"Getting a role in That Meant A Lot" Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's Paul Castro Jr. Talks lands his dream job

To land a role in such a well-known franchise as Final Fantasy would undoubtedly be a big deal for any actor, but for Paul Castro Jr. It was a dream job. The actor, mainly known for his roles in NEO: The world ends with you and Genshin Impactmanaged to nab the only role he auditioned for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirthgiving him a spot in a franchise he always wanted to be a part of. As the enthusiastic, kind and passionate Chocobo Billy, Castro's role was not central to Final Fantasy 7 Rebirths story, but his character still adds to the game's world-building charm and helps players familiarize themselves with its chocobo mechanics.

Paul Castro Jr. is best known for his work in video games and animation, with his most prominent role as Rindo Kanade, the protagonist of NEO: The world ends with you. He has also voted in Freminet Genshin Impact and appeared in projects such as Persona 3 Reload, Fire Emblem Heroesand Pokemon champion. Outside of gaming, Castro has worked in animation and live-action television, with appearances in shows such as Blue blood and God turned mebut his voice acting roles have become the core of his career, especially in RPGs and character driven games like Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth was Paul Castro Jr's dream job

During a recent interview on Game Rants Character Select with Naomi Kyle, Paul Castro Jr., who voices Chocobo Billy in the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirthwhich is called Final Fantasy franchise he had always dreamed of working with. As a longtime fan of Square Enix RPGs, the role gave Castro the chance to contribute to a series he had spent years playing, while joining one of the most famous franchises in gaming.

“Final Fantasy was definitely on that list,” Castro said when asked if there were any franchises he always wanted to work on. “Getting a role in that meant a lot. When I moved to LA, they were doing the first part of the Remake franchise, and I just missed the auditions for the first part. So, I was like, 'That's it. I've lost my chance.' Because I didn't know it was going to be a three-part thing then. I just knew from whispers in the industry. And then when the second part came to Rebirth, I had an audition for a character in that game, and it was Billy—and I got it.”

While Castro undoubtedly booked the role of Chocobo Billy for his talent, his experience working with the developer of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth helped set him apart beforehand. As Rindo Kanade, the protagonist of Square Enix NEO: The world ends with youCastro effectively got his foot in the door, giving him what he considers an advantage.

“The people that I worked with on NEO: The World Ends With You also worked on Final Fantasy,” continued Castro, “so I think that really helped me. And they knew that I was an artist that was willing to give it their all, even for a non-playable character in this world that I did. So, [Final Fantasy] was really a franchise that I wanted to do.”

The Reapers in The World Ends With You (2018)

For Castro to be a part of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth was less about the significance of the role and more about finally working on a franchise he had admired for years. While Chocobo Billy plays a relatively minor role in the larger story of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirththe opportunity took on real meaning for an actor who at first thought he had missed his chance entirely. It also highlights how previous work, relationships and persistence can influence the roles that eventually come, even when the path there is not obvious at the time.