Jennifer English, the voice actress behind Maelle in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, almost missed her audition for the role. Released in April 2025, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 became one of the highest-rated games of the year and received multiple Game of the Year awards. It even broke a record for most wins in history at The Game Awards with nine trophies. The RPG was praised for its visuals and storytelling, as well as its turn-based combat gameplay with real-time mechanics. The performances of Clair Obscur's cast were also recognized at award shows.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's star-studded voice cast included the work of Charlie Cox as Gustave, Jennifer English as Maelle, Ben Starr as Verso, and the legendary Andy Serkis as Renoir. The former three were all nominated for Best Performance at The Game Awards 2025, with English taking the prize home. Maelle plays a key role in Clair Obscur's story, and English's compelling voice acting is arguably one of the reasons the character became a fan-favorite among players. Now, actress Jennifer English has revealed that she nearly let her award-winning part slip.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's Jennifer English Almost Missed her Audition for Maelle
In a recent interview with Radio Times Gaming, Jennifer English revealed that she almost did not record her audition for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. The actress was asked how her voice-only auditions for video games usually go. "I'll just be recording it on my bed at two in the morning," she answered. "Which is exactly what happened with Expedition 33, because I forgot to do it." English explained that she tends to handle her auditions "last minute and late," recording on the run from wherever she is. "Don't be like me," joked the actress. Although her audition for the game was done hurriedly, she landed the role of Maelle, considered Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's best playable unit by many fans. It is worth noting that English's performance as Maelle also landed her a BAFTA nomination and a Best Lead Performer win at the Golden Joystick Awards.
Aside from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Jennifer English has starred in two other Game of the Year winners. She played Latenna in Elden Ring (2022) and the popular Shadowheart in Baldur's Gate 3 (2023). In the same interview, the actress shared the surprising way in which she obtained the latter part. Initially, she was asked to audition for NPCs, but the development team ended up offering her the role of Shadowheart. "The rest is history," she added. English expressed her gratitude for Baldur's Gate 3 for helping her get back into enjoying video games as well. Other major games that she has worked on include Divinity: Original Sin 2, Wuthering Waves, Marathon, and the upcoming action title Tides of Annihilation, where she plays protagonist Gwendolyn.
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This article originally appeared on GameRant and is republished here with permission.
