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Anyone else pissed that Valve fired Merle Dandridge for Alyx?

Goat Mimicry

Goat Mimicry

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
1,920
I have no attachment to the franchise or character, but I usually hate when companies recast their voice actors. I don't get why keeping characters consistent is so unimportant to some, to me the voice is the what I remember first.

I've never gotten over Blizzard replacing Glynnis Talken in Starcraft 2.
 
OP
OP
NO!R

NO!R

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
1,742
jediyoshi said:
You're the one comparing them? Then again, why is your perceived quality of their work something you're even bringing up?
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Because their tenure in the role is irrelevant here. I'm talking about actors whose voices became synonymous with their respective characters. Dandridge's velvety intonation resonates with a lot of diehard fans of the series, there is undeniable history there, regardless of script pages read. The games also aren't soft reboots, they're direct continuations of their franchises. So it's more jarring than when Kratos was recast, as someone else brought up.

But that's enough comparing.

The biggest point of contention for me is the use of her voice in the reveal trailer, as a bait-and-switch.

I'm honestly surprised this forum acts so shitty about actors getting shafted for characters and franchises they've helped build, and so dismissive about fan's concerns, as if it's unreasonable to feel strongly about something you're passionate about.
 
OP
OP
NO!R

NO!R

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
1,742
Dinoegg_96 said:
I'm not even a MGS fan, but come on OP, this isn't even in the same ballpark.
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I'm an MGS fan too.

I was pissed when Hayter got dumped for Kiefer, and he fucking sucked. It was a mediocre, phoned in performance. And that's coming off of cartoon ultra-gravely MGS4 Snake voice.

Alyx's character pretty much carried the pathos of the human characters in half life. You played as a mute camera. She was warm, earnest, strong and vulnerable. This was all Dandridge. And from the gameplay videos I've seen the new woman sounds pretty fucking flat.

So, yeah. I'm annoyed. This seems totally unnecessary.
 
Nzyme32

Nzyme32

Member
Oct 28, 2017
5,245
BiGBoSSMk23 said:
I just listened to this interview (https://youtu.be/UP6B2SVQ-qk) with Dandridge herself, and she's pretty gracious considering this is in the same ballpark as Kojima ghosting David Hayter after 17 years.

The part about her already having done voice work and Valve using her voice for the reveal trailer is especially shitty.

And the excuse is hilariously bullshit. She's theatre trained actor and a singer, if they wanted her to sound younger all they had to do was ask (also she doesn't sound old).
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- recasting is not the same as firing
- VNN has again rolled with hyperbole, and no clear facts to go from, just speculation, which is not how this should have been handled. Similar situation to his bogus "facts" that there was some mass falling out between Laidlaw and other Valve staff, something he consistently put down, but VNN perpetuated.


- Wait till the game is out, learn what the actual narrative is and the performance of the new actor, and their role for this different younger version of the character (if it is even the only one). Then listen to the making of process, interviews etc from people actually involved in the project. Then come to your decisions based on at least a bit of evidence that is not speculative
 
Moebius

Moebius

Member
Oct 28, 2017
5,387
Kafkaa said:
The excuse is pretty shit but it's not like voice actors are entitled to certain roles or anything. It's the nature of the industry
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If you voice an iconic character then you should be entitled to the role. It would be like giving the legendary Shrek a new voice in the movies. Can you imagine that?
 
Nzyme32

Nzyme32

Member
Oct 28, 2017
5,245
inguef said:
VNN is to blame for causing this mess
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Same as he did for Marc Laidlaw, constantly peddling some giant fallout between him and others that never happened. After this mess he did with Merle, Laidlaw returned to twitter and someone brought up VNNs "facts", which he put down. He also criticised why someone would do this around people work lives. Next day VNN changes up, with a post saying he won't make speculation about people anymore.

This is where rumour mongering and click bait goes, and OP is a great example of how this spirals in misinformation.
 
Zor

Zor

Member
Oct 30, 2017
11,323
Nzyme32 said:
Same as he did for Marc Laidlaw, constantly peddling some giant fallout between him and others that never happened. After this mess he did with Merle, Laidlaw returned to twitter and someone brought up VNNs "facts", which he put down. He also criticised why someone would do this around people work lives. Next day VNN changes up, with a post saying he won't make speculation about people anymore.

This is where rumour mongering and click bait goes, and OP is a great example of how this spirals in misinformation.
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Spot on post.
 
Zips

Zips

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,913
Why should I be upset when Merle Dandridge herself doesn't seem upset about it?

After the reveal, she was all over her Twitter being super positive about the new game and being excited for HL: Alyx.

This isn't something like with David Hayter as the voice of Snake where you could tell there was some bad blood there. Same deal with Nathan Fillion being ticked off about Cayde-6 when he unfollowed the game/company on social media and said nothing positive.

As a fan it's unfortunate. But to get pissed off when the original VA themselves aren't upset? No. Absolutely not.
 
The Benz

The Benz

Member
Oct 27, 2017
772
Madjoki said:
Is it firing if she was never hired in the first place tho? (or even considered for the role)
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Just skimming through the video it sounds like she voiced it nearly to completion before being let go. If what he said was true, all her lines were still in the game up until December even.
 
Mechaplum

Mechaplum

Enlightened
Member
Oct 26, 2017
18,796
JP
Nzyme32 said:
Same as he did for Marc Laidlaw, constantly peddling some giant fallout between him and others that never happened. After this mess he did with Merle, Laidlaw returned to twitter and someone brought up VNNs "facts", which he put down. He also criticised why someone would do this around people work lives. Next day VNN changes up, with a post saying he won't make speculation about people anymore.

This is where rumour mongering and click bait goes, and OP is a great example of how this spirals in misinformation.
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Agreed.
 
butterbutt!

butterbutt!

Member
Oct 27, 2017
467
I'm still on team-tinfoil that she'll voice an older Alyx in a scene (or scenes) set shortly after the end of Episode 2.
 
jediyoshi

jediyoshi

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,120
BiGBoSSMk23 said:
Because their tenure in the role is irrelevant here. I'm talking about actors whose voices became synonymous with their respective characters.
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I'm still trying to wrap my head around how these two things aren't inherently related and how you leaned towards the quality of either being a factor in them being rehired. I'm of the mind that both could've been hired regardless, but I take it that's besides your point.
 
Buggy Loop

Buggy Loop

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,232
Of all the things to get pissed off at in life this is like non-existant. Peoples are replaced all the time.
 
EvilBoris

EvilBoris

Prophet of Truth - HDTVtest
Verified
Oct 29, 2017
16,681
i wonder how many of the team and relationships that existed at rare back in 2004 actually still exist now
 
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