Resident Evil Requiem's Grace Ashcroft Has Room to Grow Beyond Her First Nightmare

Resident Evil Requiem has introduced Grace Ashcroft as a very different kind of survivor for Capcom's long-running horror series. Rather than arriving with the polished combat instincts and fearless swagger associated with veterans such as Leon Kennedy, Grace begins her journey under the crushing weight of anxiety and overwhelming circumstances. That contrast appears central to what makes her compelling--and it is also why the performer behind the character does not expect Grace to simply turn into another franchise action icon.

Angela Sant'Albano, who portrays Grace Ashcroft, recently earned the Golden Joystick Award for Best Lead Performer. It was part of a major night for Resident Evil Requiem, which also received Ultimate Game of the Year. Following the awards, Sant'Albano reflected on where Grace could go next if the character returns to the series, pointing to unfinished emotional arcs and relationships that could give the protagonist plenty more ground to cover.

Capcom has not confirmed that Grace will appear in a future Resident Evil game. Still, Sant'Albano's thoughts make a strong case for why there is more to explore. Grace has survived an extraordinary ordeal, but surviving it is not the same as resolving what it has done to her. Her path, in Sant'Albano's view, should be one of gradually developing trust, courage, and self-worth--not suddenly mastering the kind of spectacular physical heroics fans might associate with other leads.

Grace Is Built Around Vulnerability, Not Invincibility

Grace's defining trait in Resident Evil Requiem is not combat mastery. She is introduced as someone dealing with a severe anxiety condition, and the game's ordeal pushes her through moments where fear can leave her unable to act. Her evolution comes in smaller, harder-won steps. By the end of her nightmare, she has developed enough confidence to defend herself with a gun, even if that confidence remains understandably unsteady.

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That progression gives Grace a survival-horror identity that differs from the series' more established operators. Resident Evil has always supported a range of protagonists, from trained agents and police officers to civilians forced into impossible situations. Grace belongs firmly to the latter tradition: a person fighting to function in circumstances that would break almost anyone.

Sant'Albano believes Grace can become stronger, but she does not see that growth taking the form of Leon-style action theatrics. She said Grace will never be a "Leon character," specifically dismissing the idea that the character is destined to start throwing roundhouse kicks or otherwise become a conventional badass. The point is not that Grace cannot be brave. Instead, her bravery is meaningful because it exists alongside fear.

"I don't think she'll ever be a Leon character. She's never going to be badass, you know, doing roundhouse kicks," Sant'Albano said.

That distinction could be important for preserving Grace's personality if Capcom brings her back. A sequel does not need to erase her anxiety, replace her vulnerability with effortless confidence, or turn every survivor into a hardened super-agent. It can let her become more capable while retaining the perspective that made her introduction distinctive.

Growth Could Mean Learning to Trust Herself

For Sant'Albano, Grace's potential is tied to internal progress. The actor expects her courage and self-esteem to increase as she learns to trust herself and forgive herself for the burdens that hold her back. That suggests Grace's next chapter, if it happens, could be less about becoming physically unstoppable and more about finding emotional stability after trauma.

There is a substantial difference between confidence and invulnerability, and Grace's story appears to leave room for the former without demanding the latter. A character can still hesitate, panic, and struggle while learning that those feelings do not prevent her from making a difficult choice. In horror, that kind of character development can be especially effective because the audience understands the instinct to run or freeze. When the character moves forward anyway, it feels earned.

Sant'Albano described there as being "a long way to go" for Grace. That is not a promise of another appearance, but it does frame Requiem as a beginning rather than a complete endpoint for the character. Grace's first experience may have taught her that she can survive. A later story could ask what she does with that knowledge when the danger returns, especially if she has people depending on her.

Leon Could Become a Key Mentor

One relationship Sant'Albano would like to see developed further is Grace's connection with Leon. She described the pair as having the beginnings of a beautiful mentorship, with an almost brother-and-sister dynamic. It is an intriguing idea because Leon's long history in the franchise puts him in a natural position to guide someone like Grace without requiring her to become a copy of him.

Leon has repeatedly confronted biohazards, conspiracies, and loss across the Resident Evil timeline. Grace, meanwhile, comes from a far more fragile emotional place. Their contrast could make a future interaction meaningful: Leon can offer experience and reassurance, while Grace can bring a reminder of the human cost behind the missions that veteran protagonists may approach with practiced resolve.

A mentorship also has room for tension. Leon's methods, instincts, and level of exposure to violence may not be easy for Grace to process. Likewise, his desire to protect her could conflict with her need to prove that she can make decisions for herself. The strongest version of that relationship would not turn Grace into Leon's trainee in a straightforward sense. It would give her support while allowing her to define her own form of strength.

Emily Represents Another Unfinished Thread

Sant'Albano also wants to know what happens next between Grace and Emily. She has formed a close friendship with Emma Rose, who portrays Emily, and she is interested in seeing Grace take on a more maternal role and carry that development forward.

That possibility opens another side of Grace that is separate from gunplay and monster encounters. If Leon represents mentorship and the experience of someone who has survived countless horrors, Emily could give Grace a chance to become a source of safety for somebody else. Such a role would test her in a different way. Protecting someone does not necessarily mean becoming physically dominant; it can mean offering care, patience, stability, and the willingness to stay present when fear makes that difficult.

It would also reinforce the idea that Grace's development is not a straight line from frightened survivor to action star. She can grow into a more confident person through connection and responsibility, maintaining the empathy that sets her apart. In a series so often defined by threats on a global scale, smaller interpersonal stakes can make the larger horror feel more immediate.

No Confirmed Return, but Plenty of Possibilities

For now, all discussion of Grace's future remains speculative. Capcom has not announced a return for Ashcroft, and it has not revealed the next mainline Resident Evil installment after Requiem. The next major Resident Evil release identified after Requiem is Resident Evil Veronica, a remake of Code Veronica, where Grace is not expected to appear.

That leaves the franchise's longer-term direction open. Resident Evil has a deep bench of returning characters and an equally long record of introducing new leads, sometimes for a single defining chapter and sometimes for multiple games. Grace's award recognition and the acclaim surrounding Requiem give her a strong foundation, but fans will need to wait for Capcom to say whether that foundation leads anywhere.

If she does return, Sant'Albano's vision offers a clear route forward. Grace does not need to become another Leon Kennedy to deserve another story. Her appeal lies in the fact that she is frightened, imperfect, and still able to endure. Letting her recover slowly, face the consequences of what she has survived, deepen her bonds with Leon and Emily, and discover confidence on her own terms could make her one of Resident Evil's most human protagonists.

That kind of evolution may be less flashy than a roundhouse kick, but for a character forged in terror, it could be far more powerful.