“He always plays the classical hero type”: Not the Hobbit, Richard Armitage Impressed Castlevania Writer with a Rather Underrated Show
Castlevania has managed to gain quite a cult following over the past few years, mainly because of its contrast from other mainstream anime. And there’s actually a good reason behind it, as Castlevania isn’t animated by Japanese studios but rather by an American-based animation studio called Powerhouse Animation Studios.
Castlevania is considered an American adult animation, and unlike most anime which are based on mangas and light novels, Castlevania is based on the Konami video game franchise of the same name, which also has a cult following of its own. Even the cast of voice actors for the Victorian-themed series is second to none, the writer Warren Ellis even claiming credit for finding the voice actors for one of the most beloved characters in the series.
Warren Ellis claims credit for casting Richard Armitage for the voice of Trevor Belmont in Castlevania
Trevor Belmont is arguably one of the most beloved characters in the Castlevania franchise. From his flawed personality to his incredibly well-timed wittiness and dark humor, many consider him to be the perfect hero. Not to forget, his victory against Death himself. And to top it all, Warren Ellis seems to have found the perfect voice for the character in none other than Richard Armitage from The Hobbit franchise.
Warren Ellis, during an interview with Bleeding Cool, took the time to explain why he cast Richard Armitage for the voice of Trevor Belmont in Castlevania. But to everyone’s surprise, it wasn’t his role in The Hobbit that got him the role but a surprisingly underrated role he played as Lucas North in Spooks. During the interview, he stated;
“This is one thing I actually can take credit for. Richard Armitage as Trevor was my idea because he always plays the classical hero type. I remember seeing him on his very first episode of Spooks, where he’s just been popped out of a Russian jail.
They buy him some chips on the way back to the office, before he meets the actual protagonist of the show, who he offers a chip to in the funniest, most offhand way. I thought that I’d never seen Richard even try to be funny before. That was it.”
Richard Armitage’s voice was perfectly suited for Trevor Belmont, and fans wouldn’t have had anyone else for the role. Armitage’s voice paired with excellent writing and animation made fans fall head over heels for the character. Given that Belmont is one of the most loved characters in the franchise, here are some of his best moments in the series.
Best moments of Trevor Belmont in Castlevania
Trevor Belmont’s intro to the series: In episode two of the series, Trevor Belmont, who was initially reluctant to help anyone, gets dragged into a fight by a horde of night creatures in a monster-infested forge. Cornered and outnumbered, he unleashes his full potential. The fight scenes are incredibly well-animated, and Trevor expertly wielding the Morning Star, dodging attacks, and taking down enemies with brutal efficiency was just something that made quite an impact on fans.
His unusual pairing with Alucard: Trevor might not have been a team player initially, but necessity (and Sypha’s persuasion) forced him to work with the sorceress and Alucard. Their first attempt at coordinated monster-slaying was… well, chaotic. But amidst the bickering and near-friendly fire incidents, they managed to overcome a formidable foe. This moment highlights Trevor’s growth as he starts to see the value of teamwork, even if he wouldn’t admit it out loud.
Dracula’s Death: The season two finale throws everything at us. Trevor, Sypha, and Alucard start their assault on Dracula’s castle, meeting incredibly strong enemies and challenges. However, Trevor’s moment shines near the end of season 4, as he confronts Death, a power-crazed lieutenant of Dracula. The fight is just absolute perfection. From the animation to the fight scenes to the writing, it perfectly shows a clash between a skilled vampire hunter and a personification of mortality itself.
You can stream Castlevania on Netflix.
