Bayonetta voice now Jennifer Hale in upcoming third game
Hanging with my witches.
Unlike previous releases in the series, Bayonetta 3's titular Umbra Witch will not be voiced by Hellena Taylor.
The role has instead gone to Jennifer Hale, who has voiced characters such as Commander Shephard in Mass Effect and Naomi Hunter in the Metal Gear Solid series, to name but a few.
In an interview with Game Informer, which features Bayonetta 3 as its cover this issue, director Yusuke Miyata explained that "overlapping circumstances" meant that Taylor was unable to reprise her role as Bayonetta. As such, Hale stepped in to take the place of the series' title role, with Miyata stating he felt she was a "good match for the character" (thanks, Nintendo Everything).
The director went on to state he understood fans' concerns about this change in actress so late in the series, but assured everyone that Hale's performance was "beyond what [the Bayonetta 3 team] could have imagined".
"I'm confident that her portrayal of Bayonetta will exceed our fans' expectations," he concluded.
As a point of general interest, Atsuko Tanaka will voice Bayonetta once more in the Japanese version of the game.
Meanwhile, Hale herself has received widespread praise for her previous performances, with her turn as lombax Rivet in Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart garnering her multiple best performance nominations.
Bayonetta 3 is set for release on the Nintedo Switch on 28th October.