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In the midst of the excitement for the next FINAL FANTASY VII game, we had a thrilling opportunity to interview Britt Baron, the voice of Tifa as we talked about her experiences voicing the character.
The release of FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE in April 2020 and FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH in February this year has had fans in a choke hold with all the new details added into the characters and their interactions. Fans of the game have been waiting patiently for the next and final installment of the saga, which is currently in development.
Voice and Muscles!
Tifa has always been a brawler sporting a determination as firm as her fists. We asked Britt about how she prepares for the role, especially in tricky situations such as a certain scene where she dropped into a Mako pool.
“I started doing 100 pull-ups before every recording session…haha, just kidding! But maybe I should have tried that. We don’t receive scripts ahead of time, so I never know what I’m going to record that day. It really forces me to be adaptable, open, and ready for anything as an actor.”
“We have an amazing Director, Kirk Thornton, who always helps me through any challenging scene. I remember when Tifa fell in the Mako, there were lots of drowning sounds we had to record, which was actually a lot of fun. It gets pretty technical because you can’t move your body or voice off the microphone but still need to figure out how to vocalize stressful moments. It’s all part of the challenge!”
Adding Dimensions to Tifa
One of FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH’s many notable achievements includes new insights into Tifa’s backstory, further fleshing her out as her own character with a deep motivation for joining Cloud and co.’s journey. So, we asked Britt about how she incorporated these revelations into her voice acting.
“Recording the game is a fluid, ever-changing experience, and everything is done in meticulous detail over a long period. I am learning new information as we progress, often just before diving into a specific scene or line. Without scripts in advance, I’m absorbing everything on the spot, using it to shape my performance in real time. Since we record out of order, collaboration is key, and I always rely on our directors and writers to guide me. But again it’s nuanced detailed work as we record line by line so it is all happening in the moment. Learning more about her lived experiences always helps color who she is to me and what is motivating her.”
“I try to focus on capturing the nuances of her journey, from moments of vulnerability to displays of inner strength anytime I can. It is often about finding the balance between Tifa’s familiar traits and the added layers of complexity brought by any new information I gather on the day. But it is definitely a challenge as an actor because it is not like I know “ok this is all we are going to learn about Tifa over the course of the game” from the start. You have to be adaptable as you go.”
Tifa + Cloud Interactions
Another highlight of FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH is the many conversations Cloud can have with Tifa throughout the course of the game, with certain choices affecting their relationship.
“I love recording scenes with Cloud,” Britt gushed, “because there is so much subtext and weight to all of the things that are often NOT being said in a given scene between them. My aim is always to just be as honest and truthful that I can in the moment.”
“Tifa treads so carefully with Cloud, especially in FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH. So I approached many of the scenes trying to balance her uncertainty of not knowing exactly what to say to him with a mix of frustration, concern, fear, and love for her nearly lifelong friend. It’s a delicate dance, deciding how much honesty and vulnerability to reveal at any given moment. I love having all of those often contradicting emotions bubbling underneath the surface, it gives me a lot to play with in those scenes.”
Fan Interaction
As we wrapped up the interview, we asked Britt about her most memorable interaction with a fan regarding her portrayal of Tifa.
“The fan base is incredible, and I genuinely love hearing about the different impacts the game has had on people. Hearing the personal stories of how people first started playing and what the game means to them always moves me,” she replied.
“One surprising interaction was when I met someone who had a drawing of Tifa tattooed on his leg; he asked for my autograph to have tattooed next to it. I still randomly think of that haha. If that isn’t dedication, I don’t know what is! Ha!”
Here concludes the interview. We would like to thank Britt Baron for taking the time to answer all of our questions. If you wish to see (and hear) more from her, you can visit her X and Instagram
