After the action-adventure game *South of Midnight* was released on April 8, 2025, the African-American female protagonist, Hazel, was heavily criticized, and the game only had a peak of 1,483 concurrent players on Steam. Recently, Adriyan Rae, the voice actress for Hazel in *South of Midnight*, was nominated for the "Golden Joystick Award for Best Leading Role Performance." She gave an interview to GameInformer, where she shared some of her thoughts.

Adriyan Rae recalled that shortly before learning of the nomination, she had visited a studio where a Golden Joystick Award trophy was on display. She never imagined that a few weeks later she would also receive a Golden Joystick Award nomination. She said, “It’s really exciting and I’m really happy. It’s an honor in itself. I’m so grateful, it’s wonderful.”

Adriyan Rae, the only Black woman nominated for a Golden Yaoi Award this year, said, “On one hand, it’s sad, but on the other hand, it’s also very comforting. It depends on how you look at it. On the sad side, these stories deserve to be told. Black women have moving stories and distinct characters that resonate with people, and their stories deserve to be presented. On the positive side, at least it’s progress. This nomination proves that.”

This nomination also shows that those who thought this story wouldn’t resonate with the public were wrong. “Look at the situation now, it’s clear that featuring Black women as protagonists is definitely the right thing to do,” she added. “So I think both feelings exist, but I’m more inclined to be grateful.”

Adriyan Rae continued, “I’m grateful for this progress. I also hope this shows those responsible for making games and allocating budgets that diversity and representation are crucial. Choosing to include these (diversity and representation) doesn’t cost us anything. This is the right step towards progress, and I’m honored to be a part of this movement.”