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Neil Newbon, the voice of Astarion in Baldur’s Gate 3, delivered the performance of a lifetime for Larian’s RPG. It’s well-known just how deep the actor got into the role with one of the character’s best moments being pure improv on the side of the performer.
As it turns out, there’s still a lot of Astarion left within Newbon as, to this day, some of the vampire companion’s mannerisms have stayed with them.
Astarion is still lingering in Neil Newbon
Speaking to YouTuber Luality, Newbon explained that it’s hard for a character to not stay with you after spending so long inhabiting them. Newbon’s time as Astarion spanned multiple years, and part of the character hasn’t left.
Newbon said there’s a period with actors where they try “to shake the character off a little bit”, but sometimes something lingers even after that process. (Think Austin Butler struggling to rid himself of that Elvis accent.)
“There’s some things about certain characters that I’ve taken on a little too much,” Newbon told the YouTuber. “Some of my laughter turns into Astarion’s sometimes, which is a bit funny.”
Alongside Astarion, Newbon has also kept some mannerisms from Bryn, the ape he played in the video game spin-off Planet of the Apes: Last Frontier. As it turns out, lingering mannerisms from your time as a digital monkey can be a bit more annoying than those of a suave vampire.
“There are certain mannerisms that he had that had lingered when I get really p*ssed off about some things,” Newbon explained. “[It] doesn’t happen very often. But I do find myself doing things that my ape used to do when I’m annoyed.”
Since his time in Baldur’s Gate 3, Newbon has starred in a number of additional roles including Lies of P: Overture, Date Everything, and Dead Take. Who knows what other mannerisms the actor will pick up next?
About the Author
Baldur’s Gate 3
- Platform(s): macOS, PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series S/X, Xbox Series X
- Genre(s): Adventure, RPG, Strategy
