The director behind Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End has shed some more light on the newly introduced Nadine Ross, who appears in the latest trailer for the hotly anticipated action-adventure sequel.
Speaking during a panel at the PlayStation Experience (via GameSpot), Neil Druckmann specifically addressed the fact Ross’s character, a black South African mercenary, is portrayed by white voice actress Laura Bailey. According to Druckmann, Naughty Dog didn’t have a final look in place for her when creating the character, and only outlined her basic history, such as her position in a mercenary military unit.
When it came to finally casting the role, Druckmann revealed that many actors auditioned for the part, although it was Bailey’s performance that sealed the deal for the California-based studio.
"There was no question in our mind: that’s Nadine," he said.
Nonetheless, Druckmann did admit that there were some concerns raised among the team when it was confirmed that a white actress would be portraying the character. It was suggested by some to change the character’s design, although the Uncharted 4 director wanted to hold out before making a final decision.
"Someone on the team said, ‘You know, you have a white actor [playing] a black character, are you sure you want to do that? You’re inviting controversy,’" said Druckmann. "What’s so awesome about our medium is your outward appearance doesn’t matter at all. If it did, Troy couldn’t play Joel in The Last of Us. Ashley Johnson couldn’t play Ellie. In the movie version, they can’t play those roles and they played them to perfection [in the game]."
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is due out exclusively on PlayStation 4 on March 18, 2016. Watch the latest footage of the game in action from the PlayStation Experience 2015, which showcases multiple dialogue options for the player to select from during a conversation between Nathan and Sam Drake. The game’s multiplayer beta is currently ongoing and will run until December 13, so get downloading the client if you haven’t already done so.