Despite playing "questionable" characters in both Baldur's Gate 3 and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, voice actor Devora Wilde says she found it "fascinating" how differently the pair were treated by fans.
Speaking to IGN, Wilde says, "What I've found is that even though Clea is a questionable character, people have been willing to give her more grace - a lot more grace - than people have with Lae'zel. And I find that so fascinating."
Players' comments and reaction across the two games differ substantially, Wilde states, even though she can see a clear comparison between the two characters.
"People's reaction to Clea is like, 'Yeah, but she's justified, she's the only sane member of the family, she does this because of this.'" With her Baldur's Gate 3 character, however, Wilde says the response was far more black and white: "With Lae'zel, people were like, 'No, she's just mean, she's just bad.'"
If I had to guess why that difference has emerged, it comes down to why those characters react as they do. Clea comes across as pretty cold and ruthless, but there's a clear attempt to do the best she can for her family - most of whom have lost themselves to the painted world - even if it makes them unhappy in the short term.
Lae'zel, on the other hand, is primarily out for herself and her creche, and is also quick to let you know how unimpressive she finds you. It's that combination of relative selfishness and a sharp tongue that probably puts a lot of players off the character before they can get to see her soften as the RPG progresses after the first act.
