Henry Cavill played a surprising role in Baldur’s Gate 3. He served as a key reference for one of the fantasy RPG’s most beloved characters, with the list of acting notes for portraying Gale even including a photo of Cavill.

Recognized as one of the greatest RPGs ever made, Baldur’s Gate 3 continues to reveal fascinating behind-the-scenes stories. The latest discovery involves Larian Studios using a photograph of Henry Cavill as a crucial reference in casting the perfect actor for Gale.

Tim Downie, the man behind the beloved wizard, shared the story during a talk at Florida Supercon (via Popverse). “My agent called me and said, ‘What do you think about video games?’” Downie recalled. “I said, ‘I love video games.’ Then he said, ‘Great, we’d like you to audition for a role in a video game.’” At that moment, Downie had no idea he was about to work with Larian Studios, let alone that he was auditioning for Gale. All he knew was that the role involved playing a wizard.

When he received the audition packet, he was surprised to find a photo of the Superman actor among the reference materials. “My page had a picture of Henry Cavill. I thought, ‘I can do Henry Cavill. He’s English, I’m English. That speaks for itself,’” Downie said. “It was a really hot summer, and I had to film it upstairs in my daughter’s room. It was the only quiet place, away from the kids, and pretty empty.”

“I recorded it thinking, ‘Okay, Henry Cavill. How would he play a wizard? How would he approach this?’ And you just throw yourself into it. Then you think, ‘Well, that was fun. Now I’ll go downstairs and watch some TV.’” What he didn’t know was that this approach would ultimately land him the role in one of the most acclaimed RPGs in history.

The Actor Behind Astarion Took a Break After Baldur’s Gate 3

The cast of Baldur’s Gate 3 left a lasting impression on players with their outstanding performances. Neil Newbon, who brought Astarion to life, even won a 2023 GOTY award for his role in the Larian RPG. However, the actor voluntarily stepped back from the spotlight for an extended period due to the physical and emotional demands of the project. The developers never pressured him; he simply wanted to give more than 100% of himself to the game.

Source: 3djuegos