Since the release of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, conversations surrounding the game’s performances have flourished. While the performances are widely applauded, two actors, Jennifer English and Ben Starr, received nominations for Best Performer at this year’s prestigious The Game Awards. This has sparked a dialogue about the significance of such nominations.

Notably, Charlie Cox, famous for roles in Daredevil and Stardust, lent his voice to the game’s lead character, Gustave. However, the character’s motion capture was executed by Maxence Cazorla, a well-known French actor. In a statement last November, Cox expressed his gratitude for the recognition but emphasized that much of the credit also belongs to Cazorla. “I owe any nomination or recognition I receive to him, as I truly believe that the essence of Gustave comes from his performance,” Cox remarked. I had the chance to speak with Cazorla about the game and, naturally, we touched upon Cox’s comments.

“I was incredibly honored that Charlie publicly acknowledged my contribution,” Cazorla shared, revealing how he felt moved by Cox’s humility and kindness. He further explained the process that brought Gustave to life. “We began with performance capture, approaching it like a film. We rehearsed the lines and performed scenes under Guillaume’s direction,” he detailed. Once filming wrapped, the cinematic team integrated the scenes into the game, at which point the voice actors recorded their parts.

Cazorla noted that his work as Gustave and Cox’s involvement occurred at different times, which is quite common in game production. After finalizing the physical performance, Cox entered the studio to deliver Gustave’s lines. “I only got to see the completed result several months later when I played the game myself,” Cazorla reflected.

Ultimately, Cazorla believes it is the combination of both performances, along with exceptional writing and development, that truly created the character. However, when asked about not receiving a nomination himself for his role in Gustave’s development, he shared his thoughts on how award shows recognize performances.

“Establishing a potential category for motion capture performances is a sensitive subject, as every game is unique,” he asserted. “In Clair Obscur, many characters are the result of collaborative efforts between two actors. For example, Maelle was portrayed through a combination of Charlotte Hoepffner and Jennifer English, while Lune involved Estelle Darnault and Kirsty Rider. Other projects may feature a single actor executing full performance capture, sometimes with stunt performers and motion capture specialists all contributing to a character.”

Given this landscape, Cazorla advocates for a way to honor performers that celebrates the character itself rather than isolating individual contributions. “This approach, already utilized by the DICE Awards, is quite intelligent. Recognizing Gustave as a character honors both Charlie Cox’s voice work and my performance capture, along with the writers and artists who shaped him.”

In closing, Cazorla stated, “Video games inherently rely on collaboration, and characters resonate because many talented individuals pour their creativity into them. A Best Character category makes more sense to me than recognizing a sole performer while potentially overlooking others.”

If you’re interested in more insights from Cazorla, a full interview will be released soon, where he will discuss his journey with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, his audition experiences, and much more. Stay tuned!