Voice actors play an integral role in bringing characters to life, whether it’s in video games, movies, TV shows, and other media. They deserve to be paid fair wages, which is why many in the industry rallied behind former Bayonetta voice actor, Hellena Taylor.
The OG voice of the Umbra Witch boycotted Bayonetta 3 ahead of its launch on October 28 for what she claims was an “insulting” offer that Nintendo tendered for her to reprise her role in the third game. Nintendo eventually replaced her Jennifer Hale, who has since issued a brief statement where she hopes that the involved parties “resolve their differences in an amicable and respectful way.”
Now, multiple sources are disputing Taylor’s allegations of PlatinumGames’ offer.
Bloomberg and VGC came forward with new revelations from anonymous sources familiar with the negotiations between PlatinumGames and Taylor.
Bloomberg says Platinum was to hire Taylor for “at least five sessions” of recording for Bayonetta 3. Meanwhile, VGC and its sources say that Taylor would’ve only needed “as few as four”. Either way, both agree that Platinum had a budget of $3,000 to $4,000 for each four-hour session, which is many times the “insulting” $4,000 offer that Taylor asserts in her now-viral videos.
Furthermore, Bloomberg’s sources report that Taylor asked for a six-figure deal with added residuals based on the success of Bayonetta 3. PlatinumGames refused this offer as Taylor turned down a chance to cameo for one session worth of pay. Taylor has since denied these claims to both Bloomberg and VGC, describing the accounts as an “absolute lie” and the developer’s attempt to “save their asses in the game.”
Series director, Hideki Kamiya, also briefly decried Taylor’s latest remarks on Twitter before disappearing from Twitter.
Taylor’s scenario is familiar and common. Voice actors don’t get paid enough to voice the leads of AAA games that sell thousands if not millions. Contrary to popular belief, the voice actors get paid per session. They rarely earn residuals and bonuses. This is unlike movie and TV stars, who receive additional money from the movies that sell millions of copies or when a show is vindicated, released on Blu-ray, and more.
Similar to Bayonetta 2, Bayonetta 3 will be exclusive to the Nintendo Switch. Platinum or Nintendo has revealed a PC version although you might have spotted the game’s name on the infamous Nvidia GeForce Now list. It’s possible that this will happen in the future, but it will be a huge surprise if it did.
Platinum recently welcomed a long-time employee from Nintendo to an executive position in the studio to strengthen its relationship with the console manufacturer. We’re pretty sure bringing Bayonetta 3 to the PC is not the best way to get in Nintendo’s good graces.
