Steamy Secrets Unveiled: Neil Newbon Dishes on Romance and Intimacy in Baldur's Gate 3

Baldur's Gate 3 features a wide array of inclusive romance options, with romance playing a significant role in the game. Among these options, Astarion, a complex character with a captivating personality and intriguing backstory, stands out as one of the most popular choices. Despite his anti-hero qualities and sadistic tendencies, Astarion's mysterious allure, combined with the potential for goodness, make him an appealing romance option.

In a recent interview, actor Neil Newbon, who portrays Astarion in the game, discussed the portrayal of romance and intimacy in Baldur's Gate 3. This includes the notorious bear sex scene that garnered attention from the gaming community. Newbon also touched upon the game's approach to creating these intimate moments, which involves the involvement of Intimacy Directors and other aspects.

Astarion Actor Neil Newbon Discusses The Bear Scene of Baldur's Gate 3

The final panel by Larian Studios, known as the Panel of Hell, stirred up a lot of excitement in the gaming community. This was mainly due to the notorious bear sex scene, which became a trending topic. During the panel, Larian's chat audience advocated for the ability to keep Halsin in bear form during the intimate encounter, a request that resulted in the video being banned on TikTok. Apart from this remarkable bear scene, Baldur's Gate 3 includes a variety of other diverse sex scenes that players may come across during the game. The bear scene, in particular, was a source of amusement and the community's reaction added to the hilarity. When asked about their experience performing in the scene and witnessing the fans' responses, Newbon expressed their amusement and enjoyment. They found it particularly entertaining to witness the fans' enthusiasm, comparing it to tempting a child with candy and then leaving the room, knowing very well what will happen to the candy.

The humor of Halsin transforming into a bear shouldn't overshadow the importance of ensuring a safe and secure filming environment for this scene. The transformation itself is not the main focus here. Our priority is to approach the scene with honesty, professionalism, and enjoyment. It is crucial that everyone, including the crew, feels comfortable with the content we are creating. We were fortunate to have intimacy directors from both Larian and PitStop, which is commendable and greatly appreciated. Their presence ensured a safe and supported space for everyone involved. From my conversations with the majority of the 300-person cast, it is evident that everyone had a positive experience while working on this project.

Newbon mentioned that he had actually directed Dave Jones in the scene, who portrays Halsin the Druid, a romanceable character in Baldur's Gate 3. However, Newbon wasn't aware initially that Astarion would be used as the model in the Panel, finding it to be "really funny." Newbon commended the presence of Intimacy Directors and the implementation of closed sets, which ensured that even the less serious intimacy scenes were approached with sensitivity. Larian and PitStop went beyond just intimacy and took precautions including flagging the script for potential triggers. Ultimately, this scene left Newbon concerned about the squirrel: "I feel sorry for the squirrel. That's the one I want to check in on. Is the squirrel okay?"

Neil Newbon Talks Baldur's Gate 3's Romance And Intimacy Scenes

Pursuing romance options in RPGs is a popular pastime for many players and may contribute to the success of Baldur's Gate 3. Speaking about romance in Baldur's Gate 3 more broadly, Newbon also commended Larian Studios' inclusive approach to romance and intimacy, which includes the use of Intimacy Directors – a role that is increasingly recognized in game development. According to Newbon, Intimacy Directors ensure that actors feel supported and comfortable when performing intimate scenes, and they provide guidance on how to approach these scenes, which is highly commendable. Additionally, Intimacy Directors are a valuable resource for handling potentially triggering scenes, such as acts of violence or torture, and they offer support to actors not only in Baldur's Gate 3 but also in future projects.

I find it impressive that they included intimacy directors who were readily available for actors upon request. When it comes to filming intimate scenes, the typical approach involves discussing with the actors beforehand, going through the scene, and highlighting any elements that they may find uncomfortable or triggering. It's not limited to just sexual content; it can also pertain to scenes involving torture or trauma. The intimacy director collaborates with the narrative director, performance director, or voice director to ensure a safe environment.

While scenes like the bear scene may provide entertainment, it is clear that Baldur's Gate 3 put considerable thought and care into creating romance and intimacy scenes that cater to the well-being of those involved and for the enjoyment of the community, regardless of the specific circumstances. Additionally, the script was reviewed for potential triggers, and strict measures were taken to ensure closed sets.

In addition to having intimacy directors, they took measures to ensure it was a closed set. The door remained closed, the sound was isolated from outside the filming studio, and only those directly involved were present. It was a highly satisfactory experience in that regard.

PC users can now enjoy playing Baldur's Gate 3.