After a period of silence, Resident Evil 4 Remake voice actress Lily Gao has returned to social media. Gao had previously deleted all of her Instagram posts after facing backlash for her portrayal of Ada Wong. She had remained dormant on social media ever since, until now.
Gao took to Instagram to express how grateful she was for the opportunity to play the character. She also highlighted the significance of her casting as the first Asian actor to voice the character in the Resident Evil video game series. This is partially incorrect, given that Japanese voice actress Junko Minagawa has portrayed Wong since 2013's Resident Evil 6. It is, however, true of the English Resident Evil releases.
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Actress Lily Gao Responds to Resident Evil 4 Remake Ada Wong Controversy
In an Instagram post, Gao acknowledged that criticism is par for the course. She also highlighted that racist and sexist harassment actors of color often experience. Gao also called for an end to the sexualization and stereotyping of Asian women. She encouraged the celebration of diverse Asian women in all their forms.
“While criticism is expected, it's not the first time an actor of colour faces racist and sexist harassment, for simply participating,” she continues. “It is time we stop only capitalizing on the sexualized, eroticized, and mysterious Asian woman, and make space to honour every kind of Asian woman,” Gao wrote.
“My Ada is a survivor. She is kind, just, intelligent, and funny. She is unpredictable, resilient, and absolutely not a stereotype.”
Gao's response seems to be aimed at those who disapproved of Capcom's decision to hire her to take over as the fan-favorite character. However, critics also took issue with Gao's take on Ada's voice, and backed up their opinions with instances of Gao's performance they took issue with. Many preferred the previous actress's take on the character.
It's also important to note that many of Gao's critics were not attacking her due to her racial identity. Rather, many longtime fans simply did not find her performance as Wong appealing. Still, several fans have come to Gao's defense. They've expressed their support in the wake of the online harassment she faced post-launch. Because regardless of how little fans enjoy any contribution, be it an actor or writer or illustrator, death threats and harassment are not the proper roads to take when expressing displeasure.
Resident Evil 4 Remake: Separate Ways Release Timing
Looking forward, it seems that Gao's portrayal of Ada is set to continue, with hints of an Ada-focused expansion called Separate Ways appearing in a recent Resident Evil 4 Remake update. Although Gao has not confirmed her involvement, it's likely that she will take center stage in the expansion upon its release.
The specifics of Separate Ways remain uncertain, including whether it will be a paid DLC or a free update. However, the addition of Mercenaries as a complimentary update signals a positive trend for future game modes.
There is a real need for so-called “fans” to understand that, no matter how much they love Wong or Resident Evil, in the end she's just a character. Resident Evil is just a game. You're welcome to criticize Gao, but no one should be bullied for doing their job.
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