Life is Strange 2

This page details pre-release information and/or media for Life is Strange 2.

Casting Calls#

These are the casting calls for all of the major characters seen in the game. Many of the details differ from what appears in the final game, which isn't unusual for casting calls. They're written to avoid revealing key story points, so they focus more on the overall tone and personality rather than specifics. Because of that, these descriptions should be taken with a grain of salt, as they can't be considered concrete evidence that anything was rewritten. Even so, a few of them might still reflect early ideas, especially the ones that don't match any character in the finished game or list a different gender than what ended up being used.

Episode		Code Names	Recording Date
EP1	Roads	"Orchid"	May 22, 2017
EP2	Rules	"Redwood"	July 2, 2018
EP3	Wastelands	"Spruce"	January 3, 2019
EP4	Faith	"Bristlecone"	April 1, 2019
EP5	Wolves	"Yucca"	July 18, 2019

The code names are based on plants, particularly trees or tree-like species, and they may carry narrative significance.
- Orchids - A familiar household flowering plant often tied to tropical or humid climates. It may symbolize the everyday, uneventful routine the protagonists lived in before their world changed.
- Redwood - A massive coniferous tree native to the US West Coast. Fitting, given that the setting of the second episode takes place in Oregon.
- Bristlecone - One of the oldest tree species known, found in high-altitude, desert-adjacent regions. Its use may reflect the episode's religious motifs and sense of long-standing tradition.
- Yucca - A resilient desert plant with a tree-like form in wide varieties. Its name likely reflects the episode's desert setting and the harsh and hostile environment the characters move through. It also ties directly to their destination, Mexico.
Episode One outlines the goal of reaching the grandparents' house, but that only happens in the second episode.

"Orchid" Casting Call#

Code Names	Character	Description	Notes
Samuel Cruz	Daniel Diaz	Samuel is a boy who grew up without a mother – she left home soon after his birth. He never missed her though, having a big brother and a loving father looking after him. In this protective environment, Samuel grew up to be a reckless, big-hearted child, confident but easily disappointed. He likes to talk and laugh, and will likely talk to strangers, thinking everybody is genuinely good.
Josh Cruz	Sean Diaz	Josh saw his mother Karen leaving home shortly after his brother's birth when he was 8. He's always been a quiet child, but had to become more responsible once getting in charge of his little brother, Samuel. Being a teenager, he's always struggling between his yearning for freedom and taking care of Samuel. His father taught him to be a good person, and he is one, though this is a role he sometimes gets tired to bear. He always thinks things through though, and both his father and brother know they can rely on him.
Tyler	(?)	Tyler is handsome, friendly, yet sometimes childish. Born into a rich family, his mother passed away when he was young, leaving his father to raise him. His father was tough on him and he always failed to impress him, although he tried very hard. He grew up as best friends with Helen, but now in college, it is turning into attraction.	This description doesn't match with any of the characters we know of in the final game. But the listing does mention they're looking for a Asian ethnicity of around the same age as Sean.
James	(?)	James is a father with a college age son. His wife passed away his son was young so he had to raise him by himself until being remarried. He is demanding of his son and never feels quite satisfied with his achievements.	While this could be an earlier draft of Esteban Diaz, Daniel and Sean's father, the listing mentions they're looking for someone of Asian ethnicity, just like the "Tyler" character.

"Redwood" Casting Call#

Code Names	Character	Description (Scroll for more)
Charlotte	Cassidy	Charlotte grew up in a large, dysfunctional family in a small town in Northern Texas, and was always the quiet one. One day, she got badly beat up by her drunk, older brother for dating a black teenager, and went crazy on him. He ended up badly injured. Her brother Forrest – the only one in her family she got along with, helped her out, and together they fled their home. Only sixteen years old, she quickly discovered the harsh reality of homelessness, and toughened up through years of hardship. She's now accepting and thriving in this hobo lifestyle. She's become a strong, resourceful woman, unafraid to take decisions and do what she wants with her life. We are looking for a voice that will emphasize Charlotte's freedom, her place outside of society, her strength, and her positive attitude. She shouldn't sound like a teenager you would find in a teenage drama, she has no interest in sounding “good,” she just needs to sound “true,” and “raw.” Everything she says needs to sound genuine. She's never faking and she's trying to always enjoy every moment and situation. Her laugh needs to sound real and deep like she is not paying attention to anyone's reaction or judgment.
Forrest	Finn McNamara	Forrest thrives in chaos since birth; even as a kid, nothing made him laugh like messing around with the order. He's always hated everyone in his family, except for Charlotte, his younger sister, the only kin he sees intelligence and kindness in. The day she gets beat up by their older brother, he decides to help her and, together, they run away. He immediately feels good on the road, where rules are mere words he can erase, and make up his own. A small group of drifting teenagers soon gather around him, comforting him as a natural leader, pushing even further his innate charisma and magnetism, while also revealing his darker side. We are looking for a voice that won't sound like the usual voices you'd find in urban environments or traditional teenager settings. Forrest's voice needs to sound like a real outcast, living in the margin of society, abusing his charisma and people skills.
Neil	Nick	Neil grew up in a small town, where he still lives. Very close to his family, he inherited his father's grocery store, where he worked all his life. The success of the store helped him to enter the city council, where he is finally able to put his political commitment to good use. He prides himself on being a good citizen, helping his neighbors, and trying to preserve what he thinks is the best town in the world as it has always been, only worried by the outside world he sees on TV. We are looking for a natural “small town” voice. Neil shouldn't sound too “cliché” or overdramatic. He is just a normal guy thinking he is doing what is right.
Simon	Stephen Reynolds	The youngest child of a large, midwestern family, growing up, Simon was always a shy, quiet child and teenager. Naturally good with numbers, he became a bookkeeper and soon met Claire, a strong-tempered secretary, whom he married. Their opposing characters always worked well with each other, Simon appeasing his moody wife when needed, and Claire pushing him further when he withdrew too much from responsibilities. When their daughter left, Simon was the one trying to keep in touch with her, while his wife wanted to break all ties. Now retired, he lives a quiet life, working on his train models, reading the papers, partaking in the town's council. We are looking for a voice actor who can use some economy of word and breath. Someone with calm and introverted behavior, who chooses his words carefully. Simon's meticulous character should be felt in his voice acting.

"Spruce" Casting Call#

Code Names	Character	Description (Scroll for more)	Notes
Holly	Hannah Reyome	Holly grew up in Colorado, in a big, poor family. Raised by her unemployed, caring father, she quickly learned how to live on her own and provide for her kin. Unwilling to perpetuate her folks' sedentary lifestyle, she left home around 18, keeping touch with them but still traveling around the United States. She enjoys a bohemian but reasonable lifestyle, always looking for new things to discover while preserving a balanced life. She joined a group of transients finally finding her place among like-minded people, quickly becoming their unofficial leader.
Forrest	Finn McNamara	Forrest thrives in chaos since birth; even as a kid, nothing made him laugh like messing around with the order. He's always hated everyone in his family, except for Charlotte, his younger sister, the only kin he sees intelligence and kindness in. The day she gets beat up by their older brother, he decides to help her and, together, they run away. He immediately feels good on the road, where rules are mere words he can erase, and make up his own. A small group of drifting teenagers soon gather around him, comforting him as a natural leader, pushing even further his innate charisma and magnetism, while also revealing his darker side. We are looking for a voice that won't sound like the usual voices you'd find in urban environments or traditional teenager settings. Forrest's voice needs to sound like a real outcast, living in the margin of society, abusing his charisma and people skills.	Same casting call as the previous episode. It's unclear why they chose to post it again, given that Matthew Gallenstein was already cast by this point.
Jack	Jacob Hackerman	Jack was raised in Utah by a religious father who gave up everything to join a cult. Jacob was quickly dragged into the cult, finding a broader family who gave him love and education. Around 18, as his relationship with his father worsened, he started questioning his belief, and left the cult after a grim event that broke his faith for good. He started travelling around the United States with the little cash he had saved, and eventually met a group of drifters who accepted him without asking too many questions.
Marvin	Jonathan Merrill	Marvin was a successful lawyer in New York, until he was caught doing illegal activities for a client. He was disbarred, and went through a rough time, during which he delved deeper into criminal enterprises to provide for his family. When his daughter was diagnosed with leukemia he decided to manage an illegal marijuana plantation on the west coast. He hopes that the good pay of the new job would be able to pay for his daughter's care.
Big John	Big Joe	Big John was bullied during his childhood, until he grew big enough and strong enough to bully the others. Never good at school, he enlisted in the army and enjoyed the life of a soldier. However, his bad behavior got the best of him and he was discharged. He ended up being a bodyguard for a local criminal, but got himself into trouble after hitting on girls when he should have been working. His boss sent him away to watch over illegal weed plantations as a punishment, where he makes enough money to keep being motivated, although he hates being away from the city.
Percy	Penny	Percy grew up in a poor neighborhood of Chicago, and was always ostracized for being “queer”. After a harsh adolescence, he started hanging out with street artists, poets, and drug addicts. Even though he was very smart, Penny never had a chance to go to college, so he decided to go on the road as soon as he turned 21. He's now found a group of drifters that have taken him in as a friend. The regular use of weed and lack of substantial food has begun to alter his mind from years of us, making him paranoid and a hypochondriac, a quirk his fellow travelers have learned to live with.
Ida	Ingrid	Ida comes from a big Swedish family with little money. She worked for years in a coffee shop in Stockholm until she decided to spend all her savings on a world trip with her boyfriend, Aaren. They travelled through Europe, Asia and Australia before coming to the United States, their saving getting pretty low. This trip has had its ups and downs and has made the free spirited Ida independent as ever before. She stills loves Aaren, but is definitely questioning their relationship, and what she wants with her life.
Aaren	Anders	Aaren comes from a rich Swedish family, where he always felt out of place. He went to law school to please his parents, until one day when he decided to spend all his savings on a world trip with his girlfriend, Ida. They travelled through Europe, Asia and Australia before coming to the United States, where their savings began to get very low. Aaren refuses to ask for his parent's help, as the trip has pushed him farther away from his family. Although poor he is very happy with their traveling life, and wants nothing more than be with his girlfriend.

"Bristlecone" Casting Call#

Code Names	Character	Description (Scroll for more)	Notes
Chet	Chad Michaels	Chet grew up in a poor family ranch in the Nevadan desert. His two brothers left the family early on, and he inherited the ranch after his father's death. The place fell in decay when he got caught drunk, beating a guy almost to death behind a bar. When he got out of prison, along with a few friends, he decided to rebuild the ranch and try to make a living off of it, taking pride in extending his family's legacy.
Mark	Mike Wilson	Mark was always the smart guy among the bullies. He grew up with Chet, the local brute, as a best friend, and always did the talking. Now that they're 30 though, things are different. They're both broke, and drifting away from stability, trying to get money from Chet's old ranch. Mike tries to be the voice of reason in their little group of friends, which isn't always easy
Myrna	Agent Elena 'Flores'	Myrna is a young FBI agent who just got her first big case. She has a 13-year-old son at home and has a hard time raising him while making it through the Bureau. This first case is really close to home for her, and she tries hard to hide it, overacting like the agent she ought to be, though this struggle sometimes oozes through the cracks.
Jason	Joey Peterson	Jason is a registered nurse at a hospital. He's a clever guy that's friendly and always has a joke up his sleeve for his patients. Although he is a bigger guy, he's gentle and comforting.
Kathy	Karen Reynolds	Kathy grew up the only child of a wealthy family. She always felt smothered by her overcaring mother and distant father, and left home as soon as she turned 18. She met and fell in love with a man, with whom she settled down and raised a son. When she got pregnant a second time, she began to suffocate and needed to escape. A few months after her second son's birth, she left her family to roam the United States, until she found a little community deep in the Arizona desert, where she started a new, carefree and independent life.
Linda	Lisbeth Fischer	Linda grew up in Iowa, raised by religious parents in a large, self-sufficient community based around faith and traditional values. Cut from the rest of the world until her late teens, she became a cold, strict girl with nothing but faith in her mind. Around twenty, she decided to explore the world, and discovered another life. Her community rejected her, and she wandered for years, lost. She fell into drugs, met bad people, until she reached rock bottom. From this point, she decided to start a cult on her own, gathering lost souls on the way, eventually making her way to building a small community, which she leads with a strong will and big ambitions.
Aaren	Anders	Aaren comes from a rich Swedish family, where he always felt out of place. He went to law school to please his parents, until one day when he decided to spend all his savings on a world trip with his girlfriend, Ida. They travelled through Europe, Asia and Australia before coming to the United States, where their savings began to get very low. Aaren refuses to ask for his parent's help, as the trip has pushed him farther away from his family. Although poor he is very happy with their traveling life, and wants nothing more than be with his girlfriend.	Same casting call as the previous episode. Once again, it's unclear why they decided to create a second one, especially since Lucas Helmersson had already been cast by then, and Anders ultimately didn’t appear again after episode 3.
Norman	Nicholas Durand	Norman was born in a poor town, and quickly fell into drugs and theft. He became a local criminal before ending up in jail, where he spent his twenties. While in jail, he found a religious calling when he encountered a preacher who dragged him out of his habits. When he got out of jail, he joined her small religious community and became her henchman, finding stability in this new life while still being haunted by his past. On the surface, he sounds like a very polite and well mannered man. Helping the preacher during the religious offices, introducing her sermons. However, his thug roots are still there, and his inner angst and darkness resurface during stressful situations.
Zera	(?)	Zera was Kurdish guerilla fighter before she moved to German and became a criminal. She seems calm and controlled, yet always ready for a fight. Seemingly a perfect soldier, she really wants to be a singer and rapper.

"Yucca" Casting Call#

Code Names	Character	Description (Scroll for more)	Notes
Carmela	Carla Morales	Carmela was raised in Baja California. Her parents, farmers for generations, made a lot of sacrifices to afford for her education, and she ended up becoming a teacher. When her grandfather's lands were taken by the government, the family never recovered and went bankrupt. Carmela moved to a bigger town with her parents and tried to support herself. She was introduced to Dante, who worked in construction, and they quickly fell in love and married soon after. One day, Dante's older brother got abducted by a local gang and the family didn't manage to pay the ransom in time, so his body was found a few weeks later. Heartbroken, Carmela and Dante decided to flee to the US to have a better life. Their first attempt was the hardest one, they came unprepared and almost died of thirst in the desert. Although she is a Mexican national, she speaks good American English.
Dante	Diego Morales	Dante comes from a poor family from Baja. He worked in construction, and was introduced to Carmela and they quickly fell in love and they married soon after. One day, Dante's older brother Ricardo got abducted by a local gang and the family didn't manage to pay the ransom in time, so his body was found a few weeks later. Heartbroken, Carmela and Dante decided to flee to the US to have a better life. Their first attempt was the hardest one, they came unprepared and almost died of thirst in the desert. This role must be fluent in Mexican Spanish. As Dante speaks poor American English.
Julie	Joan Marcus	Julie was born in San Francisco to a wealthy family. From early on, she showed passion for art, and so pursued that passion all her life. She became a renowned artist in the bay area, and even travelled to put on exhibitions. As she grew older though, she became tired of the fame, the fake smiles and friendships. When she was diagnosed with cancer, she decided to take on an opportunity one of her true friends offered her years ago: join a little community off the grid, deep in the Arizonian desert. She moved there alone, and keeps making sculptures, at ease with herself, and surrounded by true people who don't care about her fame.
Jason	Joey Peterson	Jason is a registered nurse at a hospital. He's a clever guy that's friendly and always has a joke up his sleeve for his patients. Although he is a bigger guy, he's gentle and comforting.	Same as the previous casting call. It's possible that they didn't find a suitable voice actor on their first attempt.
Marley	Joan Marcus	Marley was born and raised in Arizona, the youngest of three children. She didn't go to college, and instead earned a living from various small jobs, a life she thoroughly enjoyed. One day, one of her brothers got shot dead by two Mexican thugs. Her life collapsed. Her grief turned into hatred against immigrants, an obsession fueled by her father, and her remaining brother and their common passion for guns. She decided to join her father, who is in a group of patriotic vigilantes who patrol the Mexican border, watching for illegal immigrants.
LOUIS	Luke Wright	Louis was born the only child of a modest suburban couple in Northern Texas. He grew up as an introverted, hard-working teenager, only to find out, once out of college, that his diplomas wouldn't get him the job he thought he deserved. Finding himself working on menial jobs, he developed a hatred against modern America, blaming immigration for the high unemployment rate in his state. He soon found groups of like-minded people on the internet, and eventually moved to Arizona to join one of them. There, he found a job and a community, and brought with him his daughter Marley, with whom he patrols the border, to protect his country against illegal immigrants.	For some reason, Louis' name was written in all uppercase letters.
Albert	Arthur Petersen	Albert was married to his wife for 20 years. She was his highschool sweetheart, and they married at 19. They both came from pretty traditional families. Together they had 3 kids. After studying Business management in College, Albert worked at his father's glazier company. It was not his passion, but he earned a good living. When Albert was 39, he came out to his family as gay and his wife left him. The divorce was rough on everyone and his two youngest daughters still hold a pretty heavy grudge against him. Later he met a man and moved to a community in Arizona.
Stephen	Stanley Petersen	Stephen was a programming engineer in a successful high-tech company in the Silicon valley area until he burned out and left. That's when he met Albert, who helped him get through this hard time. They traveled together and found a small community in Arizona, deciding to settle there to enjoy a more humble and simple life than what they've known before. Stephen never married but came out as gay very early and was always supported by his family.
Phil	Arthur Petersen	Phil always had a problem with authority. That's why, after a complicated youth, he was sent to police academy. He found solace in this structured, rewarding environment, but his old habits came back. Years into being a police officer, he insulted and hit a superior after a bad argument. In order to keep his job, he was then forced to accept a position near the border, in a quiet police station he hates. He's worked there for years, and boredom has replaced his bad temper.