Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's Jennifer English says it was "hard" playing two characters in the RPG: "I had to find the subtlety of it being the same but different"

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Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's Jennifer English says it was "hard" playing two characters in the RPG: "I had to find the subtlety of it being the same but different" News By Kaan Serin published 30 November 2025

Voicing Maelle and Alicia was difficult

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(Image credit: Sandfall Interactive/Kepler Interactive)

Jennifer English is no stranger to putting herself in other character's shoes, having had roles in everything from Elden Ring to Baldur's Gate 3, but she still had a tough time playing a dual role in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 because, well, it's a two-in-one type of gig.

Spoilers ahead for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Clair Obscur is full of twists and turns, but perhaps no revelation is bigger than finding out that the world you've been exploring for hours is sort of 'fake' - it's painted. Not only that, some characters are actually just 'painted' doppelgangers of 'real' people on the outside.

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That's the case for Jennifer English's two roles - Maelle and Alicia - which is what gave her some grief. "At the moment, I'm really reflecting on playing Alicia," the actor told GamesRadar+ at the Golden Joystick Awards. "It was hard because I had to find the subtlety of it being the same but different."

"And even though [developer Sandfall interactive] did effects on my voice, [I had to] find a very different cadence, a different personality, essentially, while also keeping it true to that core soul," she added. "And I think I’m quite proud of that, actually, but also every scene with my amazing castmates, because they’re all iconic."

Elsewhere at the awards show, Expedition 33's creative director Guillaume Broche said he doesn't want the studio to grow or change drastically in response to the game's commercial success and critical acclaim.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 actors Ben Starr and Jennifer English worry the J’RPG wouldn’t be “as sexy” if it wasn’t French: “French people are just sexier”

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Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. CATEGORIES Xbox Series X PS5 PC Gaming Platforms Xbox PlayStation Kaan SerinFreelance contributor

Kaan freelances for various websites including Rock Paper Shotgun, Eurogamer, and this one, Gamesradar. He particularly enjoys writing about spooky indies, throwback RPGs, and anything that's vaguely silly. Also has an English Literature and Film Studies degree that he'll soon forget.

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