Hellblade Actress Wants To Turn Pain Into Meaning

Melina Juergens, who plays Senua in Hellblade, has shared more about what starring in the game means to her as a person and what she hopes her performance can bring to people.

In an interview with Xbox, Juergens said, "I want to help people, I want to raise awareness around mental health and help them feel understood." Juergens herself has gone through her own experiences, and she wants to turn the darkness into light.

"I have experience with these ailments--how can I turn that into something meaningful?" she said.

In Senua's Saga: Hellblade II, Senua has made peace with the final events of the original game. She has come to terms with the death of her lover Dillion. The sequel picks up there, and Senua is now "more in control of the visions and voices" she experiences. "She's not overcoming psychosis, but she knows how to manage it better," Juergens said.

Studio head Dom Matthews discussed this a little more, explaining how fans will find Senua when the sequel kicks off.

"She's come to a place of acceptance of two things," Matthews said. "One is her experience of psychosis and unique view of the world, and the other is that she can’t bring Dillion back. So here, we find a Senua that has found determination, and a way to turn her agonizing grief into positive action, so that Dillion’s death wasn't for nothing."

Hellbalde II releases May 21 for Xbox Series X|S and PC, and Game Pass subscribers can play it on day one.