Genshin Impact’s version 5.5 update has revealed that the original English voice actor for Kinich is getting replaced.
After the Genshin Impact Version 5.5 update, it was revealed through HoYoverse’s community website forum HoYoLab that the English voice actor for Kinich, John Patneaude, has been replaced, with Jacob Takanashi now taking on the role.
John Patneaude took to X (formerly Twitter) to confirm the news of his replacement, revealing why he was ultimately recast from the role of Kinich. In his statement, Patneaude revealed that he had been withholding voice-over services during the SAG AFTRA Interactive Strike, revealing that HoYoverse allegedly wouldn’t offer AI protections through a SAG interim agreement.
Patneaude had withheld his voice services for over six months after his debut as Kinich in Version 5.0, and would have continued to do so if an interim agreement was not signed, leading to his eventual recasting. He further stated that he had hoped that progress would have been made behind the scenes, and seemingly sends a subtle jab at the new voice actor for Kinich with the line “or that if recast auditions went out my colleagues wouldn’t read for them. Unfortunately, I was wrong.”
However, Patneaude is still open to working with HoYoverse as long as the company signs an interim, with other voice actors within the cast airing their support for him.
Patneaude is a freelance voice actor who is also affiliated with Atlas Talent Agency, and is currently based in Los Angeles, California.
Jacob Takanashi confirms role as Kinich
In the same vein, Jacob Takanashi, the voice actor taking on the role of Kinich, released a statement to his X account. He confirms his casting, stating that the role has big shoes to fill, and that he would do his best in delivering.
Takanashi is affiliated with Free Wave agency, and is based in Tokyo, Japan. This is notable as considering his location, Takanashi is unaffected by the current issues within America regarding voice acting and SAG AFTRA, and therefore has no relations to the unions involved in the strike.
However, due to his taking on the role of Kinich, Takanashi has received a wave of backlash from fans of Genshin Impact and fellow voice actors in the cast. Notably Corinna Boettger, who voices Paimon, Valeria Rodriguez, who voices Sucrose, Kayli Mills, who voices Keqing, and Corey Holland, who voiced Caribert, made it clear on Takanashi's post about their disagreement with his casting.
Although this does make for a sour start to the 5.5 update, Takanashi has debuted his voice in-game, with all previous lines of Patneaude set to be revoiced in coming versions.
