When Baldur’s Gate 3 launched nearly two years ago, Karlach quickly became a breakout fan favorite. Her bold design, fiery heart, and spirited dialogue made her an instant staple in most players’ parties. But now, her voice actor, Samantha Béart, is offering fans a new lens — one that reveals the dark emotional layers hiding beneath Karlach’s joyful exterior.
Speaking to TheGamer, Béart opened up about what they believe is the biggest misconception about Karlach: that she’s simply a cheerful, happy-go-lucky character.
“That she is a really sweet, nice, happy-go-lucky person. I think she was a very different person in hell,” Béart said. “I imagined being locked in a supermax prison, with no hope of getting out… and then finally actually getting out and going, ‘Do you know what? I get to decide who I am now.’”
It’s a powerful reinterpretation. In the final game, Karlach is full of explosive laughter and irreverent charm. But according to Béart, that persona is a conscious choice — a result of surviving unimaginable brutality in the Hells, where she had to do whatever it took to make it out alive.
“She was a piece of work in hell. She would have had to be,” Béart continued. “She just kept her head down and got through it.”
Originally intended as a minor quest character during Baldur’s Gate 3‘s Early Access period, Karlach’s popularity and Béart’s performance led Larian Studios to expand her into a full-fledged companion. That development allowed space for a richer backstory — one that resonates with players drawn to characters with layers of pain, healing, and hope.
This revelation redefines how fans might interpret Karlach’s upbeat behavior. Rather than being purely optimistic, it’s more of a rebirth — a reclaiming of identity after years of suffering.
Samantha Béart’s comments not only challenge how players view Karlach but also highlight the emotional craftsmanship behind the character design in Baldur’s Gate 3. Karlach isn’t just funny and fierce — she’s a survivor, carrying deep scars from her past, and choosing joy in a world that gave her none.
It’s a testament to both Béart’s performance and Larian Studios’ writing that a character once meant to be temporary has become one of the most memorable companions in modern RPGs.