‘The Witcher’ Author Approves Of Henry Cavill’s Interpretation Of Geralt Of Rivia In Netflix’s Adaptation

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Henry Cavill was so desperate to play the role of Geralt of Rivia in Netflix’s The Witcher that as soon as he heard whispers and rumors about the possible TV adaptation, he started begging for auditions. Being a keen gamer himself, he was well-acquainted with The Witcher video games and the character for which he ultimately ended up playing in the Netflix series.

While it is certainly a daunting task to bring a much-loved video game character to life, The Witcher is also based on a series of books by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. The first in this series was published 30 years ago and also has a substantial fan base. However, according to People, Sapkowski is very impressed with the way in which Cavill has portrayed Geralt.

“I was more than happy with Henry Cavill’s appearance as The Witcher,” Sapkowski said.

The author then went on to explain that Cavill has managed to convey Geralt in such a way that he and the character will now always be synonymous.

“He’s a real professional. Just as Viggo Mortensen gave his face to Aragorn [in The Lord of the Rings], so Henry gave his to Geralt — and it shall be forever so.”

Cavill, who was desperate for the role, took the opportunity seriously. He is known to have taken home Geralt’s costume in order to wear it in and give it an authentic well-worn look.

For many fans across both mediums who have tuned in for the TV version, it seems fairly universal that they are also impressed with the way in which Cavill has portrayed the iconic character. As far as Sapkowski is concerned, he is glad to hear this, and it was always his hope that the TV series would leave viewers and readers alike begging for more.

“I sincerely hope to leave the viewers — and readers — hot. In every sense. Not tepid, not lukewarm.”

And, for those that have come to the Netflix series without any prior knowledge of the games or the books, Sapkowski notes that the TV series has deviated considerably from the books, but he is entirely all right with that.

“Not much, I confess. I strongly believe in the freedom of the artist and his artistic expression. I rarely interfere. And very rarely try to impose my view on another artist.”

Season 1 of The Witcher is currently streaming globally on Netflix. Season 2 has been confirmed by the network but no premiere date has been announced yet.