After a long development cycle that started way back in 2015,Final Fantasy 16is finally out on the PS5 as a timed exclusive. Set in the world of Valisthea, its six nations are falling into civil unrest when a magical drought known as the Blight hits the land. It’s down to Clive Rosfield, Jill Warrick, Cidolfus Telamon, and Clive’s hound Torgal to work through these different conflicts, discover the connection between the blight and the demonic Eikon Ifrit, and learn more about themselves in the process.
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TheFinal Fantasygames have been voiced in different languages for the past 20 years now and have featured a wide range of talent. Fans today still get a kick overFF10’s Wakka being voiced by John DiMaggio (Bender fromFuturama), and Rikku being one of Tara Strong’s more memorable roles alongside Bubbles fromThe Powerpuff Girlsand Harley Quinn. But they might alsorecognizeFinal Fantasy 16’s English voice actorsfrom these sources.
9Ben Starr As Clive Rosfield
First off,FF16’s hero Clive was passed over as the heir to the Grand Duchy of Rosaria because he lacked the magic his younger brother Joshua had. After the death of his father and Joshua, he was betrayed by his mother Anabella and made a slave by the Sanbreque kingdom. He escapes to join Cidolfus' rebel group, and frees Jill Warrick, so they can save Valisthea from the Blight.
He’s voiced by Ben Starr, who originally auditioned for a smaller role until the dub directors were impressed enough to give him the top role. Starr doesn’t have many other voice acting roles beyond Sharp the Pythian mercenary inArknights. However, he does have plenty of live-action roles, like in the Netflix seriesYou, and the unrelated romcomYou & Me. His most familiar live-acting role would be Dr Christopher Priestley in the drama seriesJamestown.
8Jonathan Case & Logan Hannan As Joshua Rosfield
Joshua Rosfield became heir to the Grand Duchy of Rosaria at the insistence of his mother Anabella because he could hold the power of itsFire Eikon Phoenix. Though he was unwilling to take the position, he was able to summon the Phoenix when Rosaria was attacked, and his father was killed in front of him. He was seemingly killed when Ifrit awakened and fought back.
His voice actor, Jonathan Case, also doesn’t have many voice-over roles but has a few live-action ones. He appears in the post-apocalyptic movieUndergodsas Will, and he appeared in the UK medical drama seriesHolby City. His younger version was voiced by Logan Hannan, who also voiced Hugo in theA Plague Talegames, and Custard inEarwig and The Witch.
7Susannah Fielding & Charlotte Burney As Jill Warrick
Jill isFF16’s lead woman and had a similar fate to Clive’s. She was the princess of the Northern Territories until they were destroyed, when she kept in Rosaria as a political hostage. She was raised with Clive and Joshua until Sanbreque attacked, where her powers as the Dominant of the Ice Eikon Shiva awakened. After that she was made a slave to the Iron Kingdom until she fled with Clive and Cidolfus.
Related:Final Fantasy 16: Should You Choose Jill or Tarja in Letting Off Steam III?
Her VA, Susannah Fielding, has a mixture of voice and live roles. She appeared inLife, a drama with the 5thDoctor WhoPete Davison, and the comedy seriesThis Time with Alan Partridgeas Jennie Gresham. Vocally, she was Eschers inNecromunda: Hired Gun, and Aurora inDragon Quest Heroes. Jill’s younger self was played by Charlotte Burney, who was previously Amicia in theA Plague Talegames.
6Ralph Ineson As Cidolfus Telamon
EveryFinal FantasysinceFF2has had acharacter called Cid in it, and Cidolfus Telamon isFF16’s addition to the “Cid” collection. He’s the Dominant of the Lightning Eikon Ramuh, and the leader of a rebel group that seeks to free magic users from enslavement. He brings Clive and Jill into his cause to save Valisthea from the Blight.
If Cid sounds familiar, it might be because he’s played by Ralph Ineson. He previously played the parts of Lorath inDiablo IV, Hunter inDark Crystal: Age of Resistance, and Charles Vane inAssassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag. That’s on top of his appearances inStar Wars: The Last Jedi,The Ballad of Buster Scruggs,Chernobyl, andGuardians of the Galaxy.
5David Menkin As Barnabas Tharmr
Cidolfus was originally allied with the Waloed Kingdom and its king Barnabas Thamr until they had a “difference of vision”. Namely, in that Barnabas, the Dominant of the Darkness Eikon Odin, grew up in a cult that worshiped Ultima, the gestalt entity of an alien civilization that had previously fallen to the Blight. In short, whatSephiroth is to Jenova, Barnabas is to Ultima.
Barnabas was played by David Menkin, who previously appeared inFFXIV: Shadowbringersas Magnus, who Menkin credits for helping him get into the role. He also played the Rangers and Corroserum inArknights, Luke Skywalker inLego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, Dag inAssassin’s Creed: Valhalla, Preston Marlow inBattlefield: Bad Company, and perhaps most curiously of all, Jack and Porter in the CGIThomas and Friendsseries.
4Nina Yndis As Benedikta Harman
Unlike Sephiroth, Barnabas does have some humanity in him. He was the one who took Benedikta in after he and Cid saved her from slavery. But onceCidolfus left her and Waloed, she turned against him, becoming the leader of Waloed’s “intelligencer” unit. It’s a role that fits her clinical, controlling personality, and being the Dominant of the Wind Eikon Garuda makes her all the more formidable.
Related:Final Fantasy 16: How to Beat Benedikta
Like Menkin, Benedikta’s VA Nina Yndis previously appeared inFF14: Shadowbringersas Uimet and didn’t know the project was aFinal Fantasygame until near the end of recording. She previously played the parts of Edna inBravely Default, Birna inAssassin’s Creed Valhalla, and made a live-action appearance as Kavetka in thePeaky Blindersseries.
3Stewart Clarke As Dion Lesage
Dion was designed to look like the archetypical hero but is technically a rival to Clive as the Crown Prince of Sanbreque and the Dominant of the Light Eikon Bahamut. He’s also the Lord Commander of Sanbreque’s Dragoon soldiers, and the nation’s strongest and most famous warrior. It’s likely his relationship with Terence that sawFF16get banned in Saudi Arabia for depicting gay romance.
Dion’s actor Stewart Clarke got to talk and Dion’s character in general. BeforeFF16, Clarke voiced Ethan Reed inHorizon: Forbidden Westand Eygon inValkyrie Elysium. Viewers might also find him in the UK drama seriesThe Moonstone, and as Z22 inDoctor Who: The Monthly Adventures.
2Alex Lanipekun As Hugo Kupka
Hugo Kupka rose through the ranks of the Dhalmekian Republic’s army until he became its de facto leader, serving as the Dominant of the Earth Eikon Titan. While a very rich and powerful figure in the Republic, he likes to frequently engage in skirmishes with the enemy armies. Which will make him a challenge to players as he’s allied with Benedikta, Waloed, and Ultima.
Prior to playing Hugo, Alex Lanipekun was also Nil in bothHorizon: Zero DawnandForbidden West, as well as Sokhaa Esof and Andraknor inMass Effect: Andromeda. In live action, he appeared as Tycho inDomina, Daniel Sands inThe Rising, Hank Wonham inHomeland, and Raafi Al-Qadar inRiviera.
1John Hopkins As Elwin Rosfield
Lastly, Elwin inherited the Duchy after his father passed suddenly, despite not being able to summon Phoenix like Rosaria’s Dominants should. He treated his sons kindly, including the disinherited Clive.But it’s his death and the fall of Rosaria to Sanbreque that sets his sons off onto their adventures.
He’s voiced by John Hopkins, who previously played Lucas Grey, the childhood friend of Agent 47 and fellow assassin in theHITMANtrilogy. On top of that, he was Bard inAnthem, Hendrik inDragon Quest XI, Maxwell Roth inAssassin’s Creed: Syndicate, and chief ranger Erik Ahlberg in the Netflix seriesHilda.
Final Fantasy 16is out now on PS5.
More:Final Fantasy 16: The Best Weapons for Clive (& How to Get Them)
