image

Last week, the original voice actress for Bayonetta, Hellena Taylor, claimed she was only offered $4k to reprise her role in Bayonetta 3, proposing a widespread boycott for the upcoming PlatinumGames developed threequel. Since then however, a report from Bloomberg has suggested that there may be more to the story than we thought.

Hellena Taylor has now responded to the report from Bloomberg, seemingly creating an even bigger mess for herself in the process. She now says PlatinumGames’ initial offer was $10,000, with that number being pushed up to $15,000 after consulting with Hideki Kamiya. It goes without saying that this is a major contradiction. After turning down the role, the voice of Bayonetta was recast to Jennifer Hale. Taylor claims she was later offered a $4000 flat fee to voice a cameo in the game, but she turned down that offer as well.

In a thread posted to her personal Twitter account on Monday, Taylor went on to say that Bloomberg’s reported $4,000 for 5 sessions offer is a “total fabrication,” and that she never asked for $250,000 as rumored. “I am a team player. I was just asking for a fair, living wage in line with the value that I bring to this game.”

Check out Hellena Taylor’s full response below. Whichever side you choose to take, just remember to please always keep things civil.

It has come to my attention that some people are calling me a liar and golddigger. I feel the need to defend myself and my reputation in the industry.

As I posted on part three of my video thread, I explained that their first offer was too low. That offer was 10,000 dollars total. Remember, this is 450 million dollar franchise, (not counting merchandise.) I then wrote in Japanese to Hideki Kamiya, asking for what I was worth. I thought that as a creative, he would understand. He replied saying how much he valued my contribution to the game and how much the fans wanted me to voice the game. I was then offered an extra 5,000!

So, I declined to voice the game. I then heard nothing from them for 11 months. They then offered me a flat fee to voice some lines for 4,000 dollars. Any other lies, such as 4,000 for 5 sessions are total fabrications.

There were not “extensive negotiations.” I’ve also been informed of ridiculous fictions, such as I asked for 250,000 dollars. I am a team player. I was just asking for a fair, living wage in line with the value that I bring to this game.

I was paid a shockingly low total of £3000 total for the first game. A little more for the second. I wanted to voice her. I have drummed up interest in this game ever since I started on Twitter in 2011.

Add Comment

Comments (13)

kuribo

1+ y ago

I’m inclined to believe the “total fabrications” considering Taylor started off by misleading and misrepresenting the story from day 1.


gamefreak613

1+ y ago

Yeah, as I said in my previous comment on the earlier story...there was information we didn't know about (and there probably still is more too...). But Taylor's approach has unfortunately soured her credibility in this public mess. At this point, it's unfortunate that this has taken center stage over what the real conversation should be, which is workers compensation and fair contracts. Unionization and workers rights. Instead, this sets back those causes a bit because the only thing people are gonna focus on/remember now from this incident is that Taylor made it only about her.

Edited 1 time

mereel

1+ y ago

So Kamiya offered her $15K to do the game, just as Bloomberg reported. Sounds like Hellena is having to do some real language gymnastics to explain her earlier statements. What a sad situation. I liked her better as the voice of Bayonetta, for what it’s worth. At least based on the small voice samples I’ve heard so far in B3 trailers.


conangiga

1+ y ago

Bloomberg said 'a six figure number' so where'd she get those 250.000 from?
Either way she dug her own grave. And a 450 million franchise? Last time I checked the series was saved by Nintendo and is still very much niche.


lucius6

1+ y ago

Wow, she just keeps digging her grave. Also funny how she keeps bringing up that made up 450 million dollar number lmao.

She just confirmed the Bloomberg report with that $15,000 mention.

She made it sound like $4,000 was the highest offer in the original videos when she called for boycotting the game.

The last $4,000 were some lines for a Cameo, not the lead VA anymore.

Yeah, just like Bloomberg reported. Nothing more to see here. She wasn't lowballed. She is in a union. She was offered more than the standard USD$250 hourly for Voice acting.

This is bonkers.


the_crimson_lure

1+ y ago

It's a sad state of affairs that seems to have been brought on by only Taylor herself, but I can't help but feel sorry for her now.

She seems to believe that Platinum should have set her up for the near future just for a few weeks of recording a - lets be realistic - niche video game character the public at large knows nothing about. That doesn't sound balanced. If she needs any help physically, mentally, or spiritually to return to a more balanced state, I hope she gets it.

From now on, even if a video game developer *did* think she was the only one fit for a role, I doubt they'd take the risk in making an offer lest she jump on Twitter to call for a boycott, while twisting the facts and making a PR nightmare out of it.


She's pretty much burnt every bridge so she's probably done in the VA industry barring a miracle. What Hellena needs now is somebody to tell her to get off the internet and get out of sight for awhile and pray Platinum doesn't retaliate.


enthropy

1+ y ago

Talking nonsense like the 450 million dollar thing, trying to throw others, also her own VA colleague, under the buss, complete silly Biblical rants and now admitting she lied.

How to fuck up 101!

She actually lied, even to her fans, and now still want to be the victim. Platinum obviously wanted her back and would have paid more than average even, but greed got to her and now she's being a childish hypocrite. Sad, but Hale does a great job and I will sure enjoy the living daylight out of the game when it arrives this week.


khufuthemummy

1+ y ago

This is really going to be the story that never ends. I thought she was going to stop talking about it and focus on her life in theater or whatnot? Anyways, it seems like she distorted the facts from the very beginning in order to garner sympathy. $15k to voice a niche video game character seems like a pretty good chunk of change. I get wanting more money, or even residuals, but there's not much to be done if Platinum isn't going to budge on that stuff. I don't think Martinet gets money for every copy of Mario that is sold, and that's the most iconic character in gaming. Now, should Martinet get that? I think so! But to act like she is owed these things just because she did the first two games, well, that's a bit naive. I agree with RMC's premise on the most recent podcast, basically saying that she bet on herself and lost. She could have just as easily denied their offers and then used that as a soap box for all voice actors instead of making it out like Platinum was being cheap. All this has done is create more headlines and attention for the game-- sort of the opposite intention of her boycott campaign.

Edited 1 time

kolma

1+ y ago

I don't think anyone believe Bayonetta to be a 450 million dollar franchise when the series combined has barely sold about 3 million. (unless there's a ton of secret digital sales).
But who knows that Funko box set and Movie may have covered the bulk of the profit /s


bfx9

1+ y ago

She acted like a cunt. End of story.


thegreatking

1+ y ago

Yep, as i said since day one shes a liar, narcicist and her career is ruined, i cannot be more happy. The truth has won


huupawel

1+ y ago

tried to destroy platinum games reputation and ended to destroy her own reputation, 15,000 is above of a fair wage, and is ok to reject the offer but you can't force any company for a better offer and worse break the NDA contracts and try to boycott the company. She can even end with a demand and losing a lot of money because of that.