Baldur's Gate 3: Every Role Astarion Actor Neil Newbon Has…

Summary

Baldur's Gate 3, featuring Neil Newbon's award-winning performance as Astarion, won six awards at The Game Awards 2023.
Neil Newbon has portrayed a wide range of characters in the video game industry.
Astarion, the lovable vampire rogue in Baldur's Gate 3, has become a fan favorite, with Neil Newbon's portrayal bringing joy and validation to players.

The Game Awards 2023 has concluded, and Baldur’s Gate 3 has won six awards, including Best Performance, which was won by Neil Newbon for his role as the handsome high elf vampire Astarion. The now multi-award-winning Baldur’s Gate 3 is not the only game Newbon has appeared in, though.

Newbon became an award-winning actor after receiving a well-deserved win for Best Supporting Performer at the 2023 Golden Joystick Awards and now Best Performance at The Game Awards 2023. Before winning these awards for his role as Astarion, Newbon had previously played characters such as Karl Heisenburg in Resident Evil Village, Elijah Kamski from Detroit: Become Human, and many others.

Baldur's Gate 3: The Best Ways For Heroic Players To Still Earn Astarion's Approval

While Baldur's Gate 3's Astarion is not necessarily a heroic character, players can still earn his approval and his heart while choosing good actions.

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By Katelyn Mitchell Jewett

Every Role Neil Newbon Has Had In The Video Game Industry

Newbon has quite a range of talents in the industry. He’s portrayed a wide variety of characters over the years, as well as providing general motion capture work:

The Secret World: John Galahad, Thutmose, Father Lucian, and Adrian Zorlescu
Spacelords: Additional voices
Planet of the Apes: Last Frontier: Bryn, Mikey, and additional voices
Detroit: Become Human: Elijah Kamski and Gavin Reed
We Happy Few's Lightbearer DLC : Nick Lightbearer
Resident Evil 3 and Resident Evil: Resistance: Nicholai Ginovaef
Beyond a Steel Sky: Alonso
Resident Evil Village: Karl Heisenberg
Star Wars: The Old Republic: Cyborg and additional voices
Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Zeon
Deliver Us Mars: Isaac
Baldur’s Gate 3: Astarion

Detroit: Become Human

The Elusive Elijah Kamski

Elijah Kamski is the enigmatic founder and former CEO of Cyberlife and was the man who invented the androids. For unknown reasons, 10 years before the events of the game, he retreated to live a life of isolation with the first model of android, called Chloe. There is a lot of speculation about why he disappeared from the public eye. Maybe he theorized about the eventual android rebellion and decided to stay clear of it and only wished to return when the deviants failed, which is seen in Detroit: Become Human's secret Kamski ending.

The Unexpected Fan Favorite: Gavin Reed

Gavin Reed is a police detective and is somewhat seen as a minor antagonist in Connor's story. He is frequently seen trying to goad and antagonize Detroit: Become Human's Connor to get a reaction out of him. He was originally intended to be a minor character, but Gavin quickly became a fan favorite in Detroit: Become Human and came to be featured in many fan creations, such as fan fiction and the fan film Detroit Evolution, which is described as a love letter to Gavin Reed and Nines (RK900), as well as the pairing of the two characters, and to the world of Detroit: Become Human.

Resident Evil

Nicholai Ginovaef in Resident Evil 3 Remake & Resident Evil: Resistance

Resident Evil's Nicholai Ginovaef, also known as Nikolai Zinoviev, is an antagonist in Resident Evil 3. Neil Newbon came to play him in the 2020 remake of Resident Evil 3, and the multiplayer spin-off, Resident Evil: Resistance. However, there is another character in the Resident Evil franchise that Newbon is more recognized for.

Karl Heisenberg in Resident Evil Village

Karl Heisenberg is Neil Newbon’s most well-known performance in the Resident Evil franchise. Karl Heisenberg is one of the memorable antagonists in Resident Evil Village alongside Lady Dimitrescu. Newbon's performance has been praised as Resident Evil's Karl Heisenberg and it's argued that he should have survived for longer, as he had the potential to bring more to the story or perhaps become the next main villain.

Baldur’s Gate 3

The Lovable Vampire Astarion

No list of Neil Newbon’s characters would be complete without a nod to his breathtaking performance as the lovable vampire rogue, Astarion. Neil Newbon’s portrayal of Astarion has brought joy and happiness to many fans of Baldur’s Gate 3. Astarion is a victim and a survivor, and Neil Newbon admitted how the game has helped many fans feel validated and represented for the first time. For fans of Baldur's Gate 3's Astarion to feel seen and validated is a true testament to the amazing skills of the writer of Astarion, Stephen Rooney, and Neil Newbon’s portrayal of the witty rogue, let alone the rest of the game.

Astarion has many memorable moments in Baldur’s Gate 3. From his snarky and witty comments to his personal quest to confront Cazador. His romance with the player, if they choose to romance him, is heartfelt and wholesome and shows that sometimes a simple hug can convey a thousand words. He’s not just a charming vampire, he also has a deep emotional and impactful storyline. His quest to confront Cazador and become his own person was a heart-wrenching tale that ended in him either remaining as a Spawn or becoming the Vampire Ascendent.

Best Supporting Performer and Best Performance At The 2023 Golden Joystick Awards & The Game Awards 2023

Astarion is a popular character in Baldur’s Gate 3, and with Neil Newbon’s portrayal of this complicated, witty, and impactful vampire who managed to claim the hearts of many players, it is no surprise that Neil Newbon won both the Best Supporting Performer at the 2023 Golden Joystick Awards and the Best Performance at the 2023 Game Awards. Many moments show why Neil Newbon deserved these awards.

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RPG

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OpenCritic Reviews: Top Critic Avg: 96 /100 Critics Rec: 97%

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Released: August 3, 2023
ESRB: M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
Developer(s): Larian Studios
Publisher(s): Larian Studios
Engine: Divinity 4.0
Multiplayer: Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op
Cross-Platform Play: Full cross-platform play.