What Netflix's The Witcher season 3 cast look like in real life
Yennefer, Geralt, Ciri, Tissaia de Vries and more
The third series of Netflix's The Witcher just landed on the platform [28th June] and has filled a fantasy-shaped void that's been lingering ever since House of the Dragon came to a close. Fans are already binge-watching their way through the first six episodes (with the next two arriving in a month, yawn), and are desperate to know how Geralt and Ciri's journey continues. While you wait with anticipation, look no further than our our rundown of what the main cast members look like in real life, compared to their The Witcher character counterparts.
Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon in season 3
Also known as The Child of Destiny, Ciri possesses unrivalled powers.
The Witcher cast in real life - Freya Allan
The character, better known as Ciri, is played by Freya Allan, who started acting in 2017 and appeared in The War of The Worlds last year.
Opening up about how she landed the role, she revealed she initially auditioned for a completely different part. She told Digital Spy: "I never really knew what was happening. I got given scenes, and I did them. But what I do know is that they told me I was Marilka, and then Sophie Holland, the casting director, said to [writer Lauren Schmidt Hissrich], 'I really think you should consider her for Ciri' – even though they were looking for younger people than me.
"So. I found out I got Marilka. The next day, they called me up saying, '[Alik Sakharov], who's the director, and Lauren, the showrunner, are coming with some producers from LA to London to see me for Ciri'."
Tissaia de Vries in season 3
Tissaia is Yennefer's muse and is in charge of the magical academy, Aretuza.
The Witcher cast in real life - MyAnna Buring
Tissaia de Vries is played by MyAnna, who is best known for her roles in The Descent, Breaking Dawn, Ripper Street and Downton Abbey.
In an interview with Games Radar, showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich gave a special shout out to MyAnna's character, calling her "a real cornerstone of the first season".
She went on: "That’s one of those perfect examples where you start writing a character, and I didn’t have any intention of her being a huge character. But as soon as that story started unfolding, and as soon as I saw MyAnna working with Anya Chalotra, who plays Yennefer, and I started seeing their mother/daughter relationship come to life – I knew that had to be a much bigger part of my series."
Yennefer of Vengerburg in season 3
A century-old sorceress, Yennefer ends up bewitching Geralt of Rivia.
The Witcher cast in real life - Anya Chalotra
Yennefer is played by 23-year-old British actress Anya Chalotra.
Before appearing in The Witcher, she starred in a number of West End productions and played Jennifer in Netflix's Wanderlust.
In an interview with Collider, Anya described how her character develops, telling the publication: "For Yennefer, she goes on this huge journey of self-discovery and discovering where her power actually lies.
"Her weaknesses become her strengths. All of the insecurities she had, as a child, and all of those fears, actually feed the chaos inside of her and the source of her power, and that’s something that she learns."
Jaskier (aka Dandelion) in season 3
Jaskier, a bard, is Geralt's close friend and accompanies him on many of his adventures.
The Witcher cast in real life - Joey Batey
The Newcastle-born actor studied French and Spanish at Cambridge University before going on to appear in a number of TV series, including BBC sci-fi drama War Of The Worlds. The Witcher is his big break.
Showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich said Jaskier helps reveal a softer side of Geralt. "Their scenes together are amazing," she shared. "Jaskier drives Geralt a little bit crazy, but also he’s a little bit of a truth-teller to Geralt, and he’s able to get in. You know, I always talk about that soft squishy place inside Geralt that he wants to keep it all in, and Jaskier basically points at it."
Geralt of Rivia in season 3
A legendary witcher, Geralt is the main protagonist in the series.
The Witcher cast in real life - Henry Cavill
Geralt is of course played by Superman actor Henry Cavill. Speaking about adapting the iconic book series for TV, he said he wanted the show to be "as true to the lore as possible".
"For me it was about bringing my love for the character to the show, as a fan – I want to protect it," he told GQ. "It would've hurt my heart to hear there was a show that I didn't jump on, [especially] if someone else had a unique and perhaps even brilliant interpretation of Geralt, but one not who I, as a fan, sees."
Cahir Mawr Dyffryn aep Ceallach in season 3
Cahir is tasked with catching Ciri, but is ultimately conflicted.
The Witcher cast in real life - Eamon Farren
The Australian actor's big US TV break came when he landed the role of Richard Horne in the Twin Peaks reboot. He appeared in BBC show The ABC Murders last year.
Speaking to Metro about the role, Eamon shared: "He’s representative of something very dark and destructive for her [Ciri], which, you know, is always very fun to play."
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