Devora Wilde, voice of Lae'zel, weighs in on people shipping her character with Shadowheart in Baldur's Gate 3 confirming 'it's probably true'

Shadowheart and Lae'zel in a spliced header image

(Image credit: Larian Studios)

Acclaimed fantasy RPG Baldur's Gate 3 may involve an epic quest to save the world from extradimensional horrors, but we all know the real mission is to find love. For some members of the party, romance may be closer at hand than you might think, at least according to one of the game's voice actors.

Devora Wilde, who voices Lae'zel, the game's ornery yet lovable Warrior, weighed in on the title's romances while talking to TRG about the Baldur's Gate 3 fandom. She spoke fondly of fans reading romantic subtext in Lae'zel's contentious relationship with brooding Cleric Shadowheart, played by Jennifer English.

Speaking of her character, Wilde says: "We know you secretly love Shadowheart. It's like: 'Shadowheart stop annoying me but also I love you, come here.' All that stuff with Shadowheart is just brilliant because it's probably true. It's like: 'You really annoy me but, secretly, I really fancy you' which I think is definitely going on there."

As Wilde suggests, the two characters constantly bicker during the game, a rivalry that culminates in a dramatic scene at camp where Shadowheart holds a knife to Lae'zel's throat while the latter is asleep.

However, after this scene in the game's first act, the tension does mellow a little. "They do realize they have more in common than they first let on," says Wilde. "That's probably where [that] butting of heads comes in."

"There's definitely subtext to that relationship," Wilde concludes.

Shadowheart dressed in her purple epilogue outfit — (Image credit: Larian Studios)

Since its initial launch on PC in August, Baldur's Gate 3 has been going from strength to strength, with developer Larian Studios consistently adding new content to the game. The latest offering, Patch Five, includes epilogue scenes as well as a brand-new high-end difficulty mode.

Here at TRG, we've praised the game for its phenomenal voice acting, imaginative approach to storytelling, and re-invention of the CRPG genre. Baldur's Gate 3 even won the coveted accolade of Game of the Year at the TechRadar Choice Awards 2023.

Looking for more characterful games? Check out our lists of the best RPGs and best story games.

Cat Bussell is a Staff Writer at TechRadar Gaming. Hailing from the crooked spires of London, Cat is an experienced writer and journalist. As seen on Wargamer.com, TheGamer.com, and Superjumpmagazine.com, Cat is here to bring you coverage from all corners of the video game world. An inveterate RPG maven and strategy game enjoyer, Cat is known for her love of rich narratives; both story-driven and emergent.