Jennifer Hale. If you don’t know her by name, I’m sure that if you’re a gamer or watch anything animated, you’ve at least heard her voice. She has brought exquisite life to characters such as Sarah Palmer (Halo 5), Hawk Girl and Killer Frost (Injustice: Gods Among Us), and her most iconic role as Commander Shepard (The Mass Effect Trilogy). She is a member of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) that is currently on strike against eleven video game corporations for fair contracts.

Part of what makes games like Mass Effect so incredible are the voices behind those characters we love. Voicing those characters is no easy task and can actually lead to serious injury. That is why Hale and so many others are requesting fairer contracts. In an interview with National Public Radio (NPR), Hale expressed that voice acting is no easy feat.

“Let me hear the sound you’d make if you were slashed in half by a sword? How about you’re struck in the heart by a bullet? How does your throat feel? … I have friends who have had to have surgery because of the vocal stress they incurred in the session and they’ve been out of work for months.”

Picketing began this morning in Los Angeles, CA. Members of SAG-AFTRA as well as other supporting unions. But what about non-union voice actors stepping in and taking those positions? Jennifer Hale doesn’t seems confident that non-union voice actors are in full support of those on strike.

“I have personally hosted three meetings in my home, with the non-union community and there’s a lot of solidarity there because they recognize, that what’s at stake is their own ability to buy a home in the future, put their kids through school. This is a war on the middle class.”

The strike is planned to continue until an agreement is reached. We here at DFTG are all hoping for the best outcome for these hard working actors. Their voices are just as important as the gameplay mechanics. This ongoing strike should be important to all gamers. We will keep you up to date as more news develops.

Also check out this amazing opinion piece about the strike on why gamers should care about what is happening in the industry – you can check that out here.