In a surprising turn of events, Neil Newbon, the voice behind Astarion in Baldur’s Gate 3, recently revealed that he was on the brink of quitting acting altogether before finding solace in gaming. The actor, who clinched the Best Supporting Performer award at the Golden Joysticks 2023, shared his remarkable story during his acceptance speech, stating, “When I found games I was broke, I was on my knees, I actually was very close to quitting the [acting] industry.”
Newbon’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary, considering he is now a contender for the Best Performance award at the upcoming Game Awards, competing against industry heavyweights like Yuri Lowenthal (Spider-Man 2), Melanie Liburd (Alan Wake 2), and Idris Elba (Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty).
During a candid phone conversation, Newbon shed light on his struggles in the industry around 2008/9, where he faced financial challenges and growing disillusionment with traditional acting. Working part-time jobs and grappling with rejection had left him feeling downtrodden, pushing him to the brink of giving up on his dreams.
It was pivotal when Newbon decided to explore voice acting and motion capture (mocap), breathing new life into his career. This shift allowed him to separate his looks from the equation, a factor that had hindered his on-screen character work. “That was so amazingly freeing. It meant I could play anything appropriate to my ethnic background in casting… that was so liberating. But also, people embraced me… I’m very humbled and grateful. So yeah, I got saved by games.”
Reflecting on the industry’s harsh realities, Newbon acknowledged that sometimes there’s no fairness, and life isn’t always just. Yet, he didn’t view it as a personal affront but rather a crushing reality that he had to face. He contemplated the idea that certain features might limit roles, not in terms of beauty standards, but the logistical challenges of casting.
Despite the hardships, Newbon’s dedication to acting and his transformative performance in Baldur’s Gate 3 prevailed. He emphasized that acting is more than just a vocation—it’s an intrinsic part of who you are. Acknowledging his luck, he credited it to being “ready for the luck” and emphasized the importance of hard work and learning from failure.
Now in the spotlight with the success of Baldur’s Gate 3 and other character-driven roles, such as Karl Heisenberg in Resident Evil: Village, Newbon remains humble and eager to explore diverse opportunities. He expressed his love for work and the joy of collaborating with different people, emphasizing that he’s open to various projects, from indie games to in-game mocap work. As he looks back on the past couple of decades, he describes them as one of the best periods of his life.
