Clive's voice actor says Final Fantasy 16 saved his life

Ben Starr, who voices Clive Rosfield in Final Fantasy 16, says Square Enix’s RPG saved his life in a difficult time. Starr made the comments during an interview with Kinda Funny Games, after a viewer asked what outside inspirations he drew on to bring Clive to life.

Starr said his work on the game coincided with his father’s death, and giving voice to Clive’s own grief and loss helped him come to terms with his own situation.

“Let’s get real,” Starr said. “This game means a lot to me. My dad died during the making of this game, and there’s a lot of loss that Clive goes through, I’m sorry to get heavy but it’s true. It’s amazing how much this game allowed me to process that loss into something good and creative.”

Starr said he wanted to vocalize as much of his pain as possible, not just to process his feelings, but to make it a memorial to his father as well.

“Clive saved my life,” he said. “This game saved my life. The last time I ever spoke to my dad was on the way to recording this game. He was the guy who first brought me Final Fantasy 8. He was the guy who supported me… who I look up to.”

Square Enix let him be as expressive as he could, and Starr said the result is a character who’s as much his father as he is Starr himself.

“I wouldn’t be here doing this if it weren’t for him, because he brought me that game… and changed my life.”

Final Fantasy 16 launches on June 22, 2023, as a PS5 exclusive.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF