Baldur’s Gate 3’s Shadowheart VA Career Insight Is Fascinating

The journey from anonymous voice work in forgettable titles to becoming the face (or rather, voice) of one of gaming’s most beloved characters is fascinating. English’s path to Baldur’s Gate 3 wasn’t paved in diamonds; rather, it was built on experience and a clear passion for what she loved doing.

What makes this admission particularly endearing is English’s self-aware humor about it. She’s not trying to pretend she emerged fully formed as a gaming voice acting goddess. She’s acknowledging that everyone starts somewhere, and sometimes that somewhere is a game so bad it gets buried deeper than the Underdark’s worst secrets.

The Games We Don’t Talk About

The fact that English won’t name these mysterious bad games only makes finding them more enticing, doesn’t it? Are we talking about those annoying mobile cash grabs advertised on literally everything? (Looking at you, Raid: Shadow Legends! Leave me alone!) Scams and data-mining programs disguised as poor excuses for games? Ambitious titles that over-promised and under-delivered? The speculation alone is entertainment gold.

This selective amnesia when it comes to CVs isn’t uncommon in the entertainment industry. Actors regularly “forget” to mention their appearances in B-movies or failed TV pilots. In gaming, where the quality spectrum ranges from masterpieces like Baldur’s Gate 3 to games that make you wonder how they passed quality assurance, it’s a necessary survival mechanism. You can’t blame them for wanting the best showcase of their skills. Luckily, she’ll likely never need to bury any of her future projects, all thanks to Baldur’s Gate 3!

The Honest Actor We Need

In an industry where PR speak often dominates interviews, evoking vapid and disingenuous presentations of themselves and their work, English’s willingness to admit she’s been part of some genuine stinkers is refreshingly human (weird that’s a thing we have to point out nowadays, huh?). It reminds us that behind every beloved character is a PERSON who’s probably made some questionable career choices along the way, just like the rest of us.

Her approach to discussing her less-than-stellar past projects shows a level of maturity and humor that’s undeniably attractive. It would be too easy for her to dunk on these titles, potentially leading those less-than-amicable types to bully the devs who may have tried their darndest. She’s not bitter about the bad games, nor is she pretending they don’t exist. She’s simply moved on, learned from them, and used those experiences to deliver better performances in titles worthy of her talent.

The gaming industry could use more of this kind of honesty, especially when so many actors and developers seem allergic to admitting when something didn’t work out as planned. It’s almost as though transparency and maturity are universally attractive aspects to any person or IP worth following. Wild, isn’t it?

Thank you for being human, Jennifer English! We’re excited to see you reach for the stars! Or maybe the Planescape!