It has been an eventful weekend, as former Bayonetta voice actor Hellena Taylor said she refused the titular role in Bayonetta 3 after only being offered $4000 for the part. Jennifer Hale, the new voice actor who will play the sassy witch, has now broken her silence on the issue. Whilst her NDA is very restrictive, she has called for an amicable and respectful resolution to the matter.
Hale, an industry legend known for her performances in Mass Effect, Overwatch, and many more has been relatively quiet since Taylor first published her series of video tweets. Whilst Hale did like many tweets that expressed an understanding of the NDA restricting what she can say, today marks the first time she explicitly addressed the recast of the role. The full statement from Hale’s Twitter account can be read below.
About Bayonetta 3: pic.twitter.com/e4VrclEQIm
— Jennifer Hale (@jhaletweets) October 17, 2022
In her statement above, Hale addresses her support for “every actor’s right to be paid well”, which was the crux of Taylor’s refusal of the role. At the same time, the voice actress also asks that the “entire team of hard-working, dedicated people” are also considered. Taylor, meanwhile, requested fans boycott Bayonetta 3 and instead give money to charity.
Hale’s tweet marks the second response that has been made by someone involved in the ongoing debate. Hideki Kamiya, executive director of Bayonetta 3, tweeted “BEWARE OF MY RULES” shortly before going on a blocking spree of his critics and then deactivating his account. There are only 11 days left until the release of Bayonetta 3, but an official statement by developer Platinum Games or publisher Nintendo has yet to be released. We will be sure to cover any further updates as they happen.
What do you think after reading Jennifer Hale’s restricted response? Let us know in the comments below, and keep your eyes on GameLuster for more gaming news.
