Hellena Taylor Says Bayonetta 3 Absence Due To “Immoral” Compensation, Calls For Fans To Boycott The Game

Warning:This article discusses suicide prevention and treatment.

One of Bayonetta 3’s most head-scratching decisions was Platinum’s decision to switch Bayonetta’s voice actor from Hellena Taylor to Jennifer Hale. Taylor played the Umbra Witch in the first two games, but Platinum explained in our cover story that she wouldn’t reprise the role due to “various overlapping circumstances.” Taylor has been largely silent on the issue, presumably due to NDAs, but has broken her silence with a fiery message claiming “immoral” compensation from Platinum. 

In Twitter threadTaylor posted a video message in three parts where she explained how the relationship between her and Platinum fell apart. She says that when Bayonetta 3 was in development, she was required to re-audition for the role, which is standard practice since a performer’s voice can change as they age. Taylor states she passed “with flying colors,” to which Platinum presented her with what she describes as “an insulting offer”. 

Taylor says she then wrote Hideki Kamiya directly to demand “what I’m worth.” She says Kamiya replied by expressing his value for her talent and her popularity with the fanbase. Platinum gave her $4,000 per voiceover. 

“The Bayonetta franchise made an approximated $450 million. That’s not including merchandise,” says Taylor. “…this is an insult to me, the amount of time that I took to work on my talent, and everything that I have given to this game and to the fans. The fans should boycott the game. Instead, spend any money you have on it and donate to charities. I didn’t want the world. I didn’t ask for too much. I just wanted a decent living wage. What they did was legal, but it was immoral.”

Taylor, a classically trained actor, writer, and director, says she’s calling for the boycott as a show of solidarity for underpaid workers. She comments on England’s cost of living and wage issues, saying, “there are nurses going to food banks to feed their children. It is unacceptable. It impacts mental health.” Taylor says the financial strife caused her to suffer bouts of depression and anxiety to the extent that she was at one point suicidal. 

“I am not afraid of the non-disclosure agreement,” says Taylor. “I can’t even afford to run a car. I don’t know what they are going to do with my clothes. Good luck to them.” 

Hellena Taylor

As for Platinum’s statement implying that a scheduling conflict was the reason Taylor was recast, she responds by saying: 

“Platinum had the cheek to say that I was busy, that they ‘couldn’t make it work with Ms. Taylor’s schedule’ while I had nothing but time,” says Taylor.

Taylor comments that Jennifer Hale should replace Taylor, saying: 

“They now have a new girl voicing her over. She is a great actor, and I am happy for her. Bayonetta is not her voice, and she doesn’t have any right to. It was me who created this voice. Bayonetta has no rights to sell merchandise. Eva Green does not have any right to be Eva Green. That portrayal is hers and hers alone.” 

Taylor concludes by saying, “They’ll probably try to do a spin-off with Jeanne. Don’t buy that one either.” 

There you have it. We’ll see how or if Platinum responds (especially legally since Taylor is evidently breaking an NDA), but this is bad PR blow with Bayonetta 3 so close to release. Many Bayonetta enthusiasts suspected that Platinum had said more than was stated. Others hoped that Hellena would still be a Bayonetta version because of the multiversal storyline. That’s not the case, apparently, and it’ll be interesting to see if a boycott does gain any traction. 

Bayonetta 3 will be available for Switch users on October 28, 2012.