“I put a lot of my own real-life trauma into the character”: Hellblade 2’s Lead Actor Used 1 Hollywood Trick to Make Up for her Lack of Acting Experience

Melina Juergens explains his way of performing in one of the most anticipated Xbox exclusive games.

“I put a lot of my own real-life trauma into the character”: Hellblade 2's Lead Actor Used 1 Hollywood Trick to Make Up for her Lack of Acting Experience

SUMMARY

  • The use of motion capture is Hellblade 2's main development feature.
  • Lead actor Melina Juergens explained her method of acting in an interview and how she achieved the performance.
  • She talked about how she uses personal experience to give reality to her character and acting in general.
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Over the years, many games have decided to use a new way of capturing characters’ emotions and presence. By using Motion Capture, the method allows the studio to use movement as a reference thanks to a system of cameras. The studio will fully develop Hellblade 2 using this method. 

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Melina Juergens is the actress who plays Senua, the game’s protagonist. In a recent interview, she explained her method for achieving a great performance full of tears and emotions that bring realism to this character.

Melina Juergens and Her Way of Acting for Hellblade 2

Hellblade 2 will be released May 21 on PC and Xbox Series S/X.
Hellblade 2 will be released May 21 on PC and Xbox Series S/X.

In a recent interview with PCGamesN, Juergens revealed her way of acting to deliver the most emotional and heartbreaking moments playing as Senua in Hellblade 2. She said the following:

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“In those scenes, it’s more of a way of processing my own trauma. I’m reliving it on stage because I connect it to my real-life experience.” 

The actress suffers from psychosis, and these games are a way of raising awareness about how some mental illnesses work. She talks about her trauma, which makes it easy to make a real emotional performance. Ninja Theory also has a specialist team to assist if anything goes wrong.

The key feature of this title is that players understand how this disease works and how to live without fear and with more empathy. The actress is really happy to help people understand this kind of condition and help other people. Juergens added:

“I suffered from psychosis before in my early twenties. I still suffer from anxiety and various other things.”

Both of these games were Juergens’ first jobs as an actress. The community was very grateful for this and always encouraged her to keep going with new ventures. She wants to make a difference using this platform as a way to raise awareness and not try mental illness as a taboo.

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Hellblade 2 Is the Next Xbox Exclusive Title Coming Next Month

Hellblade 2 is one of the most anticipated games of the year.
Hellblade 2 is one of the most anticipated games of the year.

After six years in development, Ninja Theory will finally release the long-awaited sequel to Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice next month. This intriguing title tackles mental illness in a way never seen in a game before, garnering global praise for its sensitivity and originality. 

Xbox now owns the studio, which will release this sequel after nearly five years of announcement and several delays. This new iteration of the game will also tackle mental illnesses, but on a larger scale and with a huge AAA budget, it will not be an Indie title like the first entry.

According to the revealed gameplay, Senua is engaged in combat with giant enemies alongside a large group of people. The main plot of this title is almost a mystery; the studio again relays all of the game’s content in the motion capture by actress Melina Juergens, which will make you feel like you’re part of the game.

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What are your thoughts about Melina Juergens; work in Hellblade 2? Let us know in the comments!

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Written by Lucas Lapetina

Articles Published: 417

I'm a big fan of movies and videogames in general. I really love Pokémon and Godzilla. One of my favorite games is The Last of Us, Part II. A compelling and well-written story is always welcome.