Baldur’s Gate 3’s Neil Newbon had no idea Astarion would be a major character

During an interview with Dexerto, Baldur’s Gate 3’s Astarion voice actor Neil Newbon revealed how the companion came to be the vampire everyone knows and loves, and just how much was hidden from him in the first few months of filming.

Few things make Baldur’s Gate 3 as thrilling as the game’s companions, from the excitable nature of Karlach, the sweet yet stubborn design of Shadowheart, or the flirtatious yet manipulative style of Astarion. No matter who you tend to romance or adventure with, their personalities are bound to grasp you and help create an experience you’ll never forget.

These personalities are in part owed to both the writers and the incredibly talented voice actors who bring the companions to life. One such companion was so highly regarded that they won The Game Award for Best Performance, and are continuing to revive accolades for their stellar performance of Astarion.

Dexerto spoke to Neil Newbon who revealed just how Astarion came to be, and that he was not the subtle “minor boss” or “fun character” he originally expected.

Neil Newbon thought Baldur’s Gate 3′ Astarion was “minor boss”

Larian Studios

Speaking to Neil Newbon, we asked him all about how Astarion came to be, how much he changed, and how Neil created a companion as memorable as our favorite vampire elf.

“Initially, I thought he was going to be a bit villainous and like a minor boss or something like that, or just a fun character you meet” revealed Newbon, who went on to say that, when recording the initial recall demo, “I didn’t realize he was a companion. And [Larian] didn’t tell me he was a companion initially which I actually think was a good idea.”

As many know, Astarion is extremely manipulative and from the moment you meet him he’s reserved – but as Neil explains, the reasoning for this was partly due to him not knowing the character was a companion as well as the newer nature of Astarion’s personality: “The initial foundation of the character was there but it was a bit muted because we just started and we had you know I hadn’t had much lead up time to develop him.”

In fact, Neil added that the muted nature spanning to the blossomed ‘full Astarion’ was a happy accident. “So a happy accident was that the first time you meet him…he’s very muted, he’s sort of still got that inflection, still sort the same body language, but it’s way more contained. And then gradually, after the first few days, he opens up… so it’s the same person he’s just a lot more relaxed with you. He can be who he really is.”

Neil went on to say how early on, the beginning iterations of Astarion came to be cemented: “So that was an interesting happy accident that came within the first three weeks I would say that I had an idea and it just blossomed into the full idea of him.”

As many see from Baldur’s Gate 3, the arc and journey Astarion goes on feels much the same, where he feels reserved and ends up relaxing into a friendship, romance, or manipulation. It’s certainly befitting of one of the game’s most beloved characters, and it’s clear Neil has used all aspects of the recording process and his talents to create a performance many will never forget.