Jennifer English

Jennifer English
English at ComicCon in Stuttgart in 2024
EducationRoyal Birmingham Conservatoire
OccupationsActress
Voice actress
Motion-capture actress
Years active2015–present

Jennifer English is an English actress best known for her voice acting work in video games. Her roles include Latenna the Albinauric in Elden Ring (2022), Shadowheart in Baldur's Gate 3 (2023), Carlotta in Wuthering Waves (2024) and Maelle in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (2025).

Her voice performance as Maelle in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 earned her the awards for "Best Performance" at The Game Awards 2025, Performer in a Leading Role at the 22nd British Academy Games Awards, and "Best Lead Performer" at the Golden Joystick Awards 2025. She, additionally, received a nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Character for the same performance at the 29th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards. English had also been, in the previous year, listed among the twenty BAFTA "2024 UK Breakthrough" talents in recognition of her portrayal of Shadowheart in Baldur's Gate 3.

Early life and education

English is from rural Shropshire. She enjoyed playing videogames as a child, including The Sims, Spyro, Wacky Races, and Soul Blade. She graduated from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire in 2012.

Career

English began her career in theatre in 2015, with roles in productions of Abyss at Arcola Theatre and Future Conditional at The Old Vic. English's first video game voice acting role was in Divinity: Original Sin II (2017), a role-playing game developed by Larian Studios, where she played about seventy different characters. She voiced Latenna the Albinauric in Elden Ring (2022).

English reunited with Larian Studios when she joined the cast of Baldur's Gate 3 (2023). She portrayed the half-elf cleric Shadowheart, providing both voice acting and motion capture performances for the character. The character is considered a fan favorite among the game's audience and by English herself, who enjoyed the authenticity and complexity of the relationship players can have when becoming friends with or romancing Shadowheart. English also enjoyed that Larian listened to feedback from fans and English herself in developing the character. In 2024, she was selected as one of the twenty BAFTA Breakthrough UK participants for her role in the game. When asked about reprising the role in a future instalment of the series, she said that she would consider it "only if it honors her in a way I think we would all be proud of."

She voiced Maelle in the 2025 video game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. She participated in blind auditions for the role before being cast. The game's development team added a "story mode" difficulty setting with less challenging combat after English told them that she wanted to play the game, but could not complete it unless there was an easy mode. Her performance received acclaim from critics, and Tessa Kaur of TheGamer called her character "the emotional core" of the game. She won the "Best Performance" award at The Game Awards 2025 for her role in Expedition 33.

English hosted the Future Games Show Spring showcase in 2025. In February 2025, she was announced to be playing the lead role, Gwendolyn, in the upcoming video game Tides of Annihilation. However in June 2026, she stepped down from the role for personal health reasons, while remaining attached to the project in an advisory role and personally recommending actress Angela Sant'Albano to the developers as a replacement.

In November 2025, English announced that she will play the role of Empress Alora in the upcoming video game Soulframe, and her voice can already be heard in the game's playable pre-alpha version.

Personal life

English is a lesbian. She feels the gaming industry has made great progress in LGBTQ+ representation, and specifically loves the representation Larian Studios has included in Baldur's Gate 3, but states that the gaming industry could always use more. English further explained that she used the game to explore her own identity. She was in a relationship with Aliona Baranova, one of the motion capture performance directors for Baldur's Gate 3. The relationship ended in March 2026. The pair had a joint Twitch account called JenandAliona.

In 2021, English was diagnosed with ADHD.

Works

Key
† Productions that have not yet been released

Video games

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2017 Divinity: Original Sin II Leya, additional voices
Augmented Empire Willa
2022 Elden Ring Latenna
2023 Harmony: The Fall of Reverie Bliss
Baldur's Gate 3 Shadowheart Also motion capture
2024 Wuthering Waves Carlotta
2025 Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Maelle
2026 Marathon Joy
1348 Ex Voto Bianca
Valor Mortis The Shrike
TBA Soulframe † Empress Alora Although the game has yet to be formally released, English first appeared in its playable pre-alpha in 2025.
Emberville † TBA Early access release set for October 2026

Web series

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2026 Age of Umbra: Sallowlands Dillwyn Actual play (Daggerheart system)

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2025 Golden Joystick Awards Best Lead Performer Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Won
The Game Awards 2025 Best Performance Won
2026 New York Game Awards Great White Way Award for Best Acting in a Game Won
29th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards Outstanding Achievement in Character Nominated
24th Game Audio Network Guild Awards Best Ensemble Cast Performance Won
22nd British Academy Games Awards Performer in a Leading Role Won

References

  1. ↑ Koselke, Anna (15 May 2025). "Baldur's Gate 3 dev points out that many of this decade's best RPGs so far, from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 to Elden Ring, feature something in common: Shadowheart's actor". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on 19 August 2025. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  2. 1 2 "Meet the 2024 UK Breakthroughs". BAFTA. 21 November 2024. Archived from the original on 19 September 2025. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 Hart, Aimee (19 October 2023). "Jennifer English on growing up queer and becoming a video game icon in Baldur's Gate 3". Gayming Magazine. Archived from the original on 28 June 2025. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  4. ↑ "RBC Alumni on Stage and Screen in February 2025". Birmingham City University. Archived from the original on 30 June 2025. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  5. ↑ "Abyss - Arcola Theatre". The Arcola. 19 January 2016. Archived from the original on 30 June 2025. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
  6. ↑ Bannister, Rosie (19 June 2015). "Full cast announced for Future Conditional at the Old Vic". WhatsOnStage. Archived from the original on 30 June 2025. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
  7. ↑ King, Jade (2 August 2023). "Baldur's Gate 3 Actors Jennifer English and Devora Wilde On The "Groundbreaking" RPG". TheGamer. Archived from the original on 28 June 2025. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Conlin, Dan (30 March 2025). "Every Jennifer English Video Game Voice Role, Ranked". TheGamer. Archived from the original on 3 April 2025. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  9. 1 2 Simpson, Sarah-Jane (27 September 2023). "Jennifer English On How Baldur's Gate 3's Shadowheart Was "Her Dream Job"". ScreenRant. Archived from the original on 4 September 2025. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  10. ↑ "Baldur's Gate 3 Director Explains Why Every Single NPC Was Mo-Capped". Kotaku. 29 August 2023. Archived from the original on 7 February 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  11. ↑ Bardhan, Ashley (24 April 2025). "Baldur's Gate 3 mocap director says Shadowheart actor's role in new JRPG Expedition 33 is even "better than her performance" in Larian's RPG". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on 6 July 2025. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  12. 1 2 King, Jade (2 August 2023). ""Baldur's Gate 3 Actors Jennifer English and Devora Wilde On The "Groundbreaking" RPG". TheGamer. Archived from the original on 22 November 2025. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
  13. ↑ Brown, Andrew (7 December 2024). ""Don't kick squirrels!": Baldur's Gate 3's Jennifer English talks bringing God's Favorite Princess to life and her "conditions" for playing Shadowheart again". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on 28 June 2025. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  14. ↑ Sacco, Dom (21 November 2024). "Interview with BAFTA Breakthrough 2024 talent Jennifer English on the 'magic' of Expedition 33, performing with Andy Serkis, her theatre background, and the differences between working on Baldur's Gate 3 and Elden Ring". Esports News UK. Archived from the original on 28 June 2025. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  15. ↑ Ulanoff, Sophie (5 June 2025). "Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 devs "knew within seconds" that Baldur's Gate 3's Shadowheart actress was the perfect pick for Maelle". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on 28 June 2025. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  16. ↑ Koepp, Brent (21 May 2025). "Jennifer English Was Able to Play 'Clair Obscur: Expedition 33' Because of Story Mode - Here's Why Easy Difficulty Options Matter". Vice. Archived from the original on 15 June 2025. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  17. 1 2 van der Velde, Issy (23 May 2025). "Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's story mode is down to Maelle actor and Baldur's Gate 3 favorite Jennifer English: "I really want to play this game and I don't think I can without it being on easy mode"". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on 28 June 2025. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  18. ↑ Wen, Alan (23 April 2025). "Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 review: "An old-school feeling JRPG as dynamic as Persona but with parry-filled battles as hard-won as Sekiro"". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on 23 April 2025. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  19. ↑ Reuben, Nic (23 April 2025). "Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 review". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Archived from the original on 17 July 2025. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  20. ↑ Kaur, Tessa (22 May 2025). "Excellent Voice Acting Really Does Raise Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 To Greatness". TheGamer. Archived from the original on 28 June 2025. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  21. ↑ McEvoy, Sophie (18 November 2025). "Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 leads Game Awards 2025 nominations". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on 14 February 2026. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
  22. ↑ Randall, Harvey (25 February 2025). "Jennifer English (Shadowheart) and Nolan North (Nathan Drake) will be the illustrious hosts of the Future Games Show this year". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on 28 June 2025. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  23. ↑ Tay, Nathalie (13 February 2025). "Jennifer English Stars In Arthurian Action-Adventure Tides of Annihilation". The Magic Rain. Archived from the original on 28 June 2025. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  24. ↑ Lewis, Catherine (14 February 2025). "Baldur's Gate 3's Shadowheart actor and her real-life partner "are finally playing opposite each other" in this gorgeous fantasy action game set in "shattered" London". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on 14 February 2025. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
  25. ↑ Glaze, Virginia (18 July 2026). "Jennifer English Steps Down From Tides of Annihilation Role Due to 'Personal Health Reasons'". IGN. Archived from the original on 18 July 2026. Retrieved 18 July 2026.
  26. ↑ Gould, Elie (17 August 2026). "Resident Evil Requiem's Angela Sant'Albano reportedly joins Tides of Annihilation, replacing Jennifer English as the new voice of its protagonist". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on 18 August 2026. Retrieved 18 August 2026.
  27. 1 2 Allsop, Ken (15 November 2025). "As Digital Extremes reveals the Soulframe Founders date, Expedition 33 lead Jennifer English is joining the cast". PCGamesN. Archived from the original on 15 November 2025. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  28. ↑ Lapin-Bertone, Joshua (25 March 2025). "Baldur's Gate III's queer repreesentation is great says star Jennifer English, but the games industry could use "a hell of a lot more"". Popverse. Archived from the original on 28 June 2025. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  29. ↑ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 12 December 2025. jenniferjenglish (13 April 2021). "an honest account of ADHD meds". TikTok. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
  30. ↑ "Jennifer English (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Archived from the original on 18 December 2025. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  31. ↑ Romano, Sal (21 January 2026). "1348 Ex Voto launches March 12 for PS5 and PC; Xbox Series version canceled". Gematsu. Archived from the original on 22 January 2026. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
  32. ↑ Faulkner, Cheri (28 September 2026). "This Promising New Soulslike Features A Black Metal Vocalist Among Its Impressive Cast". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 29 September 2026. Retrieved 11 October 2026.
  33. ↑ James, Ford (16 July 2026). "2026's Stardew Valley replacement has the most stacked voice cast in gaming history". Polygon.com. Archived from the original on 16 July 2026. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
  34. ↑ Sheehan, Gavin (20 May 2026). "Critical Role Set to Usher In Age of Umbra: Sallowlands This July". Bleeding Cool. Archived from the original on 21 May 2026. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  35. ↑ Hart, Aimee (10 July 2026). "Critical Role's new campaign made me wonder if Daggerheart is actually better than D&D". Polygon. Archived from the original on 10 July 2026. Retrieved 10 July 2026.
  36. ↑ Loveridge, Sam (20 November 2025). "All the Golden Joystick Awards 2025 winners revealed". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on 21 November 2025. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  37. ↑ Robinson, Andy (17 November 2025). "Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and PlayStation lead The Game Awards 2025 nominations". Video Games Chronicle. Archived from the original on 17 November 2025. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
  38. ↑ "29th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards Finalists Revealed". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on 12 January 2026. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  39. ↑ "29th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards Winners Revealed". AIAS. 12 February 2026. Archived from the original on 13 February 2026. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  40. ↑ Turkeltaub, Payton (12 March 2026). "2026 G.A.N.G. Awards: 'Death Stranding 2: On the Beach,' 'Hades II' and 'Clair Obscur: Expedition 33' Lead Winners". Variety. Archived from the original on 12 March 2026. Retrieved 17 March 2026.
  41. ↑ McGowan, Andrew (10 December 2025). "'Indiana Jones and the Great Circle,' 'Ghost of Yōtei' and 'Split Fiction' Among Best Game Contenders in 2026 BAFTA Games Awards Longlist". Variety. Archived from the original on 12 December 2025. Retrieved 26 December 2025.