“It all started with him,” actor Nick Apostolides said of the late Paul Haddad when I spoke with him about his return as Leon Kennedy in Resident Evil Requiem. In an emotionally charged turning point that neither of us expected to happen during our conversation, Apostolides paid his respects to the original talent behind one of the most celebrated characters in Resident Evil history. With warmth and sincerity in his voice, he expressed deep appreciation for Haddad, who ultimately set the stage Apostolides has been graced with since adopting the role of Leon Kennedy in the 2019 Resident Evil 2 remake.
During a recent interview with GameRant, Nick Apostolides reflected on stepping back into the role for Resident Evil Requiem, but the conversation quickly turned to something far more personal. What began as a discussion about Leon’s evolution and the weight of returning to Raccoon City became a heartfelt acknowledgment of the man who first brought the character to life nearly three decades ago.
Resident Evil Requiem’s Nick Apostolides Remembers Paul Haddad in Touching Tribute
For Apostolides, a fan of Resident Evil for 28 years, playing a character initially brought to life by someone else has never been something to brush off. Not only did he land what he would probably consider a dream job—as he confirmed early in the interview that he is “still trying to wrap [his] brain around that”—but he also clearly understands that the opportunity to portray one of the most beloved protagonists in gaming is not one to take for granted. Ultimately, however, that sentiment isn’t so much about Leon Kennedy’s reputation as much as it is about the legacy of Paul Haddad, who originally gave Leon his voice in 1998 but sadly passed away in April 2020.
Given how far the character of Leon Kennedy has come since his debut, and the fact that Apostolides has now played the character in three different Resident Evil games, I was curious what the actor would say to Haddad today, given the opportunity. Apostolides, upon being asked the question, grew emotional while honoring Haddad with a beautiful tribute:
“I got to befriend Paul Haddad before he passed away, I believe, in 2020, and he was such a sweet guy. I think he’s looking down, and I would just say to him, ‘Thank you. Thank you for breathing life into this legacy character.’ It all started with him. And I think he’d be pretty happy to see that Leon is still going strong, all because of what he did with Capcom 28 years ago.”
For a series that has now lasted nearly 30 years, beloved Resident Evil characters like Leon Kennedy have become far more than digital avatars. They carry history, memory, and the voices that first breathed life into them. Judging by his heartfelt response, Apostolides understands that the shoes he stepped into in 2019 aren’t valuable because of what they’re made of but because of whose feet were once in them. A role like that, then, isn’t about delivering lines or performing stunts in a motion capture suit. Rather, it’s about honoring who came before while ensuring the character continues to have the same impact he once had all those years ago.
That sense of stewardship is something Apostolides seems to take very seriously. Even as he spoke about the excitement of Leon Kennedy’s return in Resident Evil Requiem, it was clear that Haddad’s legacy remained at the forefront of his mind. The actor added:
“If Paul was still with us, I would just hope that he knows how much of a legacy he has started with Leon. His portrayal of the very first Leon Kennedy in 1998 has sparked 30 years of fandom with this character, and I just hope he knows how beloved he is by the fan community. When I first booked the role, he reached out to me to congratulate me. It was a kind of passing-the-torch moment. It was really heartfelt, and then we developed a friendship after that. That just speaks volumes about who Leon is and always was, started by the great Paul Haddad. So, I would just thank him and let him know that he is still cherished by the fan community.”
It’s certainly rare to see the lineage of a character acknowledged so openly, especially in a franchise that is as long-running as Resident Evil. Yet, in that exchange, Apostolides made it clear that his intentions weren’t to replace Haddad in his continued evolution of Leon Kennedy but to build on the foundation that was already there. Nearly three decades after Leon first stepped into the Raccoon City Police Department, the character’s foundation remains intact, originally laid by the iconic voice that introduced him to the world.
As Resident Evil Requiem allows players to revisit the places that made Leon the man he is today, Apostolides’ words serve as a reminder that Resident Evil‘s history isn’t just about its stories and settings. It lives in the performances, the relationships, and the shared respect between artists who have carried these characters forward. In honoring the late Paul Haddad, Apostolides highlighted something fans have long understood, even if they didn’t know how to put it into words. Leon Kennedy’s legacy may belong to more than one era, but it began with the man who first gave him life.
- Released
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February 27, 2026
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Intense Violence, Blood and Gore, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases
