Jennifer English is a British actress and voice performer, known for her portrayal of the half-elf cleric Shadowheart in the role-playing video game Baldur's Gate III (2023).^[1] She also provided the voice of Latenna the Albinauric in Elden Ring (2022).^[2] In 2024, English was named a BAFTA Breakthrough talent in recognition of her work on Baldur’s Gate III.^[3]

English spent part of her childhood in Shropshire, England,^[4] and pursued formal drama training at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. Before focusing on roles in video games, she performed in regional theatre productions and participated in short films.^[4]

Early in her career, English appeared in stage productions across various venues. She also contributed additional voices to Divinity: Original Sin II (2017), a role-playing game developed by Larian Studios.^[5] This collaboration set the stage for her eventual casting in the studio’s next major title, Baldur’s Gate III.

English gained wide recognition for portraying Shadowheart in Baldur's Gate III, providing both voice acting and motion capture for the character.^[1] Released in 2023, the game was met with critical acclaim and strong sales, with English’s performance noted for its emotional depth.^[6] In the following year, she was selected as a BAFTA Breakthrough talent, highlighting her standout contribution to the title.^[3]

In Elden Ring (2022), English voiced Latenna the Albinauric.^[2] She has spoken about the specific vocal approach required by developer FromSoftware, noting that it differed significantly from her collaborative experience on Baldur’s Gate III.^[7]

English frequently participates in livestreams and panels discussing her work. She joined a special one-shot Baldur’s Gate III session with the High Rollers DnD group,^[8] and she maintains a profile on Cameo, where fans can request personalized messages.^[9]

English identifies as queer and has shared her perspective on authentic representation in media.^[4] She has attended fan conventions alongside other Baldur’s Gate III cast members, expressing gratitude for the community’s enthusiastic response to her role as Shadowheart.^[10]

Jennifer English grew up in Shropshire, England,^[1] and developed an interest in acting at an early age. She is believed to have pursued formal drama training at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, performing in various stage productions before moving into voice acting and motion capture roles.^[1]

English’s early on-screen experience included short films and stage performances. Some reports indicate that she contributed to the voice cast of Divinity: Original Sin II (2017), another Larian Studios title,^[2] which helped establish her relationship with the studio.

English’s most notable role to date is Shadowheart in Baldur's Gate III, developed by Larian Studios and fully released in 2023. Over four years of production, she provided both voice acting and motion capture for the character.^[3] The game received critical acclaim and commercial success, with critics praising English’s emotional depth in portraying Shadowheart.^[4] In late 2024, she was named a BAFTA Breakthrough talent, with the selection committee highlighting her performance in Baldur’s Gate III as a standout.^[5]

In addition to her Larian Studios work, English voiced the NPC Latenna the Albinauric in FromSoftware’s critically acclaimed action RPG Elden Ring (2022).^[6] She has stated in interviews that working with FromSoftware involved a more “strict and detailed” direction process, contrasting with the creative freedom she experienced on Baldur’s Gate III.^[7]

English has been credited with smaller voice roles in indie or VR titles. She has also appeared on-stream with the cast and crew of Baldur’s Gate III, including a special one-shot Dungeons & Dragons session hosted by the High Rollers DnD group.^[8] While details on upcoming projects remain sparse, English has hinted at continuing voice and motion-capture work across multiple genres.^[9]

English maintains a relatively private personal life. She has a profile on Cameo, offering personalized messages for fans,^[10] and occasionally appears in interviews or online panels discussing her experiences in acting and gaming.

Public discussions and social media activity indicate that she identifies as queer, though comprehensive mainstream coverage of her personal life is minimal.^[1] English has shared that she values authenticity in both her personal identity and her roles, preferring to let her work speak for itself rather than focusing on publicizing private details.^[11] She has been spotted at conventions alongside colleagues from Larian Studios and has expressed gratitude for the community’s supportive response to her portrayal of Shadowheart.^[12]

Jennifer English was raised in rural Shropshire, England.^[1] She has described being involved in amateur theatre productions from a young age, performing short adaptations of classic works with her family. Growing up in a small community in the 1990s and early 2000s, English felt there was little visibility for LGBTQ+ individuals, contributing to her own delayed self-realisation regarding her sexuality.^[2]

After showing an early interest in acting, English attended the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire to train as an actor. During her studies, she received early recognition when she was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Bursary by the Society of London Theatre.^[3]

English began her career with stage performances in venues such as the Arcola Theatre and The Old Vic, as well as regional repertory productions. She also took on small parts in independent short films, building experience in both theatre and on-screen roles.^[4]

English first performed in video games through minor roles, eventually voicing the character Latenna in Elden Ring (2022).^[5] Her most prominent role to date is Shadowheart in Baldur's Gate 3, developed by Larian Studios. Over roughly four years of production, she provided both voice and performance capture for the half-elf cleric companion character. The game’s 2023 release garnered widespread critical acclaim and commercial success, and English’s portrayal of Shadowheart drew particular praise for its emotional depth.^[6] In 2024, she was named a BAFTA Breakthrough artist in recognition of her performance.^[7]

Following the success of Baldur’s Gate 3, English continued to expand her repertoire. She appeared in a fantasy short film, Divine Intervention (2024), and joined the cast of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, voicing a young expedition team member named Maelle.^[8]

English identifies as queer (specifically as a lesbian) and has been open about the challenges she faced growing up without visible LGBTQ+ role models.^[9] She came out in her early twenties and has stated that her family was supportive, which helped her to embrace her identity fully.

She is in a long-term relationship with motion-capture director and performer Aliona Baranova. The two met during the production of Baldur’s Gate 3, where Baranova worked on the performance direction.^[10] According to English, they “fell in love making this game,” and have often appeared together in interviews, fan events, and live streams. They share a passion for gaming, streaming cooperative titles on platforms such as Twitch, and regularly engage with fans.

English has also been candid about receiving a late diagnosis of ADHD, discussing how it affects her acting process and day-to-day life. She often uses social media (e.g., TikTok and Instagram) to talk about mental health, gaming, and behind-the-scenes insights, cultivating an approachable public presence.^[11]

Outside of acting, English has expressed enthusiasm for tabletop role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, an experience she explored more deeply after joining a special session with the High Rollers D&D group. She also remains a dedicated video game fan, citing The Sims as a childhood favourite.^[12] Additionally, English enjoys content creation on social platforms, where she shares humorous anecdotes, mental health reflections, and reading recommendations.

• Laurence Olivier Bursary Nomination – Nominated while attending the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.^[3]
• Back in the Box Film Festival, Best Supporting Actress (2017) – Won for her role in the short film White Lines (2016).^[13]
• BAFTA Breakthrough (2024) – Selected for her portrayal of Shadowheart in Baldur’s Gate 3.^[7]

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