The recently released Resident Evil 4 remake has left a lasting impression on me and I’m pretty sure many others have played it. It isn’t a one-to-one remake — instead adding modern sensibilities to the mix including streamlined mechanics, better dialogue, and new actors to give these characters life. Capcom’s over-the-top Resident Evil series has since its inception some of the most memorable characters and none more than Ada Wong.
In the Resident Evil 2 remake, the enigmatic spy is played by Jolene Anderson but in Resident Evil 4 is replaced by Lily Gao, the actress who also portrayed Ada Wong in Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City. For what should be a proud moment for Gao, has turned into a nightmare as gamers have come out in droves to review bomb and harass the actress due to her portrayal of Ada.
what's happening with ada's VA in resident evil 4 (2023) is beyond unacceptable. everyone has opinions according to their own experience, but going to her social media (and even past VAs of the character) to offend her is sickening and deplorable.
respect lily gao and her work. pic.twitter.com/VxByjojlME
— ada wong archives. (@archiveadawong) April 2, 2023
I’d like to believe offering constructive criticism at the right time is perfectly reasonable. In the case of Lily Gao’s performance, the actor who I’m sure was at one point ecstatic to be not only playing Ada Wong on film but now also voicing her in the remake. Instead, Gao is left to go on the defensive and essentially nuke her online presence on social media because self-entitled armchair experts are harassing her for doing the job she was hired to do.
Looking at Metacritic’s User Reviews are a cesspool and showcase some of the worst offenders.
Because of recent harassment over her role as Ada Wong in Resident Evil 4 Remake! Lily Gao has now almost deleted all of her Instagram posts! pic.twitter.com/hl89tFxI2d
— 𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 (@RuleTimeSpace) April 1, 2023
Regardless of what you think of her performance, there should be a level of civility to it. Instead of allowing Gao to enjoy a momentous occasion in her career, she is being attacked by the lowest common denominator. Most of the comments regarding her performance have little value and attack her directly. I have news for you — it’s a video game and if you’re getting this riled up over something so baseless, my advice is to stay away. You do not belong here and the industry does not want you here.
The original Resident Evil 4 included the Separate Ways story content focusing on Ada Wong and what she was doing during the game’s events. Given that this section was cut from the remake, it seems likely we’ll see it appear as downloadable content in the future and I am fully on board with Capcom removing the campiness and instead focusing on delivering grounded characters.
