Karlach became a favorite within the Baldur’s Gate 3 community as folks connected with her fiery spirit and emotional depth, and it was BAFTA-nominated actor Samantha Béart who brought the character to life. In an exclusive interview with esports.gg, Béart talked about their journey as a classically-trained actor, the process behind performing as Karlach in Baldur’s Gate 3, the impact of the character on players, and more!
Karlach artwork for Baldur’s Gate 3 (Image via Larian Studios)
Interview with Samantha Béart on Karlach, acting, and more
In their interview with esports.gg, Béart shared how they explored martial arts and acting growing up. However, it was when they began studying English literature and took a module in Shakespeare that they began honing their passion for storytelling. Béart also saw Gary Oldman as their biggest inspiration because of his ability to play vastly different roles in the 1990s.
Training at Guildhall then gave Béart experience in film, TV, and audio. That training didn’t involve video games, but Béart nonetheless brought Karlach to life in Baldur’s Gate 3. According to them, actors with certain bodies aren’t often allowed that kind of range on screen. In video games, however, the focus shifts from appearance to performance, giving them more freedom to portray complex characters.
“There’s a shared vocabulary and a way of working, which I can just click into,” Béart added, revealing that for Karlach, those words were ‘laban’ and ‘pressing.’ Karlach’s physical traits such as her large frame and metal engine influenced Béart in shaping the character’s movement. They imagined her as stiff in the shoulders like someone who bench presses without stretching. “So it’s got direction, it’s got weight, and it’s a sustained movement, to get super technical. But the point is, with my training, all they have to say is ‘press.'”
Béart even clocked over 260 hours of mocap performance! And although they started later than some others, they found the whole process fulfilling and completed the same amount of work in a shorter time frame. The sessions were intense and didn’t involve constant recapping. Additionally, recording out of order felt like piecing together a choose-your-own-adventure book, which made the experience quite fun.
Karlach’s Baldur’s Gate 3 concept art (Image via Larian Studios)
The impact of Samantha Béart’s BG3 Karlach performance
The actor then shared how inspiring it always is to see the fanart, music, and even cosplay created for Karlach. They praised writer Sarah Bayliss for creating a character that deeply resonates with diverse groups, including trans people, survivors of trauma, and those with chronic illnesses. Fans can connect with Karlach’s humanity and find comfort in her story despite her intimidating appearance. Béart described the role as a gift because of its meaningful impact on players.
“You hope to be entertaining, but to be comforting to someone is not on the dance card,” Béart told esports.gg. “That’s not what I was expecting. [It’s a] testament to Sarah Baylus, who’s the dialogue writer for Karlach — absolutely nailed it. The diverse groups of people who find comfort in that character — I’ve never seen that in anything I played. You’ve got trans folks, you’ve got people getting out of bad relationships, you’ve got people with chronic and terminal illnesses, soldiers with PTSD. They’re all saying, ‘That’s me, that’s me, that happened to me. And I feel better because this person’s working through it, too.'”
TRON: Catalyst, Absolum, and Fading Echo
In terms of other video games, Béart talked about TRON: Catalyst, where they played a character similar to Q from the James Bond series. They enjoyed bringing a quirky and campy vibe to it all. Béart then went into their work as Cider in Absolum. Developed by the same folks behind Streets of Rage 4, Béart said they’re excited for the game’s full release.
As for Fading Echo, they noted the team’s transparency and the incredible cast of folks such as Jasmine Bhullar, Matt Mercer, and Laura Bailey. What’s more, being taken out to lunch with their agent by the game’s creators was something unprecedented yet very appreciated.
“I’ve been liking it to like the early days of Lucasfilm, which is really well documented in that they were all in a room together,” Béart said. “All the departments were in a room together, and they could all see what everyone was doing. That cross pollination, that inspiration across the room — I think it’s wonderful.”
Why video games takes a village
As for what’s next, Béart revealed that their It Takes A Village series on YouTube will return in the future. The series is dedicated to giving people who aren’t always in the spotlight a chance to shine. They recalled that when Baldur’s Gate 3 launched, much of the credit and attention went to the actors. However, Béart told esports.gg that the cinematic, script, and overall success were truly a team effort, so they would like everyone to get their flowers.
Béart then mentioned that a couple of their upcoming appearances include San Diego Comic-Con and Dragon Con. They’re excited to connect with fans.
