The end-of-the-year awards season is beginning to ramp up, and Baldur's Gate 3 just Friday earned the Ultimate Game of the Year award at the 2023 Golden Joysticks. Along with other awards, one notable accolade that the game landed was actor Neil Newbon winning the Best Supporting Performer award for his performance as the fan-favorite vampire rogue Asterion.
GamesRadar+ caught up with Neil Newbon for a brief interview shortly after the win. During the chat, he praised developer Larian Studios for Baldur's Gate 3, and said he's down to join them again no matter what they have next.
"[...]as a fan of Baldur's Gate 3 and as a fan of Larian [Studios], I would love to continue on, but I have no idea what they're doing next," said Newbon in response to plans for more work with Larian in the immediate future. "It's not up to me, but I would just be happy to come along for the ride. It's been such a great ride, and whatever they want to do, I'm up for it."
Neil Newbon's portrayal of Astarion has earned much praise from fans and the games industry. Neil Newbon spoke recently about the popularity of Astarion from fans, particularly those within the LGBTQ+ communities, and how he set up a "support group" for his fellow Baldur's Gate 3 actors who were feeling a bit overwhelmed by the increased attention the game gave them.
During his acceptance speech at the Golden Joystick Awards, Newbon stated that working on Baldur's Gate 3 was a career changing moment for him and that the character of Astarion resonated with him.
"This character has just meant the world to me, he is a survivor, he has gone through trauma," said Newbon. "I have had so many people from the community share their stories about how the character -- and other characters from the game -- and that game's story itself has really reached them.
"People have come up to me to tell me that the character has inspired them to deal with their own trauma. As a survivor myself, I understand what they mean, that they feel seen by the game and that they feel understood by the characters. That is a testament to the amazing, beautiful masterpiece that Larian and the writing team have all put together, and the amazing cast of 248 actors that put their heart and soul into this game."
For more on Baldur's Gate 3 and other role-playing games, check out our roundup of the best RPGs you can play right now.
