Life Is Strange: Chloe Voice Actor Heartbroken She Can’t Return for Prequel Due to Strike

We reported extensively on the SAG-AFTRA strike last year as it began heating up. Recently, I admittedly lost track of things and had to do some research to see if the strike is still ongoing. In fact, it is, and it’s affecting many of the games we saw debut at E3 in a big way. Many of the industry’s most talented voice actors are SAG members, and their participation in the strike means that they won’t be working on some huge games.

On of those games, Life Is Strange: Before the Storm, will be missing the actress behind its main character. Ashly Burch has confirmed that she won’t be voicing Chloe for this highly anticipated sequel due to the SAG-AFTRA strike:

“Hey y’all, to the fans asking – I wasn’t able to reprise my role as Chloe in Life is Strange: Before the Storm due to the SAG-AFTRA strike.” Her language is more apologetic than it is bold. She comes across as a victim of circumstance more than a martyr, and we have to wonder what good the strike is doing if it’s keeping these actors from participating in games that they love.

Her language is even more poignant in an statement made to Kotaku: “I’m pretty heartbroken,” Burch said. “It feels sort of like you were forced to put your kid up for adoption.” Burch isn’t the only one out of work. Phil LaMarr recently expressed his concern that he may not be able to return to voice Aquaman in Injustice 3 if the strike isn’t resolved. He too reached out to Kotaku and said:

“Nobody becomes an actor in order not to act. Fortunately, there are a lot of companies that have looked at what we’re asking for and said, ‘Oh yeah, that makes sense.’ There are a lot of games we’re not able to continue working on, but there are a lot of new games, too.”

The point of the strike is to secure more progressive and considerate working conditions for voice actors, who often spend days at a time abusing their vocal cords for certain roles. SAG-AFTRA is also demanding better pay for its actors since games have evolved and now bring in exponentially more money than they did when the frameworks of the current contracts were originally formulated.

It’s impossible to say what other games are being affected by the strike, but we hope that things are resolved soon. Primarily for the sake of the talented actors involved, but also for us as we wait for these incredible games to launch.