Bayonetta 3 Key Art
Image: Nintendo

Over the weekend, a series of videos posted by former Bayonetta voice actor Hellena Taylor accused developer PlatinumGames of offering an "insulting" sum of $4,000USD to reprise the role in the upcoming third entry, Bayonetta 3, although a new Bloomberg report (paywall) features claims from sources "familiar with the negotiations" which paint a slightly different picture.

As reported by Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, two sources — who requested to remain anonymous, though whose claims are supported by documentation seen by both Bloomberg and VGC — say that PlatinumGames was "determined" to have Taylor reprise the role, and wanted to secure Taylor for "at least five sessions, each paying $3,000 to $4,000 for four hours in the studio," putting the total payment for the role at a minimum of $15,000.

The report says "Taylor asked for a six-figure sum as well as residuals on the game," which Platinum dismissed before holding auditions for a replacement. Bloomberg's sources claim that Taylor was offered a cameo in the game at the same single-session rate (so $3,000 to $4,000), which Taylor declined.

Responding to this differing account of the negotiations, Taylor told Schreier it was "an absolute lie," and said she stood by everything in her videos.

Taylor's original comments led to much online discussion earlier this week, with Hideki Kamiya commenting on an "attitude of untruth" on Twitter, and the artist who took over voicing the character in the new game, Jennifer Hale, receiving abusive messages on social media before putting out a short statement of her own.


Further reading:

[source bloomberg.com]