You remember that scene. The one where the gold-masked billionaires sit in a lush, darkened room, sipping scotch while people literally fall to their deaths for entertainment. It was uncomfortable. It was meant to be. But for most viewers, the "VIPs" in Squid Game were a mystery, partly because their faces were hidden behind heavy animal masks and partly because, well, the acting was a bit of a lightning rod for criticism.
If you've been scouring the internet to figure out who played VIP 3, you're looking for James Battley.
He’s the man behind the hollow-eyed, golden grizzly bear mask. While the show became a global juggernaut, the Western actors playing these roles found themselves in a weird spot. They were part of the biggest show in Netflix history, yet they were getting roasted on Twitter for their "stilted" delivery. It’s a fascinating little corner of TV history. James Battley, a British actor living in Seoul at the time, ended up right in the middle of it.
Making Sense of VIP 3 and the Casting Process
Casting Westerners in K-Dramas is notoriously tricky. Usually, the pool of available talent in Korea is limited to whoever is living there for other reasons—models, teachers, or theater actors. Battley wasn't just a random person off the street, though. He has a background in performance and understood the weight of the project, even if none of them knew it would become a cultural phenomenon.
The "VIPs" represent the peak of global inequality. They are the 0.1%. When James Battley stepped into the role of VIP 3, he had to convey that specific brand of "boredom-induced cruelty" without the use of his facial expressions. That’s a tall order for any actor.
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The grizzly bear mask wasn't just a prop; it was heavy. It restricted vision. It changed how the actors had to project their voices. Most of the dialogue for the VIPs was written in a way that felt slightly "off" to native English speakers, but that’s often a stylistic choice in Korean production to emphasize the "otherness" of the Western characters. They aren't supposed to sound like your neighbor; they’re supposed to sound like caricatures of greed.
Why the VIP 3 Performance Sparked So Much Debate
Let’s be real. People hammered the VIP scenes.
Critics called the acting "wooden." Fans made memes about the dialogue. But honestly? If you look at the context of how Squid Game was filmed, those actors were basically acting in a vacuum. They were often given lines that had been translated from Korean to English and then back again, losing some of the natural flow in the process.
James Battley has been quite vocal about this in interviews. He’s pointed out that the VIPs are essentially "idiots." They are meant to be obnoxious. If you hated them, maybe—just maybe—they did exactly what they were supposed to do. VIP 3, specifically, is part of that collective roar of entitlement.
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The Identity of the Other VIPs
While James Battley played VIP 3 (the Bear), the other seats were filled by:
- John D. Michaels (VIP 1, the Lion): Often the "leader" of the group in terms of dialogue.
- Daniel C. Kennedy (VIP 2, the Tiger): An actor who has been in the Korean industry for years.
- Geoffrey Giuliano (VIP 4, the Panther): The one who had the "propositions" for the undercover cop.
- Stephane Mot (VIP 5) and Michael Davis (VIP 6).
Battley’s Bear mask (VIP 3) is often the one people remember because of the specific texture of the gold plating. It looked heavier than the others. It felt more imposing.
The Reality of Filming in Seoul
Battley lived in Korea for years. He wasn't just flown in for a week. He was part of the local expat creative community. For him, Squid Game was another gig—until it wasn't.
Filming those scenes took place on massive, incredibly detailed sets. The VIP lounge wasn't just green screen; it was a physical space built to make the actors feel small and the "audience" feel powerful. Imagine sitting in a golden mask for hours, unable to see your feet, trying to deliver lines about betting on human lives while a crew of hundreds moves around you in silence. It’s a bizarre workplace environment.
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Most people don't realize that the audio for the VIPs was often re-recorded or tweaked in post-production. This "ADR" (Automated Dialogue Replacement) can sometimes make acting feel a bit disconnected from the physical movement on screen. If you felt VIP 3 sounded a bit "detached," that’s likely a mix of the heavy mask muffling the original take and the stylistic direction of Hwang Dong-hyuk, the creator.
Is VIP 3 Coming Back for Season 2?
This is the big question. With Squid Game Season 2 arriving on Netflix in December 2024 (and continuing into 2025), everyone wants to know if the same group of wealthy sadists will return.
Gi-hun is on a warpath. He’s dyed his hair red, he’s skipped his flight to the US, and he’s looking for blood. The VIPs are the ultimate targets. While the cast list for Season 2 has been heavily guarded, the show needs antagonists. However, since the VIPs are a "class" of people rather than just six specific individuals, we might see new masks, new animals, and new actors.
But for the history books, James Battley is the original. He owns that specific slice of the Squid Game mythos.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans and Aspiring Actors
If you're fascinated by the "mask acting" of VIP 3 or just want to understand the industry better, here’s how to look at it through a professional lens:
- Study the "Uncanny Valley": The VIPs were criticized because they hit the "uncanny valley" of acting—human, but not quite. In stylized media, this is often intentional to create a sense of unease.
- Follow the Actors: If you want the "real" story of what it’s like to be a Westerner in the K-Drama world, follow John D. Michaels or James Battley on social media. They often share behind-the-scenes insights into the technical challenges of these roles.
- Watch for Directorial Intent: Next time you watch a non-English show with English-speaking characters, pay attention to the pacing. Often, the pauses are longer than usual to allow for subtitles to be read by the domestic (Korean) audience. This is why VIP 3 might sound like he’s talking slowly. It’s for the viewers in Seoul, not the ones in London or New York.
- Re-watch the Bridge Scene: Watch VIP 3 during the "Glass Bridge" game. Notice how the physical posture changes when a player falls. Battley uses his shoulders and lean to communicate excitement, which is the only way to "act" when your face is a piece of metal.
The mystery of who played VIP 3 is solved, but the legacy of those performances continues to be a major talking point in how global television is produced and consumed. Whether you loved the VIPs or hated them, they were the catalyst for the show's climax, and James Battley’s "Bear" was a key part of that gilded, terrifying ensemble.