Formerly on the brink of bankruptcy, Baldur’s Gate 3 actor Astarion has now turned down similar roles to focus on growth

Former Nearly Bankrupt Actor of Astarion from Baldur’s Gate 3 Now Refuses Similar Roles for Growth

Neil Newbon — the man behind Astarion in Baldur’s Gate 3 — says the game's success brought a tidal wave of job offers. Many of those were tempting, yet he turned several down.

It wasn't about poor scripts or low budgets. Instead, the same issue kept cropping up: characters that felt like carbon copies of the vampire he’d already inhabited, i.e., the same beats, the same postures, a slightly different wardrobe. If he couldn’t add something distinct, repeating it felt pointless.

Newbon talks about wanting change more than fame. He avoids getting pigeonholed — not as a mission statement, but as a practical way to stay engaged with the work. Variety, for him, means choosing parts that challenge or surprise (e.g., roles that demand different rhythms, accents, or physical choices).

He mentioned David Bowie as an example of constant reinvention — not to worship a template, but to point out that switching gears can be energizing. That said, he’s realistic: shifting images isn’t a cure-all and can be messy.

For now he’s picking projects that pull him in different directions rather than more of the same. His voice may remain familiar to fans, but he doesn’t feel compelled to mimic any previous character’s habits.