Dammon's BG3 Voice Actor Controversy Explained

The Baldur's Gate 3 voice actor for Dammon has become the center of some controversy as fans look into his past. 

Belgian developer Larian Studio's hit 2023 RPG has amassed a devoted fanbase, thrusting the dev team behind the game and the cast involved into superstardom. 

This digital take on the world of Dungeons and Dragons won heaps of Game of the Year awards, with audiences responding to its open-ended gameplay and diverse representation of cultures, genders, and sexualities across its stacked ensemble of characters. 

What Happened to the Dammon Voice Actor?

Bladur's Gate 3 fans are outraged following controversial revelations surrounding Dammon voice actor Frazer Blaxland. 

In the critically acclaimed Larian RPG, Blaxland voices the Tiefling blacksmith Dammon whom players meet as a resident of the Emerald Grove Settlement early in the game. 

However, the voice behind the merchant has found himself swamped in controversy, as fans discovered the voice acting talent has shown interest in transphobic, homophobic, and potentially Zionist rhetoric. 

Eagle-eyed members of the Baldur's Gate 3 community uncovered that Blaxland has liked various bigoted social media posts and shared his support for Israel in its ongoing conflict with the nation of Palestine. 

The public outcry surrounding these posts prompted the voice actor to issue a public apology, saying he had unfollowed the accounts responsible and that this was a "very important lesson" for him (via Social Bites):

"This was a very important lesson about the importance of who I follow on social media. Before this, I never really thought about clicking the 'follow' button. In the future, I will be aware of who I follow because it matters."

However, much of the fanbase did not take this apology as genuine. Many continue to go at the actor, calling his apology disingenuous, and proposing that given the sheer amount of these posts he liked over the years, there is no way this could be an honest mistake. 

Baldur's Gate studio Larian Studios has yet to comment on the controversy, but since posting his apology, Blaxland has taken his X (formerly Twitter) account offline.

Why The Dammon Voice Actor Controversy Matters?

While these sorts of bigoted and controversial behaviors are unwelcome in this day and age, they strike a particular pain point for fans of Baldur's Gate 3. 

Larian's latest RPG has been lauded for its diversity, representation, and generally progressive point of view.

Characters like the Half-Elf rogue Astarion or Zariel barbarian Karlach have essentially become queer icons thanks to the game's open-ended romance options.

Even the player-created custom character is so open-ended gamers can express themselves in any way they want, presenting in any way that they so choose. 

So, to see one of the actors who is part of a game that has meant so much to wide swaths of under-represented groups, like the queer to gender-diverse community, withholding beliefs that directly threaten them cuts deep.

Other voice actors involved in the project (ie Astarion's New Newbon) have embraced what the game has been able to accomplish for people who do not traditionally see themselves up on the screen. 

However, in the case of Frazer Blaxland, this could be seen as a direct insult to the people who have latched onto Baldur's Gate because of its representation. 

It seems a little hypocritical to be part of a project that is so open and accepting to a diverse group of people, only to harbor beliefs that directly contrast with that. 

That is why this particular controversy has resonated with so many Baldur's Gate 3 fans. 

As time goes on, many will be curious to see if the studio behind the uber-successful RPG will issue a statement on the actions of one of its vocal talents. 

Baldur's Gate 3 is now available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.