Sometimes there is a news story so overtly hostile that I don’t even want to cover it; that is the case here. Through the years, one of the core characters from the Resident Evil franchise has been corporate spy Ada Wong. And throughout the years, many voice actors have represented the character with the latest bring, Lily Gao, in the Resident Evil 4 Remake.
This isn’t the first time fans have seen Lily Gao in the role of Ada Wong; Lily had previously cameoed as the character in the live-action movie Welcome to Raccoon City, too far less outcry from fans. While many critics and fans agree that The Resident Evil 4 Remake is not only a great game, but in many ways, it’s a better game than the original, an unjust amount of hatred has been slung in Lily Gao’s way by supposed fans of the franchise.
To say fans were disappointed by Lily Gao’s performance as Ada Wong is putting it mildly. Many took to social media to tantrum that Lily Gao’s performance was the worst they had ever heard. Some of the kinder comments noted that she sounded disinterested, monotone and stiff, with the bulk of the complaints coming down to one core thing: she didn’t sound seductive enough in her performance.
While it’s okay for people to feel this way, and it’s even acceptable for people to air their grievances online, where it’s no longer okay is when people don’t just post this negativity onto their social accounts but instead hunt down the voice actors Instagram profile and start attacking her in the comments.
Following this seemingly endless attack on her performance and person, Lily Gao removed all her posts from Instagram bar one. The only remaining post is a short statement which reads:
For many members of the majority culture (i.e., those who identify as White) in the United States, being made aware of one’s classification as linked to privilege is likely not a common or welcomed experience. Indeed, many people have never been asked or required to reflect on their own privileged status, and in regards to racial identity, doing so might feel uncomfortable or even discordant with the common narrative regarding social and political changes over the years. For example, White Americans may attach the concepts of progress toward equality or being “colour blind” as mitigating privilege. As a result, many White Americans either may not be aware of or may avoid considering how simply being White confers special status or experiences, potentially to the detriment of others. While many Americans may not view themselves as privileged because of their economic or social status, the advantage of being in the majority racial group is real, even if often hidden.
It’s highly disheartening to see fans of the franchise act like this and take out so much inner anger and frustration on an actor who was hired to do a job and then directed on how to do it. Previously, Ada Wong’s lines were exaggerated with seductiveness and often came across as camp, so the character was changed in the remake to suit better the more grounded protagonist that character has become.