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Resident Evil is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. And at this point in time, there are Resident Evil fans spread across various generations. I'm reporting in as a millennial Resident Evil fan, and I've interacted with Gen X and Gen Z Resi fans as well. The franchise's popularity amongst various age groups over the years evidences how, at every point in its history, Resident Evil has succeeded in scaring the socks off us. 

That said, each new Resident Evil game welcomes newcomers to the franchise - including the actors who play the characters in each game. Actress Angela Sant'Albano, who plays the protagonist Grace Ashcroft in Resident Evil Requiem, spoke to me about her own journey with the franchise.

"I didn't grow up playing the games, but I was very aware of the cultural impact of Resident Evil," Sant'Albano revealed. "And, as soon as I got my audition through, I started watching so much of the gameplay. It's unbelievable."

Indeed, I think the popularity of the Milla Jovovich Resident Evil movies alongside the Capcom games has made an impression on actors like Sant'Albano who weren't already fans of the franchise. 

Of course, when Sant'Albano got the role of Grace Ashcroft, she dove headfirst into the world of Resi.

"I played RE4 the remake, and as I was playing it, I was screaming all the time, I was terrified. I would, like, completely just hold the [controller in front of my face] and close my eyes and be like, 'Knife, knife, knife, knife, knife!' because I'd be terrified. And I remember thinking as I was playing it, you know, 'Take that with me into Grace,' because that is the real human experience," Sant'Albano said. 

Sant'Albano's relationship with Resident Evil is noteworthy because it signals a shift in Capcom's approach to the Resident Evil games. For Requiem, the cast was made up of London-based theatre actors like Sant'Albano, who didn't necessarily have a long history with video games or Resident Evil. This stands in contrast with actor Nick Apostolides, who voiced Leon S. Kennedy in the remakes of Resident Evil 2 and 4. Apostolides has cited the original Resident Evil 4 as the game that inspired him to pursue acting. Obviously, Apostolides was stepping into a role that had already been played by other actors before him, so it made sense that Capcom cast an actor who was already a Resident Evil fan. But for Sant'Albano, who is playing a brand-new character in the franchise, this freshness is apt, necessary even.  

The Resident Evil franchise is at a point where non-gamers are aware of it, and it’s bringing in talent that traditionally wouldn’t be found in the video game space, like London theatre actors. But if Resident Evil has proven anything in its 30 years, it's that it can evolve. And it seems that with Requiem, Resident Evil is entering a new stage. 

Resident Evil Requiem is out now. 

Even if seven minutes is all you have to play with, these Resident Evil articles will get you ready for what's next:

• How to play the Resident Evil games in order
• Resident Evil shelved Leon Kennedy for 14 years because Capcom didn’t want players to see him scared
• How to watch the Resident Evil movies & TV series in order