Current Events > Helena Taylor speaks out on not voicing Bayonetta in Bayo 3.

(+) Yeah! (+)

Short story: They were offering her a total of $4000 USD for the entire project, which she says is not a living wage.

https://twitter.com/hellenataylor/status/1581289084718227456

Now I'm sure it'll come out over the course of the weekend what is a proper living wage for a project like that. I don't have that info right now, though.

She's calling for a boycott.

EDIT: I will say that it's EXTREMELY bold for an actor to just come out and say these kinds of things, because this is the kind of stuff that can torpedo a career.

Didn't they get fucking Jennifer Hale to replace her? Can't imagine she did it for $4000. Did they just really want her gone or what?

DarthAragorn posted...

Didn't they get fucking Jennifer Hale to replace her? Can't imagine she did it for $4000. Did they just really want her gone or what?

Agreed, I would be very surprised if she did it for that much

Yeah voice acting doesn't pay bills here. My girl working at an AMC theater with Bryson Baugus (Bell Cranel) is anecdotal proof of that.
You gotta be like a big name to command any kind of respectable income.

DarthAragorn posted...

Didn't they get fucking Jennifer Hale to replace her? Can't imagine she did it for $4000. Did they just really want her gone or what?

A very good question.

How did they get Jennifer Hale for less than that?

DarthAragorn posted...

Didn't they get fucking Jennifer Hale to replace her? Can't imagine she did it for $4000. Did they just really want her gone or what?

Jennifer's a high in demand VA who can get hired anywhere so that's just another paycheck job for her along with other working gigs she has on her plate.

Helena's performance is franchise-defining at this point plus her other Bayonetta appearances so her argument is justified. Idk what the going rate for that kind of job is though, assuming $4K is nothing if she lives in Cali.

Jagr_68 posted...

Jennifer's a high in demand VA who can get hired anywhere so that's just another paycheck job for her along with other working gigs she has on her plate.

Helena's performance is franchise-defining at this point plus her other Bayonetta appearances so her argument is justified. Idk what the going rate for that kind of job is though, assuming $4K is nothing if she lives in Cali.

Right - what I'm saying is that Jennifer Hale surely cost well over $4000. Making this an even shittier thing to do.

Irony posted...

How did they get Jennifer Hale for less than that?

I can't imagine they did so either this isn't the whole story or they tried to lowball Hellena Taylor because she's not a big enough name, but were willing to pay more for a bigger name? But I can't really see that, I would say Bayonetta's voice was fairly iconic. Who knows though.

That is a terrible amount to pay someone for a VA role, especially for one as important as her.

But I struggle to believe Hale accepted such a small amount either, given her fame in the industry. Really makes it seem like they wanted her gone and wanted "star fame" to add to the game.

They really don't respect voice actors, do they? 4 grand to voice the main character of a game sounds like absolute peanuts.

evilpresident posted...

They really don't respect voice actors, do they? 4 grand to voice the main character of a game sounds like absolute peanuts.

They don't. It's like with Crunchyroll and the new Mob Psycho season.

Yeah, they got Jennifer Hale, who is a superstar in the VA world, who I can't believe would take a role that pays that low. There's something more here.

That sounds like a few days at Best of work. How much dialogue does this actually have for her to work with, a couple hours? I can understand if it was a game that required voice and motion capture simultaneously but this game clearly doesnt give the ridiculous shit she does.

Ivynn posted...

Yeah, they got Jennifer Hale, who is a superstar in the VA world, who I can't believe would take a role that pays that low. There's something more here.

Or even take it if she knew the previous voice of the character was forced out/low balled/treated badly. She's always seemed a good sort.

Really wonder what Platinum Games was thinking here, or if is more to the story.

CyricZ posted...

Short story: They were offering her a total of $4000 USD for the entire project, which she says is not a living wage.

https://twitter.com/hellenataylor/status/1581289084718227456

Now I'm sure it'll come out over the course of the weekend what is a proper living wage for a project like that. I don't have that info right now, though.

She's calling for a boycott.

EDIT: I will say that it's EXTREMELY bold for an actor to just come out and say these kinds of things, because this is the kind of stuff that can torpedo a career.

Is it bad if its true?

I feel for her, truly, but I cant not get Bayonetta 3.

thx1138 posted...

Is it bad if its true?

If what's true?

AvlButtslam posted...

I feel for her, truly, but I cant not get Bayonetta 3.

Yeah, if people didn't care about Ubisoft and Blizzard's horrendous crimes, not a chance they will care enough about this to not buy it sadly.

wow, they David Hayner'd her. The same thing almost happened to Roger Crag Smith with Sonic til Sega pony'd up due to backlash

When Jennifer Hale was announced as the new voice, we were led to believe Hellena Taylor wasnt available. Bayonetta 3s director called it overlapping circumstances. This is a shame.

Quorthon109 posted...

Bayonetta 3s director called it overlapping circumstances

I don't know if he was in a legal position to say anything else. I honestly can't imagine that the people making the game would have been cavalier about replacing her role.

Now the question in that direction is, how hard did they fight for retaining Ms. Taylor in the role? If the answer is "not very much at all", then that's throwing her under the bus, assuredly.

hellena taylor
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0773321/

jennifer hale
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0354937/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

the no-name VA that seemingly hasn't done any VA work since 2014 probably doesn't have much negotiation room, even if they did do that specific voice in the previous iterations of the series. bayo games also don't have a whole lot of dialogue, so 4k seems about right for what was probably a 2-3 week stint at the studio for a very low profile voice actress

If you're gonna be forced to pay more, might as well get a bigger name.

No offense to anyone but if you're gonna try to force the issue in terms of pay and you can get someone with a bigger name, why not? Hell, given Jennifer Hale's success in the industry and whatnot, being able to play an iconic character she may have actually accepted whatever Helena demanded.

Kaiganeer posted...

4k seems about right

This is an abusive mindset.

Jeff_AKA_Snoopy posted...

If you're gonna be forced to pay more, might as well get a bigger name.

Jeff, have you played the Bayonetta series?

Aren't Japanese developers known for underpaying?

CyricZ posted...

Jeff, have you played the Bayonetta series?

I beat the first one. It was pretty good in terms of that genre absolutely.

Kaiganeer posted...

hellena taylor
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0773321/

jennifer hale
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0354937/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

the no-name VA that seemingly hasn't done any VA work since 2014 probably doesn't have much negotiation room, even if they did do that specific voice in the previous iterations of the series. bayo games also don't have a whole lot of dialogue, so 4k seems about right for what was probably a 2-3 week stint at the studio for a very low profile voice actress

She's not doing just a handful of lined. She's doing hours of work for weeks. 4k for that? Fuck off

Funkydog posted...

Yeah, if people didn't care about Ubisoft and Blizzard's horrendous crimes, not a chance they will care enough about this to not buy it sadly.

Yeah, boycotts don't work, especially for games.

Platinum is slowly becoming a bad dev.

They push Babylon Falls, one of the worst games ever made. After it flops spectacularly and everyone says they don't want shit like that they literally do that dumb Goofy meme I'll fuckin do it again.

Jeff_AKA_Snoopy posted...

I beat the first one. It was pretty good in terms of that genre absolutely.

So I may have a bit more close perspective on this because the YT channel WoolieVS just started up a Bayo 2 LP last week so it's very fresh in my mind, but believe me when I say that her voice is a KEY part of that character, and she absolutely works for it.

I knew it was a David Hayter situation. Developers just wanted a bigger name.

ive never played bayonetta but now i wont start

double plus points, cuz i think jennifer hale sux

Squall28 posted...

I knew it was a David Hayter situation. Developers just wanted a bigger name.

This is not proven, by the way, and it kinda breaks apart when you realize that Jennifer Hale is a big name to us, the esteemed gaming community, but bringing in Kiefer Sutherland for MGS was the Hollywood stunt casting effect, much like Chris Pratt being Mario in the upcoming movie.

Step out of the gaming circle and you will find few people who know who Jennifer Hale is just by the name.

Also remember that Hale was only announced as the voice actor a couple weeks ago. We've been hearing her in trailers all this time and no one picked up on it, let alone announced it.

She's hella bold for coming out and saying this. I guess she figured she's not voicing the character ever again so fuck it

Literally $4k for the face of the only good franchise you have. Insane. Knew situations were still bad for voice talent but didnt realize it was THAT bad still.

I too want to know if Jennifer Hale took an offer that low to replace her. Would be genuinely surprised if she did

CyricZ posted...

So I may have a bit more close perspective on this because the YT channel WoolieVS just started up a Bayo 2 LP last week so it's very fresh in my mind, but believe me when I say that her voice is a KEY part of that character, and she absolutely works for it.

The fact her voice is so key/iconic to the character is what makes me think this isn't the whole truth. If they were going to be willing/forced to pay more in the end anyway (presumably) why not just pay for the voice that's iconic to the character? Jennifer Hale is great, probably a better overall voice actor, but at the end of the day she isn't Bayonetta.

Unless in the end it was just sour grapes that she asked for more at all. Or maybe she asked for too much, more than what Jennifer Hale was willing to do it for? Like someone else said, she hasn't had any VA gigs since 2014, maybe she's hurting for money and tried to hold them over a barrel figuring they wouldn't replace her.

Either way, I just have a hard time believing this is the whole story.

Voice acting in general is a toxic job to have because unless you are a huge Hollywood name you will get shit on and be made a mockery of, even by the people you hire.

That is just how the industry is and the only fix is if the voice acting industry just falls apart.

ArchNemo posted...

The fact her voice is so key/iconic to the character is what makes me think this isn't the whole truth.

I agree on this.

And I don't have an answer on why Hale and not Taylor. There's a lot of this that doesn't make sense.

And you suggest:

ArchNemo posted...

she hasn't had any VA gigs since 2014, maybe she's hurting for money and tried to hold them over a barrel figuring they wouldn't replace her.

And my response there is why speak up at all in that case? Why risk hurting her career further? Why not just take the pennies that she apparently needs?

Especially when the game comes out in two weeks.

There's no way they got Jennifer Hale for $4k especially since she's union, so it can't be an issue of them cutting costs. Something is very off here.

I find it impossible to believe Hale is being paid less than $4,000.

As far as VAs go, she's A-List.

Would be like if Christian Slater refused to sign on for a movie because of low pay and then they hired The Rock

Something is fishy about this, did Platinum just want her out?

I wonder if Hale will ever comment.

CyricZ posted...

I agree on this.

And I don't have an answer on why Hale and not Taylor. There's a lot of this that doesn't make sense.

And you suggest:

And my response there is why speak up at all in that case? Why risk hurting her career further? Why not just take the pennies that she apparently needs?

Especially when the game comes out in two weeks.

What career though? She hasn't had an acting/voice acting gig in almost a decade. She probably has a day job now and not much to risk by speaking up. Either way it's just a guess.

Though, I'm thinking what's even more likely is they wanted to replace her anyway but knew they had to at least make a pretense of asking, and offered her an absurdly low sum knowing she wouldn't take it.

So now they can say, "Oh well, we tried" as they get the VA they preferred.

Heck it's been 10 years, maybe she can't even do the voice anymore?

ArchNemo posted...

What career though?

Actors do plenty of things that aren't roles in film, TV, or video games. Just because it's not on IMDB, doesn't mean they're not working. There's audio captions, commercials, stage roles, etc.

Now of course, I can't prove that she's been working, but are you in a place to prove she hasn't?

Honestly that tone of voice doesn't sound like someone who does acting on a lark.

Ok I just watched her part 2 and 3 and I smell a rat.

Before someone gets on my back I'm not a Platinum Fanboy and won't be buying Bayonetta 3 anyway. VAs are underpaid and Japan being iffy about hiring VAs in a union says a lot.

That said, in the other videos she made she got a translator to write a letter to the CEO of Platinum Games in Japanese to complain about her low pay.

Then she compares herself to nurses having to eat from Food Banks because they are so low paid.

Then she complains about Hale (Who she disrespectfully only refers to as "New Girl" despite Hale being a much more talented and widely respected Veteran VA) and says Hale has no right to sign Bayonetta Merch since Hale isn't Bayonetta, she (Helena Taylor) is. (fucking wat?)

She comes across as super arrogant, bitter and bad at negotiating...

Makes me think that the guys making the game didn't want her around. Especially considering they will be paying Hale so much more.

DeadBankerDream posted...

I wonder if Hale will ever comment.

Very much doubt it. There is literally no benefit to her for doing so and potential risk.

CyricZ posted...

Actors do plenty of things that aren't roles in film, TV, or video games. Just because it's not on IMDB, doesn't mean they're not working. There's audio captions, commercials, stage roles, etc.

Now of course, I can't prove that she's been working, but are you in a place to prove she hasn't?

In her second video she says she hasn't been working and is completely broke.

CyricZ posted...

Actors do plenty of things that aren't roles in film, TV, or video games. Just because it's not on IMDB, doesn't mean they're not working. There's audio captions, commercials, stage roles, etc.

Now of course, I can't prove that she's been working, but are you in a place to prove she hasn't?

Honestly that tone of voice doesn't sound like someone who does acting on a lark.

I'm not, but I'm really just throwing ideas at the wall. At the end of the day nobody but her and Platinum know why she wasn't picked.

Guns_of_Verdun posted...

In her second video she says she hasn't been working and is completely broke.

If this is actually the case, chances are she probably doesn't even have an agent to help her negotiate either. Which means she's probably just throwing out random sums she feels she's worth.