5 things we learned from Party Chat with FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH’s Briana White and John Eric Bentley
The talented actors who bring Aerith Gainsborough and Barret Wallace to life in FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH sit down chat! Watch the latest episode of Party Chat or read highlights here!The next episode of Party Chat has arrived!
This series brings together some of the talent behind our greatest games to just hang out and talk, and the latest video features two particularly exceptional performers from FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH’s English voice cast: Briana White (Aerith Gainsborough) and John Eric Bentley (Barret Wallace).
It’s a fascinating, lively conversation that covers everything from their characters in the game, to their lives as performers. Briana talks about struggling with imposter syndrome and how her life has changed since embodying Aerith, John shares memories of the recording process and interacting with fans and much more!
You can watch it below or through our YouTube channel… or read on for just five fascinating things we learned from their discussion:
Neither actor knew exactly what they were getting into
FINAL FANTASY VII is a pretty well-known game, so how prepared were Briana and John for the attention and scrutiny that came with it - especially since they were portraying genuinely iconic characters.
John: I’m not shocked at much because I’ve been in the Hollywood game for a minute - like, nothing really shocks me anymore. But that threw me. And it still does because… you know how some people go: “They like me, oh my gosh!” - I’m, like, “I was called for this?”
Phew - it’s heavy, it’s an honor and its lovely. But it’s, like, yo - it’s a responsibility.
As someone who was already in the gaming space, Briana was aware of FINAL FANTASY VII, but she still didn’t realise what she was in for.
Briana: I knew people were excited, but I didn’t play the original FINAL FANTASY VII, so I didn’t know exactly what a big deal it would be. But I do remember when I got cast thinking: “People have pictures of this character in their rooms,”…
John: Just your character!
Briana: Yes. Like, that was the thought that entered my mind, that made me realise that this was a big deal. And it came full circle at E3 in 2019 when they had a big poster display through the halls, and I got to take a picture with it - it’s on my Instagram. I still think about that - there’s a giant poster in the middle of the LA Convention Center with my character! This is going to be a big deal.
And it never stopped surprising me. It should have, but it never has to this day. It’s never stopped surprising me!
John’s first acting role was as Martin Luther King Jr
John’s acting journey began when he was just five years old. For his kindergarten graduation, they wanted to put on a production with performances from all the kids. One of the requests was for someone to do the famous Martin Luther King - so John’s mom volunteered him for the part!
John: “I’ll never forget the reaction of the people who were watching. Because first of all I was in that community. Second of all, the people who came to the graduation were coming to see their children or grandchildren, and so all the people who had been through that time in life applauded, cried and called out.
“And I went: Wait a minute, words can make people feel that way? Emotions can come forth that way?
…That was the bug.”
Briana’s first acting role was a musical… but don’t ask her to sing!
For Briana, her acting journey began when she auditioned for her first school play and was cast as Molly in the musical Annie.
Briana: It gave me a sense of community that I didn’t have. When you get to rehearse together, you’re friends with the people you act with, and you get to go to the post-rehearsal dinners… it’s a sense of friendship that I was seeking and really felt I needed. And for me, that gave me the theatre bug - and I’ve been searching for that sense of community ever since.
John: …Look, we’ll get into that in a minute. I’m not going to gloss over the fact that you got a role in Annie. So that means, everybody, Breezy can sing! (bursts out laughing)”
Briana: Okay, the seven-year old me had the confidence to sing no matter what!
John: It’s in you!
Briana: It is, it is. I do like to sing, I really enjoy it. And I did musicals all through elementary school.
John: Those aren’t easy, you know that!
Briana: No, they’re not. Singing is very close to my heart, but I kind of lost that actually.
John: The desire?
Briana: Not the desire, I just got very self-conscious about singing in front of people. Very suddenly. It was like I heard myself sing a couple of bad notes and I really internalized that, when I shouldn’t have. I expected perfection from myself when I shouldn’t have… I have to take some singing lessons and work through it maybe.
But the key message: please don’t ask Briana to sing. Because as John says, if the word gets out, requests might start coming in!
John’s advice to Briana: “You’re allowed to be in that booth!”
One of the first topics that Briana and John talked about was how they met. Their roles in FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE were recorded separately from one another, so they only met in person during E3 2019 - when we revealed Tifa for the first time!
One thing that Briana appreciated was John’s knowledge and support. After all, Aerith was her first professional role, and she was understandably a little self-conscious about it. She credits the advice John gave her as really helping her thing about things in a more constructive way:
Briana: “I got to ask you: Hey, is this normal, is that normal? Am I just not cut out for this? And I will never forget what you said to me…
“You said: ‘They cast you for a reason. And you are allowed to be in that booth, and to bring what makes you special to the acting.’
“And that opened up a whole new world for me.”
John: I gotta brag on you, because you did come to me and say: ‘This is my first job… and you were very, very vulnerable. And very guarded.
Briana: Yeah, yeah…
John: I still think people are sleeping on you. But this is what I have to say to that… you ready?
Briana: (resigned laughing) I know I can’t stop you.
John: (holding up Golden Joystick Award) Look at you now! Because this reads… laugh as much as you want but truth is truth… Golden Joystick Awards 2024, Best Supporting Performer: Briana White!
Hilarious, wholesome and hey - the man ain’t wrong.
John sees sound as color
Did you know that John Eric Bentley sees sound as colors? This is known as synaesthesia, and it meant that John saw the performances of FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH’s talented cast in a range of shades.
As he explains it:
John: …I see sounds, the colors. I didn’t know it was a thing, I didn’t know there was a name for it, I didn’t know any of this stuff.
Briana: It’s synaesthesia, right?
John: Yeah, and I never knew that. I thought I was just different, right?
Briana: So Barret is sometimes green and sometimes brown…?
John: It depends. Barret’s not always green and brown. There are times where you’re… deep purple, but for the most part it’s like a violet?
Briana: Like a lavender?
John: Yeah, like a lavender. Suzie (Yeung - Yuffie Kisaragi) is an orange, and hers ranges. She can go to, like, a red orange like a blood orange at times, depending on how sassy she is in a scene.
Britt (Baron - Tifa Lockhart) is pink, but it goes to this deep fuchsia. Like there’s this scene we do in the house at the beginning of REBIRTH, she’s a deep purple because she’s thinking the whole time.
At the time when I was hearing the voices, Red (XIII, played by Max Mittelman) is orange. He’s a weird orange. Like, I know he’s orange, but he’s always orange. He’s never Suzie’s orange, he’s a pastel orange. Then, when... you know what happens, and I tease him about it, he’s yellow.
…Cody (Christian - Cloud Strife) is always blue or dark blue. Midnight blue I call it. And it’s weird because I see these colors , and I’m like: nah those colors don’t go together. Or that color doesn’t blend.
Barret is… sometimes he’s dark maroon. Like Vincent’s cape. Or Tifa’s eyes.
Yes. It’s very cool but I have to see them to hear them.
That’s just scratching the surface of this fascinating chat, which covers so much about acting, FINAL FANTASY VII, their characters and much more. It’s absolutely worth a watch, so be sure to check above or visit us on YouTube for more:
FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH is out now on PC via Steam and Epic Games Store.
Ordering now for PC gives an up to 30% discount* across all editions for a limited time as well as some early purchase bonuses:
- “Moogle trio” summoning materia
- Armor: Shinra Bangle Mk. II
- Armor: Midgar Bangle Mk. II
*Discount to conclude on Feb. 5, 2025. Certain restrictions may apply.
The editions available are:
Standard Edition:
This edition includes:
- The full game
It's available now:
- Get FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH Standard Edition on Steam
- Get FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH Standard Edition on Epic Games Store
Digital Deluxe Edition
This edition includes:
- The full game
- Digital artbook
- Digital mini-soundtrack
- Magic Pot Summoning Materia (in-game item)
- Reclaiment Choker accessory (in-game item)
- Orchid Bracelet Armor (in-game item)
It's available now:
- Get FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH Digital Deluxe Edition on Steam
- Get FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH Digital Deluxe Edition on Epic Games Store
FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE & REBIRTH Twin Pack
Get two great games for a great price for a limited time. It includes:
- FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE
- FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH
It's available now:
- Get FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH Digital Twin Pack Edition on Steam
- Get FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH Digital Twin Pack Edition on Epic Games Store
FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE & REBIRTH Digital Deluxe Twin Pack
Includes the following:
- FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE
- FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH Digital Deluxe Edition
It's available now:
- Get FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH Digital Deluxe Twin Pack Edition on Steam
- Get FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH Digital Deluxe Twin Pack Edition on Epic Games Store
The game is also available on PS5:
- Get the Standard Edition
- Get the Deluxe Edition
- Get the Digital Deluxe Edition
- Get the Twin Pack (includes FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE)
To stay up to date with news and information about the game, be sure to follow us on social media: