After 20 years of silence, Konami has officially confirmed long-swirling rumours that Jodi Benson, better known as the voice actor of Ariel from The Little Mermaid, played Russian spy Eva in 2004’s Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.
When the game launched, Benson was listed under a pseudonym – Suzetta Miñet – which immediately inspired suspicion amongst players. Miñet was clearly not a real person, and had no other credits, leading to much speculation about her voice actor. Benson was a suspect early on, as many players recognised her voice from The Little Mermaid, but there was never definitive enough evidence to identify her.
Now, in a new Konami video discussing the legacy of Metal Gear Solid, Benson herself has appeared, confirming her involvement, and the reasons for the secrecy surrounding her role. Per the actor, it was all about keeping up appearances, as most of her biggest roles were in films for children.
“When we recorded… just the various projects that I am affiliated with in my career are sort of family based, children-based, things like that,” Benson explained. “So it was actually Kris Zimmerman Salter [director], she kind of sat down with me and she’s like, maybe we need to change your name.”
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“Suzetta Miñet” originated from these discussions – it was a slightly altered version of the name of Benson’s dog. Benson did admit that one at least one fan figured it out, as they approached her at a convention with a copy of MGS3 to sign, but for the most part, her role stayed a mystery, thanks to clever subterfuge.
As for the reasons why her role was such a mystery, they’re fairly clear in the subject matter of Metal Gear Solid 3. Benson was a big name in children’s entertainment in the 1990s and early 2000s, and MGS3 was a much more mature title. Eva herself ironically wears more clothing than The Little Mermaid, but is considered a racier character, with her femme fatale stylings.
So, there you have it – one of Metal Gear Solid 3‘s biggest mysteries, solved thanks to a Konami anniversary video. While it’s been a long time coming, it’s great to see Benson finally getting to talk about her role, and her place in MGS history.
We’ll next hear Benson return in the remastered version of MGS3, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater. The game is still scheduled to launch in 2024, but does not have a firm release date yet.
