The drama between PlatinumGames and voice actress Hellena Taylor continues over new claims about the pay for what would have been her role in Bayonetta 3. PlatinumGames responded to Taylor’s pleas for a boycott over a lack of pay, saying that it offered her much more than she said.
In a video that went viral and caused many fans to think about boycotting Bayonetta 3 when it releases, Taylor said that she was offered just $4,000 for the role of the title character. PlatinumGames finally responded, telling Bloomberg that the offer was $3,000 to $4,000 per session over the course of five sessions. The publisher then stated that Taylor asked for a six-figure deal that included residuals from the game, but PlatinumGames declined.
Almost immediately after the news broke, Taylor fired back at PlatinumGames. In her emailed response, Taylor said that the offer PlatinumGames revealed to Bloomberg was “an absolute lie,” and that the developer was just trying to save face prior to the release of Bayonetta 3. After so much back-and-forth through the media between the two parties, Taylor has said that she wants to put the Bayonetta franchise behind her and focus on her theatrical career.
The maximum of $4,000 per session that PlatinumGames said it offered would actually be in line with what union actors make for a role that includes more dialogue. Actors from other AAA game productions, including Bryan Dechart of Detroit: Become Human fame, said that he also received $4,000 for a session for a game of similar clout. The minimum for union actors per session is reported to be $900.
The battle between voice actors and game publishers remains an ongoing one. Several years ago, the Screen Actors Guild attempted to get more residuals for voice actors but instead opted to take higher bonuses for sessions. This would be where the $4,000 per session makes more sense. However, for a role as prominent as an established title character in a successful franchise like Bayonetta, Taylor’s requests as reported by PlatinumGames don’t seem out of line.
For now, the conflict between both Taylor and PlatinumGames seems unresolved, but the release of Bayonetta 3 will push forward with new voice actress Jennifer Hale, who has already made a statement regarding the Bayonetta rivalry between the two parties. Hale has faced a lot of backlash from fans for taking the job, and she has asked the boycotting fans to consider all of those who have worked on the game.
Bayonetta 3 is set to release on October 28 for Nintendo Switch.
Source: Bloomberg