The Bayonetta 3 Voice Actor Drama Just Took An Interesting Turn
The upcoming launch of Bayonetta 3 is pretty exciting for long-term fans, but it's starting to get a little overshadowed online. It turns out that the voice actress for Bayonetta herself had been replaced, with Hellena Taylor being dropped in mysterious circumstances.
Taylor herself has since revealed in a series of Twitter videos that she didn't return to voice the iconic character because she claims Platinum Games only offered her $4,000 to voice the entire game. But now, that allegation has been called into question with a new report.
Platinum Games Claims Hellena Taylor Is Lying
A counter report by Bloomberg UK has claimed that, opposite to Taylor's account, the voice actor was actually offered between $3,000 and $4,000 per session - totalling an estimated $15,000 for the actress' work.
The report indicates that Hellena Taylor rebutted the offer, instead asking for a six-figure fee and residuals instead. After which, some "lengthy negotiations" were struck up, and Platinum Games then hired new actress Jennifer Hale.
It's an interesting investigation, especially given that Taylor seemed incredibly sincere in her videos - and she has also hit back against these new claims made in Bloomberg's investigation.
Original Bayonetta Calls Platinum Games' Claims "Categorically Untrue"
In comments to both VGC and Bloomberg, Hellena Taylor has called these fresh claims untrue. She says that the suggestion of being offered more than $4,000 is "categorically untrue," and says that the claims that she could have earned $15,000 "an absolute lie, a complete joke."
"I'd quite like to put this in the [rearview] mirror and leave the whole bloody franchise behind," she says in private messages to VGC. "So I think I'll just let my videos stand. I spoke the truth." Regardless of what the truth is here, it's a shame to see such an iconic voice leave the franchise. Here's hoping that Jennifer Hale can handle becoming Bayonetta, because she's got some mighty big (and tall, and loaded) boots to fill.
