Baldur’s Gate 3has been showered with praise and accolades since its release last year, including for the performances of its voice actors.
Everyone brought their A-Game to their respective characters, breathing life and personality into them in several (and for some, award-winning) ways.
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Baldur’s Gate 3 has a massive cast list. Here are some of the most prominent among them.
That said, some performances stand out far more prominently than others, either due to a unique voice or a range of emotions displayed. While every single voice actor did phenomenal work on their part, some simply went above and beyond.
This article contains spoilers for certain companions and their quests.
10Emma Gregory
Best Scene/Conversation
Allowing her into your mind/her romantic confession
“You dare scarmymind? I willgutyou.”
Mintharahas quite possibly one of the most unique voices in the game; it can make players wonder if this type of accent is more prevalent inMenzoberranzan, her home city.
Her distinct voice, which utilizes rasp and nasal tones, carries power and authority.Yet, somehow, it is a voice that is all edge and no softness, somehow still manages to be pretty.
Alongside this,Emma Gregorymanages togive Minthara layers of depthand emotion that aren’t visible at first glance. She’s able to perfectly capture an Underdark-hardened noble: a tough exterior and fierce intelligence, but a leader with loyalty at heart.
She offers a wide range within her performance, all allowing Minthara to be a more fleshed-out morally grey/evil character.
9Helen Keeley
Dame Aylin
Her victory monologue after defeating Lorroakan
“She sent me, didn’t she?”
Dame Aylin’svoice absolutely exudes Paladin Energy. It’s loud, it’s bold, it’s strong and mighty, and about as heroic as one can imagine.
Yet, something thatHelen Keeleyalso captures is the hints of madness among the divine wrath, the shadows of grief lingering behind her righteous fury, years upon years of torment taking a clear toll on theMoonmaiden’s Sword.
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Despite still fighting for light and for good, being trapped in theShadowfelland murdered over and over bySharrans seeking to become Dark Justiciarsfor over a hundred years still (understandably) haunts Aylin, and it shows in Keeley’s performance. It’s excellent.
At the same time, Aylin will say bold, poetic lines with such grandiose enthusiasm that they will spark an unexpected laugh. Her unintentional hilarity really adds to the warmth of her character and improves her overall.
8Amelia Tyler
Describing The Dark Urge’s recovered memories of Orin in the Temple of Bhaal
“Everything you did, everything you sacrificed — it was worth it, for this.”
No game ofDungeons and Dragonsis complete without itsDungeon Master, andAmelia Tylerperfectly plays the role of the game’s narrator.
Considering that her voice is the one we hear most in the game, it was basically required to be — and her narration was captivating. Her descriptive delivery is memorable, and her flexible performance is different with every character, allowing for a refreshing experience each time.
Tyler was able to invoke such strong emotions from players with how well she handled her storytelling. She knew when to emphasize and when to describe. Her words pack a punch, and she landed every single hit.
7Redd Pepper
Sarevok Anchev
His introduction at the Murder Tribunal
“This is the court of the Dread Lord’s Tribunal. I am its custodian.”
While some fans miss the original voice actor forSarevok Anchev,Redd Pepper’stake on his voice is, no pun intended, absolutely killer.
Sarevok has one of the coolest and most intimidating voices in the game. Even for those who haven’t played the original Baldur’s Gate game, players understood the threat sitting on the throne in front of them. Pepper’s famously deep voice carried enough bass that it rolled a Natural 20 for Intimidation.
Sarevok already had a deep voice, so Pepper’s extra rumble and bass give the character an extra edge.
It’s a voice that’s terrifying in every single playthrough, no matter how many times it’s heard, which is exactly the kind of threatthe dreaded Bhaalspawn’svoice should have.
6Maggie Robertson
Orin The Red
Her final conversation with Gortash before the start of Act 3
“Come to me, Father. Set my flesh to your unholy purpose!”
Orin’s voice is, very simply, a perfect display of pure madness.
Maggie Robertson is a voice actress of many talents, proving that with her work asLady Dimitrescu in Resident Evil: Village. However, with Orin, she takes it to the next level with a Bhaalspawn staple: unhinged depravity.
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Robertson’s portrayal of Orin strikes unease in the player by utilizing her deranged lunacy as a vocal backdrop and character trait. Each word purposely sounds like it lacks filter or logic, just an insatiable bloodlust reaching for chaos.
With this, she’s able to make Orin equal parts intriguing and terrifying, befitting theLash of Bhaal.
5Devora Wilde
Her Romantic Duel in Act Two
“If Voss speaks true, if ascension is a lie, if tadpole purification is a fairy tale, then I have not sinned against Vlaakith.Shehas sinned againstme.”
Devora Wildehad a daunting challenge ahead of her withLae’zel, a complicated character with a powerfully complicated voice to match.
A githyanki fighter in every sense of the word, Lae’zel is harsh, brash, direct —overall, just aggressive. Utilizing rasp andthe Githyanki language, Wilde can present Lae’zel very easily as a threat.
However, Wilde brought enough wit and charm for players to realize that her battle-hardened exterior could be peeled back, revealing a passionate and even tender heart on the inside.
Born from Lae’zel’s grief after being betrayed byVlaakith, this shift makes her go from being “the mean one” to one of the best characters in the entire game.
4Jennifer English
Shadowheart
Getting her parents back from Shar at the House of Grief
“Let go, Mother. Embrace Loss.”
Shadowheart’s voice is similar to that of her favorite flower,the night orchid. It’s a beautiful, delicate flower that can survive in darkness, and her voice carries that same sentiment.
Jennifer Englishwas able to perfectly capture the darkness vs light dichotomy that Shadowheart as a character brings to the party through her voice, an impressive feat by any means.
Shadowheart’s range as a character is what made her so adored in the first place, so it’s only fitting this range is also present in English’s vocal performance.
Shadowheart is also widely regarded among players as one of, if notthe main character of the game, given how her story is so deeply rooted in every area in each act, so her voice had to match that history — and it did.
3Samantha Béart
Karlach’s breakdown after killing Gortash
“Aw, was that Gale’s grandad?”
On the surface,Karlachis a fun, happy-go-lucky character with tons of hysterical dialogue and laugh-out-loud moments.
However, as the game progresses, fear starts to creep in along with the looming threat of mortality, when it becomes clear that no matter what the player does,Karlach will not have a happy ending.
Then she finally gets her revenge onGortash, the man who betrayed her and destroyed her life, and players are hit with one of the most gut-wrenching moments in the entire game.
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Samantha Béartwas able to capture so much pent-up rage and pain with Karlach while maintaining such a joyful demeanor that her performance was heartbreaking every single time.
The tragedy of Karlach is carried in her voice every single time she speaks: a voice that begs, “I want to live.” Yet, in the same breath, she’ll drop the funniest line that completely comes out of left field. It’s this dynamic that Béart was able to capture wonderfully with Karlach.
2J.K. Simmons
Ketheric Thorm
Encountering him for the first time on his throne at Moonrise Towers
“Perhaps you hoped to learn your place in history before you are erased from it; a bright flash of clarity before the snuffing out.”
J.K. Simmonsis an Oscar-winning actor for a reason, and it’s all the more prevalent with his performance asKetheric Thorm.
It’s hard to imagine anyone else being the voice ofMyrkul’s fearsome general, his tone being equal parts intimidating and sympathetic.
Simmons’s performance turned Ketheric Thorm into the best villain in the game, with one of the most compelling narratives of any NPC encountered.
Simmons perfectly captures the pain and anguish of a grieving father driven down a dark path. His voice walks the line of sadness and desperation, motivated by love that’s completely lost the plot.
1Neil Newbon
Visiting his grave
“This is a gift, you know, thank you. I won’t forget it.”
There is a reason whyNeil NewbonwonBest Performance at the 2023 Game Awardsfor his portrayal ofAstarion.
Astarion had to use his charm and charisma to seduce people back toCazador, his own bodily autonomy completely disregarded in every instance. He’s used to changing his voice and tone depending on his target, and old habits carry over to his interactions with the player.
Of course, there are differences in his voice depending on his approval and his romance, but the main changes come fromwhether or not he ascends. His voice alone is so integral to his overall personality and attitude, fans can hear the exact moment the cycle of abuse is repeated rather than broken free from.
Newbon’s range of emotion and expression is one of the best seen in gaming. And thankfully, Newbon saidhe’d love to reprise the role if the chance arises, so fans can hope this won’t be the last of his incredible performance.
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Baldur’s Gate 3
WHERE TO PLAY
23 years on from the release of the seminal RPG, Baldur’s Gate 2, the third game in the series has been developed by Larian Studios (of Divinity: Original Sin fame). Set over 120 years after the events of the last game, Baldur’s Gate 3 tasks you and your party of heroes to fight off a mind flayer invasion of Faerun, while seeking a way to remove the tadpole in your brain that’s slowly turning you into the enemy…
