The voice actor for Guilty Gear Xrd’s Ramlethal Valentine won’t return to voice the character in the Strive sequel. Erin Fitzgerald announced on Twitter that she “happily stepped away so they could cast more appropriately.”
Earlier this month, it was announced that Laura Stalh (Hunter x Hunter, The Promised Neverland) would step in to replace Fitzgerald as Ramlethal Valentine. Valentine, an artificial human being, is widely considered a Black woman. Fitzgerald reiterated to a fan that Stalh’s casting made more sense.
“The character is [B]lack I am not [B]lack,” Fitzgerald said. “I support more work for [B]lack actresses behind the mic.”
The character is black I am not black. I support more work for black actresses behind the mic.
— Erin Fitzgerald 🖤Black Lives Matter (@ErinFitzgerald) May 14, 2021
Ramlethal Valentine was first introduced to the Guilty Gear franchise as a boss character in 2014’s Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-. She then became playable in a post-release update for the game and subsequent entries of the series.
Valentine’s change in voice actors represents the latest shift in an entertainment industry reckoning within under-representing people of color. Animated shows like Big Mouth and Central Park have recast roles portrayed by white performers to make room for actors and actresses of color.
Stahl thanked Fitzgerald for her “grace,” saying she “deeply respect[s]” Erin as both a performer and an “amazing person.”
Before I accepted the role of Ramlethal, l asked for clarification on the situation, and not only do I deeply respect Erin as an actor, but as an amazing person as well.
Thank you for your grace. You are phenomenal. ❤️ https://t.co/7u2nCdolQz— Laura Stahl voice of Khoi Dao (@laura_stahl) May 14, 2021
Guilty Gear Strive launches on June 11 for PC, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5.
GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers.
