Surrounded by the flames and chaos of a crashing Mindflayer Nautiloid, you meet Lae’zel just minutes into Baldur’s Gate 3. Everything after that is a branch on an almost infinite tree of decisions and consequences. Maybe you free the Githyanki from her Tiefling cage. Maybe you leave her behind, only to encounter her near the mountain pass. In a new interview with GINX TV as part of its Games That Made series, Lae’zel voice actress Devora Wilde explains what her introduction to the character was like. With only 45 seconds to prove herself in her first professional audition, Wilde did exactly what Lae’zel would do: killed it.
Devora Wilde BG3 Interview and Lae’zel Casting
Wilde’s BG3 co-star Neil Newbon isn’t the only one with some surprising behind-the-scenes stories. Not only did Wilde not have an agent at the time of her audition, she hadn’t even auditioned before and had only a tentative idea of what motion capture was. None of that stopped her from auditioning for Lae’zel and other roles, including Shadowheart, Karlach, and “probably Astarion?” according to Wilde.
They were all sectioned into, like, races. So they had I think the Githyanki were called plane walkers. They were all code named. The Tieflings were devilkin. I think you had a half elf, a dark elf, and so I think I just auditioned for all of them because I have no reference, and I was just like, might as well. Let’s just go for it!
Main Character Who?
It wasn’t long before Wilde learned that she actually got the role. What she didn’t realize was how big that role was. Whether you’re playing the Dark Urge or the most pious of paladins, interactions with your party members form the bedrock of Baldur’s Gate 3. The amount of screen time (and dialog) they each get is staggering, and the weight of responsibility on any actor in that position would be tremendous. As Wilde said,
I had no idea of the scale. I had no idea it was a main character. I had no idea it was a Githyanki. I was very lucky because I think some people went through several rounds of auditions whereas I just booked it off this tape – Which is very cool. I felt the vibe instantly. Like I say these sort of, no nonsense characters, I think I am very good at.
In hindsight, knowing how well Wilde captured Lae’zel’s mannerisms and attitude, it’s incredible to think that 45 seconds made it all possible. It’s a testament not only to Wilde’s acting chops but also Larian’s ability to instantly recognize the qualities they needed to give Lae’zel life. The road from the Nautiloid wreckage to Baldur’s Gate is a long one, but it only took Devora Wilde 45 seconds to start down it. No wonder so many take such inspiration from Lae’zel’s journey, too.
