The gaming community is witnessing another unfortunate incident of online harassment targeting voice actors. Lily Gao, who recently voiced Ada Wong in the Resident Evil 4 Remake, has been subjected to a barrage of hateful comments from disgruntled fans on her Instagram account. Gao replaced Jolene Anderson, who had voiced Ada in Resident Evil 2.
Capcom’s decision to hire actors with the same ethnicity as the characters in their games led to Gao’s casting. However, some fans have gone beyond expressing constructive criticism, resorting to personal attacks and even threatening to ruin Gao’s career. Some comments bordered on misogyny and racism.
In response to the harassment, Gao initially deactivated comments on her Instagram and later deleted almost all her posts, which also served as her resume for her TV and movie roles. The gaming community and the industry at large must address and condemn such toxic behavior to ensure a more inclusive and respectful environment.
This incident follows a pattern of voice actor harassment in the gaming world. As more media outlets cover these stories, the gaming community must come together and support voice actors against such targeted attacks.
