The Cast Of Resident Evil Village Is Gorgeous In Real Life
"Resident Evil 8" continues to wow audiences with its giant vampire lady antagonist and extensive cast of monsters. However, many fans might not know about the talented cast of actors that brought "Village" to life. It turns out that the many face models and voice actors of "Resident Evil 8" are gorgeous, both in-game and in real life.
Recently, voice actors like Roger Clark have spoken out about how voice talent is just as vital as other performers within the world of gaming, and that hey deserve recognition for their hard work. Gamers have previously gotten a look at the voice cast of "Resident Evil 8" in action through behind the scenes footage featured online and in the special content of "Village." Players have seen voice actors like Maggie Robertson and Neil Newborn parading around in motion capture gear, embodying the essence of Lady Dimitrescu and Karl Heisenberg without the aid of special effects.
Without the work of both voice actors and face actors, "Resident Evil Village" wouldn't have nearly as many great-looking characters for fans to enjoy. And let's be honest, the gaming community is hungry for any sort of meme involving "Resident Evil 8" characters, including TikTok videos.
While the entire cast of "Resident Evil Village" is totally worth checking out, here are a few that fans will definitely want to know about.
Joel Hicks
Joel Hicks' Twitter bio describes him as a "UK based actor, model, photographer and studio owner, and the founder of the 'Always With A Smile' foundation," but he also has the distinct privilege of being Karl Heisenberg's face model.
Fans love Heisenberg, the rebellious bad boy of Mother Miranda's family, and have publicly professed their admiration for him online. Hicks provides a certain rugged charm to Heisenberg's character, and the gaming community has taken notice.
Hicks wants to make sure his fans know he's not just a pretty face, though. He recently posted a Patreon blog (which he has made free to non-subscribers) discussing partiality in the media, a heavy topic for someone that uses media to make a living. Hicks clarified on Twitter that his Patreon provides different sorts of content, not just "superficial things."
Aside from acting, modeling, and photography, Hicks also founded the aforementioned Always with a Smile, which aims to collect money for various charities and encourage people to experience new things. After competing in a variety of unique sporting events in order to raise money for charity, Hicks decided to start his own foundation to help others. Even though Heisenberg might not have much room in his heart for love, Hicks certainly does.
Helena Mankowska
Helena Mankowska has been one of the most vocal and sought-after actors of "Resident Evil Village." She served as the imposing Lady Dimitrescu's face model, and announced this fact by posting pictures of herself in full Lady D garb. Mankowska didn't just pop up overnight, though. She's been working in the acting world for years.
In an interview, Mankowska admitted that she'd only vaguely heard of "Resident Evil" before being cast as Lady Dimitrescu's model in "Village." Mankowska explained that she never played video games before being in one, but now she's slowly stepping into the world of gaming, thanks to her role as Lady Dimitrescu and the passion of the fanbase.
Mankowska has also said that she enjoys playing vampires because it makes her feel powerful. Though she considers herself relatively new to zombies and vampires (and horror in general), she said that there's something alluring to feeling in charge of things. There's no doubt that Lady Dimitrescu is in charge of her castle in "Village," so Mankowska surely got to enjoy feeling powerful while being scanned for her model.
Linde Baars
Linde Baars is a young model on the verge of greatness. She served as adult Rosemary's face model in the game's ending, which captured her haunted (yet hopeful) expressions beautifully. Since she's a professional model, Baars is also stunning in real life, of course. However, she's also a talented photographer with a portfolio of impressive photos, all captured on her journeys around the world.
On her Instagram, Baars shared behind the scenes images of what it was like to be photographed for 3D rendering. Hundreds of cameras took pictures of her at the same time, all flashing wildly. All the while, Baars had to stand within the gigantic ball of cameras, which caught every angle of her frame.
Fans have speculated that Rosemary may play a bigger role in future "Resident Evil" games, especially since she plays into a major fan theory revolving around the character Ethan Winters. If so, Baars may be back to reprise her role as Rosemary.
Daniela Aiko
The character of Donna Beneviento doesn't appear for long in "Resident Evil Village," yet fans love her and long to know more about her story. Some fans have even gone so far as to uncover details that suggest the villainous Beneviento really just wanted a family.
Beneviento is portrayed by Daniela Aiko, whose Instagram bio details that she's a singer, model, and actress hailing from Italy. To celebrate the release of "Resident Evil Village," Aiko posted a picture of her in light cosplay, a black dress that resembled Beneviento's signature look. The post's caption promised a "REAL cosplay" in the future and hinted that Aiko has more "surprises" she will reveal in the near future.
In an interview with Evil Hazard, Aiko explained that the "Resident Evil" series holds a special place in her heart because she remembers watching her brother play when she was a child. Though she hasn't played "Village" just yet, she plans to do so when she returns to Italy, so she can experience the game in the same place she played older "Resident Evil" games with her brother. When asked if she'd want to appear in a "Village" film adaptation, Aiko excitedly said, "Hell yes!"
Anja Voskresenska
Anja Voskresenska, who served as Mother Miranda's face model, is as beautiful as she is elusive. The Latvian model has a limited social media presence, though she does post on Instagram from time to time to thank her fans and share her fashion work. Fans can find some examples of her past modeling jobs on MC2 Model Management, but that doesn't answer the burning question of who she is or how she feels about becoming a major part of the "Resident Evil" series.
Voskresenska did make one celebratory "Resident Evil Village" post on Instagram, however, which featured concept art of Mother Miranda from the game. Voskresesnska briefly said, "Was so thrilled to participate in the project!" There's no indication if she plans to cosplay like some of her fellow performers, or if there are plans to revive her performance as Mother Miranda in the future.
In "Resident Evil Village," Mother Miranda serves as the tie between all four lords featured throughout the story, making Anja Voskresenska an indispensable part of the cast. Without her icy stare and calm composure, it's possible that Ethan might not have had such a difficult time getting his daughter back.
Neil Newbon
Neil Newbon is no stranger to the "Resident Evil" universe. He previously voiced Nikolai Zinoviev in the remake of "Resident Evil 3," and was apparently more than thrilled to return to the franchise. Newbon pinned a thank-you tweet to the top of his Twitter profile to celebrate how much he loved "Village." While Newbon is a distinguished voice actor with a good number of credits under his belt, it surely doesn't hurt that he's also quite handsome.
In an interview on the "Residence of Evil" podcast, Newbon said he's lucky that he doesn't often play heroes. By sticking firmly in the anti-hero/villain genre, Newbon said he doesn't have to worry about being too involved with intricate plot details. Instead, his characters get to swoop in for epic, dramatic moments, then disappear from the story again to take care of their plans behind the scenes.
Speaking of which, Newbon also shared a bit of the behind the scenes process of how he created Heisenberg's voice. After calculating how old Heisenberg might be, Newbon went back and looked at actors from the 40s and 50s, like Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart, who utilized a transatlantic accent in their work. Of course, Newbon also said there was a little bit of Nicolas Cage thrown in the mix, too.
Maggie Robertson
The day before "Resident Evil Village" was released to the world, Maggie Robertson confirmed that she was the voice actor for Lady Dimitrescu. In addition to providing Lady Dimitrescu's unmistakable and authoritative voice, Robertson also performed via motion capture for "Village," bringing movement to the imposing, tall vampire.
Dan Allen Gaming interviewed Maggie Robertson about her experience playing Lady Dimitrescu. For her part, Robertson said that she's been overwhelmed by the immense fan support for Lady D, and that the entire experience feels "surreal." Robertson also said that she loves every part of Lady Dimitrescu's character, including her dramatic transformation, which some might see as monstrous.
Robertson said she knew that Lady Dimitrescu would be tall when she auditioned for the character, but she didn't know how tall. Robertson herself is six feet tall, making her capable of towering over many of her castmates, but she's not quite 9'6 like Lady D.
One day, Robertson says she hopes to meet Helena Mankowska, Lady Dimitrescu's face model. She even passed a message of "Hey girl, hey" through Dan Allen, who was interviewing Mankowska later. One can only imagine what would happen if the two lovely actresses met in real life. The internet might implode.
Jeannie Tirado
Jeannie Tirado is a voice acting legend, and has appeared in monumental anime series like "Dragon Ball Z," "Tokyo Ghoul," and "Fairy Tale." Tirado also has an impressive list of video game credits, and has lent her voice to games like "Street Fighter 5" and "Fire Emblem: Three Houses." And she's also beautiful, like many of her castmates. In "Resident Evil Village," Tirado lent her voice to the older version of Rosemary Winters, Ethan's daughter.
Tirado posted the news to her Instagram, writing, "I am Rosemary Winters. Once I got off the sound stage for this performance capture, I knew it'd feel like forever til I could talk about it. But forever is finally here."
In a rush of excitement, Tirado posted images of her wearing motion capture gear during filming, then quickly amended the post by telling fans to disregard her previous pictures because of potential spoilers. By now, most fans know that Rosemary lives through the horrific events of "Village," leaving her future (and the franchise's) wide open. Tirado provided a nuanced performance for the adult Rosemary, and fans have been left wondering how Rosemary will figure into future "Resident Evil" games.
Andi Norris
Andi Norris, the voice actor for Donna Beneviento, only has one line in "Resident Evil Village," but she gives it everything she's got through her elegant motion capture work. In real life, Norris has worked in a variety of horror films and TV shows, including "American Horror Story," where she performed stunts. Norris is just over five feet tall, and her short stature and cute features make her a striking performer to watch.
On her Instagram, Norris posted a headshot of herself next to the character art for Beneviento. She wrote, "Unbelievably stoked to have been a part of bringing Donna Beneviento (among others) to life in 'Resident Evil Village'! Many many thanks to everyone who brought me on board and toiled away at making this experience so wonderful!!! I'm just honored to be a part of the 'Resident Evil' family!"
Norris' enthusiasm at being part of a storied horror franchise like "Resident Evil" makes sense, especially after looking at the rest of her social media. Norris has played quite a few monsters in her time, and even has a story highlight on her Instagram account featuring her special effects and monster work.
Michelle Lukes
Michelle Lukes has appeared in video game-related media before, voicing Deja in the miniseries "Halo: The Fall of Reach," but "Resident Evil Village" marks her first appearance in an actual game. As Mother Miranda's voice actor, Lukes fluctuates between cold and motherly, providing some extra dimensions for the complicated character.
In an interview with Evil Hazard, Lukes explained that Miranda is a nuanced character, saying, "Good people have darkness in them and the bad usually have a light that's been hidden away." Even though she's the most intimidating villain in "Village," Lukes also described Miranda as being as loving as she is "powerful and resilient."
Most impressively, Lukes revealed that the majority of the motion capture filming in "Resident Evil Village" took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, adding an extra layer of difficulty when it came to having actors in the same room. However, Lukes praised the creative team for helping the cast to push through these challenges and create an amazing game. In real life, Lukes seems to be just as gracious as she is gorgeous.