After a new gameplay reveal, internet sleuths think Resident Evil Requiem actor Angela Sant'Albano has taken on the lead role in Tides of Annihilation after Baldur's Gate 3 actor Jennifer English stepped down from the role.
Earlier this year, the Tides of Annihilation Twitter account confirmed that the Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 star would be stepping away from the role of its main character Gwendolyn for health reasons, while confirming that she would continue to be a part of the project in an advisory role. The developers confirmed that English – and the rest of the game's voice cast – helped pick a successor, with the post saying "her recent work in video games left a strong impression on both Jennifer and our team."
Ahead of the game being at Gamescom next week, gameplay footage emerged online of a new build for the game featuring this new actor, and fans quickly noticed a similarity of Sant'Albano – who made waves earlier this year for her performance as Grace Ashcroft. That, mixed with the devs' word about her recent work in video games definitely made the connection work too, given she's been a frontrunner for best-performance awards since Resident Evil Requiem was released.
This was seemingly also confirmed by Gwendolyn's mocap actor Jennifer Prime (via Need4games), who responds to a user saying "Grace Ashcroft is her new VA," by saying "Yep!!! but this time, no more screaming 'LEON!'"
The latest gameplay also features some visual changes, including a new face model for Gwendolyn, and users on the game's subreddit are wondering if the game has been downgraded somewhat since its 2025 reveal trailers, with changes to the lighting, textures, and models. As of right now, Tides of Annihilation doesn't have a release date, but it's set to appear at Gamescom 2026, so perhaps we'll know more and get a confirmation of Sant'Albano's role in the game next week.
