Nick Apostolides, the voice of Leon S. Kennedy in recent Resident Evil titles, gives his first interview about returning for the ninth mainline game, Resident Evil Requiem. He describes the unique pressure of portraying Leon in a completely new story, not a remake, calling it "uncharted territory."
Apostolides reveals his deep preparation for a more world-weary Leon, including creating a mood board with words like "Reaper" and sketching an injured lion to define the character's "brutal out of necessity" essence. The game returns to the iconic, destroyed Raccoon City, a moment the actor calls "huge" for the franchise and Leon's PTSD.
The actor also shares the surreal journey from being a fan playing Resident Evil 4 with his brother to becoming the character's official voice. He details how Capcom has given him more creative input over time, allowing him to inject his personality into Leon's lines and motion-capture performance.