Is Leon S. Kennedy Italian? We asked Resident Evil Requiem’s director

There’s not much longer to wait until Resident Evil Requiem comes to consoles and Windows PC on Feb. 27. But the Polygon editorial staff has been waiting for decades to know the answer to two pressing questions about returning dreamboat Leon S. Kennedy: Is he actually Italian? And does he have a girlfriend?

Sure, Kennedy’s an Irish name, but maybe Leon’s mother hails from some part of the boot? Unfortunately, there’s very little official information about the character’s backstory in the years before 1998’s Raccoon City Incident. The franchise’s dedicated wiki describes him as Italian-American, seemingly stemming from a Japan-only art book released around 2010 called Capcom Design Works. Polygon paisan-at-large Giovanni Colantonio has dug even deeper into Leon’s lore, unearthing a persuasive fan theory that finds numerous elements linking the S.T.A.R.S. hero to Jean Reno’s Italian gangster in 1994’s Léon: The Professional.

Leon’s triumphant return to the franchise seems like the perfect moment to clear the air, right? During a recent interview ahead of Requiem’s launch next month, Polygon asked director Kōshi Nakanishi whether he knew about Leon’s heritage (and potential galpal) — or if Requiem itself would offer any clues.

“Unfortunately, I can’t comment on Leon’s private life. But just to let you know, I am also very interested in the answers to these questions,” Nakanishi said with a cheerful laugh.

Another new Resident Evil game, and still no answers to one of the series’ most enduring questions. I’ve got to think the spiffy new Porsche Cayenne Leon uses in Requiem might help him lure in the ladies, even if he’s only Italian in our dreams. That said, I’m not sure Leon’s terribly at ease speaking to women, unless he’s saying things like “I’ll handle this” or “go hide in that dumpster.” And you know this man has dirty fingernails.

Resident Evil Requiem launches Feb. 27 for Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X.