This new short video gives me so much hopes about portraits !!
Looks like some kind of "mercenaries" system, Withers saying something like "do you need a new ally" before the screen showing selectable portraits of... I guess pre-made characters.
Yep, looks like “hirelings” are reconfirmed, though it’s not clear whether they’re fully customisable and those were ones created earlier, we are limited to pre-made characters, or somewhere in the middle. Still, as you say, hopeful both on that front and for more interesting character portraits!