[Kotaku] Fans are Concerned about Barret's Voice in Final Fantasy 7 remake. A "hyper-masculine cartoon" and a "Mr. T facsimile"

Pyro · May 13, 2019

I know it's early folks, but it just doesn't bode well. Had a conversation with a friend who didn't think they were bad either until I asked him to impersonate them out loud and he 180'd so quick lol.

And it's a Japanese title (ignorance/lack of interaction with PoC can lead to being accidentally racist).

Nanashrew · May 13, 2019

I wonder why they changed out Beau Billingslea, though. The 2015 trailer was him, but this brand new one is not.

eraFROMAN · May 13, 2019

Barrett needs a full rewrite; his portrayal in the remake seems in line with his English original, unfortunately. Being black myself, I couldn't stand Barrett in the original because he's written like the translator is in high school and only knows black people from blacksploitation movies. He's got an okay arc, but he's not in my party unless he really has to be, and I wish it wasn't that way.

nogoodnamesleft · May 13, 2019

I found most of the voices pretty bad tbh but nothing relating to stereotyping. They just sound really poorly delivered. Like every FF outside of 12 really.

Glass Arrows · May 13, 2019

Nanashrew said:
I wonder why they changed out Beau Billingslea, though. The 2015 trailer was him, but this brand new one is not.

It seems like they changed a lot of VA's. Sephiroth's is new too and Cloud doesn't sound like Steve Burton to me.

Kilic95 · May 13, 2019

Plywood said:

LORD

Deleted member 4093 · May 13, 2019

https://twitter.com/chuchumcgoo/status/1126627347485081600?s=21

ItsTheShoes · May 13, 2019

I liked the original translation and the voice, fits the character.

Strings · May 13, 2019

lowhighkang_LHK said:
Beau Billingslea is the voice of Barret. And you can hear what appears to be his natural (or close to) voice in this sample here:
https://youtu.be/lu6LRI7Skw0

EDIT: Holy shit it's not his voice. Damn you IMDB

It's not him. Beau is 75 atm, so I can understand recasting him, even if he's still very active and good, since this is possibly a decade long commitment.

808s & Villainy · May 13, 2019

eraFROMAN said:
Barrett needs a full rewrite; his portrayal in the remake seems in line with his English original, unfortunately.

Dude we've heard him yell 2 lines, one of which seems to be a battle line. Claiming anything about his remake portrayal is beyond premature. I also thought his Mr. T caricature was embarrassing, but I'm not going to pretend to be able to say anything about how he'll be in this simply because I heard him speak a sum total of 5 seconds

ZangBa · May 13, 2019

I'm really unhappy about the recast for his voice from the legend Beau Billingslea, as well as the others like Superman Sephiroth I really hope it's just placeholder voice acting.

James3D · May 13, 2019

Ron Funches should do his voice.

Deleted member 721 · May 13, 2019

btw this video is good to compare the voices and translation

Village · May 13, 2019

ItsTheShoes said:
I liked the original translation and the voice, fits the character.

how so?

Ra · May 13, 2019

808s & Villainy said:
Dude we've heard him yell 2 lines, one of which seems to be a battle line. Claiming anything about his remake portrayal is beyond premature. I also thought his Mr. T caricature was embarrassing, but I'm not going to pretend to be able to say anything about how he'll be in this simply because I heard him speak a sum total of 5 seconds

So the first lines we hear are typical stereotypical jive bullshit and we need to wait on the rest of it before forming a preliminary opinion?

Village said:
how so?

He's uhhhh..... you know....

ZeroX · May 13, 2019

All the voices kinda suck

predalien27 · May 13, 2019

The Last One said:
This is not true, Yuna uses guns in FF X-2. But yeah, the 2 most well known black characters in the franchise also use guns.

What about the other guy in FFVII who uses guns? Everyone always forgetting about my boy Vincent.

2ndTuXx · May 13, 2019

Kotaku doing what they do best.

Take whatever is currently popular, create the illusion of racial/gender undertones being present, stir readers up and wait to see if said article gains traction

Village · May 13, 2019

K.Jack said:
So the first lines we hear are typical stereotypical jive bullshit and we need to wait on the rest of it before forming a preliminary opinion?

He's uhhhh..... you know....

psynergyadept · May 13, 2019

I really didn't mind it; however it does give you the usual scruffy/deep voice adult blackk men ususally get portrayed in an anime/videogames. I would say it's too early to judge on how Barret's complete dialogue will sound, I can understand the sentiment of worry from the old FF7 dialogue because it did give off the that at least a Mr. T vibe whch that "Load off yout shoulders" kinda sounded like.

Plywood said:

Damn I feel bad for laughing at this....yeah S-E needs to avoid this.

Arkeband · May 13, 2019

Salbert said:
It's not really so much his voice as his botched characterization in the original's English translation to being a stereotypical "hyper-tough black dude", whereas in the Japanese version, he was apparently more nuanced.

I also think there's something to be said for the fact that the only two black Final Fantasy characters are also the only ones who use guns.

look not to defend Barrett and Sazh's designs, but Edward (FF6), Vincent (FF7), Irvine (FF8), Balthier (FF12), Mustadio (FFT), Prompto (FF15)...

You could also count Lightning, who straight up shoots with her gunblade at a distance which differs from FF8 gunblades.

edit: and while there are only two main party playable black characters, there's Kiros (FF8), Lani (FF9), Dona (FFX)...

eraFROMAN · May 13, 2019

808s & Villainy said:
Dude we've heard him yell 2 lines, one of which seems to be a battle line. Claiming anything about his remake portrayal is beyond premature. I also thought his Mr. T caricature was embarrassing, but I'm not going to pretend to be able to say anything about how he'll be in this simply because I heard him speak a sum total of 5 seconds

You're right, I can't speak to the script yet, but all you have to do is listen to the way those few lines are spoken to know you've heard it before. It's not a unique line read at all. Hopefully they give him a rewrite from what he had in the western (US?) original.

Tatsu91 · May 13, 2019

KingdomHeartsFan said:
No that line in the OP is not racist, that is absolutely absurd. That reach by whoever wrote that article is embarrassing.

TheYanger said:
That's why it's 'concerning' - we have two lines, and both are directed to sound exactly like that stereotype. Does that mean it for sure will be that way? No, but it is CONCERNING. hence the title.

I am really confused he sounds like someone speaking i do not hear any sort of caricature in his spoken lines thus far? in a overly dramatic RPG he seems to fit

AztecComplex · May 13, 2019

When people in the other thread were complaining about Barret supposedly having lighter skin (nonsense, IMO) I said that I'd be more worried about Barret's writing and voice acting/direction more than anything else and I stand by it.

Also I want the original dorky Cloud from the JP version in the Remake, not stoic super serious emo Cloud from the English version that was made even worse in Advent Children.

Deleted member 721 · May 13, 2019

eraFROMAN said:
You're right, I can't speak to the script yet, but all you have to do is listen to the way those few lines are spoken to know you've heard it before. It's not a unique line read at all. Hopefully they give him a rewrite from what he had in the western (US?) original.

i believe all translations are based in the english version and in general they are worse.

Ra · May 13, 2019

Tatsu91 said:
I am really confused he sounds like someone speaking i do not hear any sort of caricature in his spoken lines thus far? in a overly dramatic RPG he seems to fit

You have a thread in which black people have posted, many taking issue with the voice acting. Examples have been posted of how and why a problem is seen.

Taking the line of ignorance does nothing.

DigitalOp · May 13, 2019

Double edged sword.

Speak up now and they tell you its too early, haven't seen enough

Speak later, and they tell you its too late in development, can't change it.

Its easy to see no issues when it's not your representation on the line, I think only Black FF fans have a say here, everyone else kinda irrelevant.

AztecComplex · May 13, 2019

Plywood said:

Gita Jackson being really unprofessional here. I didn't realize this article went up since Friday and on that same day the VA confirmed it wasn't him, and yet she still hasn't corrected her false claim that Barret is voiced by Jet from Cowboy Bebop's VA.

Everybody makes mistakes but there's no excuse for her to have taken 3 days to add a correction.

Epcott · May 13, 2019

I didn't like Barrett in the original, he came off as an overblown blaxportation parody. He called Cloud a "pencil-necked" something and at points came off so aggressive, he seemed like he would rather fight Cloud than be his companion... so much so, it ruined the game's immersion.

Then I watched Tim Rogers videos of the mangled translation weeks ago, and it made sense... and found myself wishing I had played the original JP version without the "Mr. T" placed in. So I had hoped they would change this for the remake, but what I heard "I'm hea fo ya... ta help take the loooooad of ya shouldas" sounding like so much black preacher at a family cookout... it didn't give me much hope.

Oh well, here's to more "Jibba jabba" and "Jive punk ass bitches" in my epic fantasy games.

/rollseyes

SolVanderlyn · May 13, 2019

He sounds exactly how I imagined his English voice to sound when I first played the game in 1997.

Cup O' Tea? · May 13, 2019

"A hyper masculine cartoon and Mr. T facsimile" is exactly what Barret was in the original game.

TheJollyCorner · May 13, 2019

Mr.T is an 80s icon... and Barret was clearly a play on him.
Strong, tough, badass.

Is Mr. T, a prominent black celebrity legend, considered a troubling racist caricature now... even if voiced by a person of color?

Foot · May 13, 2019

DigitalOp said:
Double edged sword.

Speak up now and they tell you its too early, haven't seen enough

Speak later, and they tell you its too late in development, can't change it.

Its easy to see no issues when it's not your representation on the line, I think only Black FF fans have a say here, everyone else kinda irrelevant.

Yeah. Really disheartening thread.

Deleted member 6582 · May 13, 2019

I was kinda expecting Mr. T to be honest since that's what they seemed to be going for with the original character. I don't know if that's really a problem or if it's just one black character that needs to represent an entire race whereas others have 30+ years of so many characters you need quirks to differentiate them.

TheJollyCorner · May 13, 2019

Double post

HyperDimension · May 13, 2019

TheYanger said:
Yeah...because he was a racist Mr T stereotype in text form in FF7. That's thye whole point. That's ENTIRELY on the localization. It's 2019 not 1997.

The fact that the Downey Tropic Thunder comparison is spot on is the whole point: It's literally the stereotypical 'gruff black guy' voice that is inherently racially ridiculous. Sounding exactly like a satiric breakdown of the entire trope only works when it's ironic.

Barrett is one of the most complex, three-dimensional characters in the FF series. He's far more than just a stereotype.

But the original English localization did make him sound like a stereotype. In the original Japanese text, Barrett speaks normally. But in the English localization, they decided to make him speak like Mr. T.

One reason why the localization team decided to make him speak like Mr. T is probably he kind of looks like him. It's likely that Tetsuya Nomura had Mr. T in mind when he drew Barrett's character design, since Mr. T was one of the world's most famous black people in the '90s. So the localization team saw his appearance, and decided to go all the way by making him speak like Mr. T as well.

M.J. · May 13, 2019

Idris elba should voice barret. With an american accent. Boom I'm in.

Samanosuke Akechi · May 13, 2019

Clouds voice sounds different too. Don't think that's steve burton in the new trailer. Wonder why they changed actors? Taking too long to bring the product to market and they don't have time now?

RecRoulette · May 13, 2019

Nanashrew said:
I wonder why they changed out Beau Billingslea, though. The 2015 trailer was him, but this brand new one is not.

Probably because Beau Billingslea is 75 and this entire remake might not be done for another 10 years.

Nanashrew · May 13, 2019

RecRoulette said:
Probably because Beau Billingslea is 75 and this entire remake might not be done for another 10 years.

That's a good point =/

AzureFlame · May 13, 2019

I don't see the issue here?, not all people speak the same, some like to speak in their own style.

0ptimusPayne · May 13, 2019

Damn as a black man, I always did hear Barrets voice in my head as that loud military gruff type.

Euler.L. · May 13, 2019

And people claimed Kotaku US isn't as clickbaity as Kotaku UK.

Leviathan · May 13, 2019

DigitalOp said:
Double edged sword.

Speak up now and they tell you its too early, haven't seen enough

Speak later, and they tell you its too late in development, can't change it.

Its easy to see no issues when it's not your representation on the line, I think only Black FF fans have a say here, everyone else kinda irrelevant.

As a Black FF fan who has apparently been blessed with the right to talk in your thread, I'll ask you to quit embarrassing yourself by ironically shutting out entire races of people. Regardless of whether you think we've earned that authority or you find it cathartic, it has never helped us before and it's not about to now. Not even weighing in on the Gita Jackson business, just asking you to retire that approach so we all look a little less bigoted.

MatrixMan.exe · May 13, 2019

I find it really odd and actually kind of infuriating that this author takes issue with the one or two lines of dialogue we've heard because it "plays into the stereotype" of black men being hulking masses of muscle like it's new. This has always been an issue with 'your dude' Barret's portrayal right down to his actual design and ever since the game released in 1997.

If you take issue with his voice acting for those reasons then you should be taking issue with the character as a whole. Otherwise, to me as a black man, this whole article just feels like a white guy stirring up controversy about issues unrelated to himself that he doesn't actually understand for clicks. Go away with this nonsense.

Village · May 13, 2019

Raging Spaniard said:
Seemed kind of clickbaity tbh, didnt help that the author hasnt played FF VII either. Gave the impression of either confirmation bias or just making a mountain out of a mole hill

I think there is reason concern

illmatic22 · May 13, 2019

I liked Beau's voice a lot better.

Jamaro · May 13, 2019

AztecComplex said:
Gita Jackson being really unprofessional here. I didn't realize this article went up since Friday and on that same day the VA confirmed it wasn't him, and yet she still hasn't corrected her false claim that Barret is voiced by Jet from Cowboy Bebop's VA.

Everybody makes mistakes but there's no excuse for her to have taken 3 days to add a correction.

Yeah, its pretty disappointing. I sent her a link to Billingslea's tweet a couple days ago in hopes she'd make an edit. But nope.

M.J. Doja said:
Idris elba should voice barret. With an american accent. Boom I'm in.

Listening to some Stringer Bell clips with my eyes closed trying to picture Barrett. Interesting.

Deleted member 6230 · May 13, 2019

MatrixMan.exe said:
I find it really odd and actually kind of infuriating that this author takes issue with the one or two lines of dialogue we've heard because it "plays into the stereotype" of black men being hulking masses of muscle like it's new. This has always been an issue with 'your dude' Barret's portrayal right down to his actual design and ever since the game released in 1997.

If you take issue with his voice acting for those reasons then you should be taking issue with the character as a whole. Otherwise, to me as a black man, this whole article just feels like a white guy stirring up controversy about issues unrelated to himself that he doesn't actually understand for clicks. Go away with this nonsense.

It's impossible for anyone to have initial reactions to his voice? Foh

HyperDimension · May 13, 2019

M.J. Doja said:
Idris elba should voice barret. With an american accent. Boom I'm in.

Nah, Idris Elba should voice Barrett with his British accent!

[Kotaku] Fans are Concerned about Barret's Voice in Final Fantasy 7 remake. A "hyper-masculine cartoon" and a "Mr. T facsimile"

God help us the mods are making weekend threads

One Winged Slayer

User requested account closure

Attempting to circumvent ban with an alt

User-requested account closure

Rap Genius

One Winged Slayer

User-requested account closure

Rap Genius

I love pineapple on pizza!

One Winged Slayer

Alt account

One Winged Slayer

User-requested account closure