Henry Cavill’s The Witcher has a splendid cast that has proved time and time again just how great they are in their respective roles. From Cavill as the Geralt of Rivia to Freya Allen as Cirilla, they have been absolutely iconic in their parts. Seeing that the series has been going through a great many changes, the casting choice becomes an integral part of the entire process.
Henry Cavill is officially being replaced by Liam Hemsworth and despite all the backlash the series has gotten since the announcement, one factor still remains. The casting choice could not have been better. Even with the ups and downs, Hemsworth is perhaps the best replacement they could have found. However, that was not the only casting decision they took out of their way.
Henry Cavill’s The Witcher co-star Was Hired To Defy Beauty Norms
Yennefer of Vengerberg, otherwise known as the most beautiful maiden in the world. When looking for The Witcher’s perfect Yennefer, the casting director was adamant about one factor in particular. She was sure that with the beauty standards set within Hollywood, things had been going amuck both within and outside of the industry. So it became a task for her to break these standards.
“When you think about people’s unconscious bias — especially in the fantasy world, it felt like these worlds were predominantly white. And I remember saying, ‘I feel like we need to challenge what people think of as the standard of beauty. And having a woman of color in this role does incredibly powerful things to the people watching.'”
The casting director of Henry Cavill’s series, Sophia Holland saw this as an opportunity she could not let go of. She stated in an interview that beauty standards within the industry have been set to be predominantly white. She knew that one way she could break these norms was by hiring Anya Chalotra for the role. Getting an actress who is not white to represent the most beautiful woman was exactly what the series needed to break away from preset standards.
Henry Cavill Was Not Alone In Auditioning For Geralt of Rivia
Before Eamon Farren got the role of Cahir Mawr Dyffryn aep Ceallach, he had auditioned for the role of the Geralt of Rivia. The audition did not go as well as he had hoped and Henry Cavill was cast instead of him. Sophia Holland was also responsible for picking Cavill.
“I made my way to this other character that was like a mercenary sort of fighter/killer guy. I sent [the audition] off and didn’t expect anything, and then I got the job.”
After being rejected for the role, Farren did not take it to heart and instead sent his audition tape for another role altogether. Although he did not expect anything in general, he was surprised to see them saying yes to him. He was later cast as Cahir Mawr Dyffryn aep Ceallach.
The Witcher’s season 3 volume 2 will be available to watch on Netflix from 27th July 2023.
Source: CBR
