INTERVIEW – In Conversation With Alex Jordan (Asher Forrester, Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series)

By Marty Mulrooney

Alternative Magazine Online recently reviewed Game of Thrones: Episode 4 – Sons of Winter, describing how the “voice acting between Asher (Alex Jordan) and Beskha (Toks Olagundoye) really sells their complicated friendship and their infiltration into Meereen marks one of the best action sequences of the series so far.” AMO is therefore proud to present an exclusive online interview with Alex Jordan, the voice of Asher Forrester!

Hi Mr Jordan, thank you for your time and welcome to Alternative Magazine Online!

My pleasure!

Can you tell our readers a little bit about yourself please?

Wow, ummmm, let me see… I’m an actor and voice over artist, living in London. My favourite place in the world to be is the cinema with a massive tub of salted popcorn. I like to do absolutely everything fast, and with 100%. When the World Cup is on I disappear… The last two World Cups I have watched every game, when there were two games on at once I had them on different screens.

You’re currently voicing Asher Forrester in Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series. How did you get the part?

I am indeed. It was a very straight forward audition process, I went in and read for the role, had a bit of fun with it, and I got it.

Were you already a fan of the Game of Thrones books or TV show?

I’m a massive fan of the series! To become a part of that world was pretty exciting for me.

How would you describe Asher Forrester?

Asher is a badass with a soft side. He’s loyal those he loves, even to those loved ones who have wronged him.

However, if you don’t know him and you mess him around, you better be ready to have your ass handed to you on a plate.

It must be cool to know that your character fought one of Daenerys Targaryen’s dragons… and survived! (?)

Absolutely, have you seen those things?!

I always greatly enjoy Asher’s scenes with Beskha – how would you describe their relationship?

Beskha and Asher are like brother and sister. The love they have for each other comes from years of covering each other’s backs. There’s very little they won’t do for each other… ‘Thick as thieves’ doesn’t quite cover it. Maybe ‘solid as sellswords’… Yeah, I like that.

Do you record your lines alone, or do you ever get to act alongside the other voice actors?

The process is mainly a solitary one, but I do usually get to hear the recordings of the other characters, which helps with my delivery.

The game features lots of dialogue, much of it triggered by the actions of the individual player – how does this affect the recording process?

That’s the great thing about Telltale, from a performer’s point of view, their work is so narrative and character driven that it really gives you a lot to work with. The process is usually to work through the script in a linear fashion, then a follow-up session or two for any retakes or alterations to the player’s choices.

Are you ever given any visual aids or further context to help you record your lines?

I get to see the basic structure of the scene, before it is fully animated, which allows for a much better understanding. Usually I’ll see this in a follow-up session where my lines have been added, and we can look at the visuals and say: ‘ok, the character are actually closer together, so the loud delivery no longer works’, or something like that.

If you were Asher, would you have let Beskha kill her former slave master?

This is a tricky one, and I love to know what decision people made here. At the end of the day Beskha does have the same right as the other slaves, and I know she has my back… So probably, yes.

Are you a gamer yourself – and have you been playing Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series?

I’m a gamer, and struggling to keep myself away from the Steam sale right now!

I’ve been playing the game, but I’ve also been lurking on Twitch streams to see how people are enjoying the game. The response has been fantastic!!!

What do you think it is about Game of Thrones that has made it such a worldwide phenomenon?

To be honest, I really don’t know. When it comes to a show like Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, Entourage, Orange is the New Black, the reasons why it is a phenomenon are far too many to name and list. At the end of the day, I guess it comes down to a need for a certain something and that something coming along at the right time.

Would you like to work again with Telltale Games in the future?

I’d love to, absolutely. I’ve got a lot of time and respect for the Telltale family. They passionately believe in their work, which makes it a real joy to perform. They understand that the gaming medium is changing and evolving, and I really believe they’re going to be spearheading that change over the next few years.

Plus, they’re all just really great people!

What’s next for you Mr Jordan?

I’ve just landed myself another video game, playing a role that is a dream for any actor… A well-known and loved character. I don’t know how much I am allowed to say yet, as it’s all very new and we haven’t recorded anything yet, but I can’t wait to get started.

I’m also the voice of Hugo Boss’ new aftershave campaign with Theo James, which I’m looking forward to seeing!!!

Thank you for your time – I can’t wait to hear your performance in the final two episodes!

Not a problem! I’m looking forward to seeing what people think of them… There’s some fantastic and difficult decisions to be made!