answer is that I just dont know.
Its really about the players interactions with them.
So, however the player wants to explore that is fully up to them.
I dont really have an inclination because, Astarion voice I love everybody.
I love them all my darling.
Why pick one cereal when you have one of those mini packs with all of them, darling?
Its the variety pack, darling!
Its a team effort, which is true for the majority of video games.
They let me explore the heavier stuff and take it in an interesting direction, Newbon says.
On one level you have this sort of feckless, decadent, hedonistic vampire who is almost a caricature.
But it’s a very grown up, interesting, very adult and very well written series of relationships.
It flips the idea of what that decadent vampiric character actually is.
They arent that, its a cover or a disguise.
Because it gives you so much depth and so many different places to explore.
One that very few in life are afforded.
Ive definitely had moments in my life or experiences where Ive made a judgment, Newbon says.
Then they become friends or lovers or partners or whatever it is they end up being to us.
Thats what being non-judgmental is isnt it?
To make a judgment and to see if youre wrong, because we all make judgments all the time.
Theres also lots of playfulness, obviously.
Sexuality is playful in that way, and I think its good that we captured everything.
And being very grown up about those conversations.
Because thats real life.
Sometimes people are manipulated, and sometimes they arent.
Sometimes people fall in love and have the most incredible lives together, because they slept together one time.
How sex is no longer a win condition at the end of a long campaign.
And then you get to know them.
So it doesnt stop like, Youve had sex!
Thats your big reward, and you get an achievement pop up that says, yay sex!
its actually like, okay, good for you, youve got a sex and had sex with everybody.
Its more like - yes, youve had sex, but now what?
Now what do you do?
Now what do you talk about?
And then it’s not just sex, it’s actually way more than that.
Sex is almost like a starting point for some of the characters.
All these characters, and theyre different races, but they are all human stories underneath them.
All of that drew me to caring for him a lot.
But Im not going to protect Astarion.
That isnt my job, my job is to go on this journey with him.
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