Liam Hemsworth has spoken openly about stepping into the role of Geralt of Rivia in the fourth season of The Witcher, addressing the inevitable Henry Cavill Witcher comparisons. Hemsworth, who succeeded Cavill for the last two seasons of the series, revealed his determination to bring his own truthful version of the character to life rather than mimic his predecessor. With Season 4 debuting on Netflix on October 30, and filming for the fifth and final season nearing completion, Hemsworth reflects on his experience taking on this iconic role.
Intense Fight Sequences and Hemsworth’s Creative Input
A standout moment in Season 4 features Hemsworth fully immersing himself in a complex fight scene, a hallmark of the fantasy series known for its extended continuous shots. In one rain-soaked night sequence, Geralt charges through 15 to 20 adversaries in fast succession. Originally scripted to end with a single headbutt throwing an enemy to the ground, Hemsworth felt compelled to heighten the intensity.
“I was just dialing into this emotional state that [the character] was in, the frustration and the anger and everything,”
Hemsworth explained.
“I went to the stunt coordinator and said, ‘I want to add three headbutts to that last headbutt.’ He kind of laughed. I was like, ‘No, no. Seriously, I want to add a few more.’”
This multi-headbutt sequence made it into the final cut, and Hemsworth described the accomplishment as gratifying,
“It was such a rewarding thing to nail a sequence like that and also add to it,”
highlighting the creative freedom he found in shaping his action scenes.
Finding His Place as Geralt Amid Comparisons to Henry Cavill
Hemsworth revealed that embracing the role came with pressure, partly due to the shadow cast by Henry Cavill’s acclaimed performance. He admitted that these comparisons influenced his early approach to the character.
Image of: Henry Cavill
“Initially for this, I felt this pressure or this need that I had to put on a bunch of size and be really big,”
Hemsworth said, acknowledging that being one of the Hollywood Hemsworth brothers already made him naturally tall.
“I’m naturally a tall person anyway,”
he added,
“but I did feel this comparison thing popping around in your head.”
However, Hemsworth also faced physical challenges during this period. Recovering from knee and shoulder injuries, he noted the difficulties in balancing the demands of adding muscle with maintaining mobility.
“The quicker I put on size, the more dysfunctional my body was feeling,”
he recalled.
“I wasn’t moving as fast…and the weightlifting I was doing at the time was adding to the pressure on these joints.”
This required him to work closely with physical therapy while managing the intense physical preparation needed for the character.
Mastering Geralt’s Voice and Appearance
Beyond physicality, Hemsworth spent months refining the voice of Geralt with his dialect coach, Neil Swain, aiming for an authentic tone that felt natural rather than affected.
“The first thing I do is physicality, and then a big part of this character is the voice and where that sits,”
he explained.
“I spent a good few months with a dialect coach, good friend of mine, Neil Swain. We played with a lot of different things to find a place that didn’t feel too affected.”
Another significant concern for Hemsworth was Geralt’s distinctive look, specifically the signature long silver wig worn by Cavill.
“That was one of my biggest concerns, to be honest,”
he shared.
“It doesn’t matter how well I play this character, if the wig doesn’t look right and the physicality doesn’t look right, then it’s gonna be for nothing.”
The team experimented with various styles and fits to achieve the most authentic appearance, which Hemsworth said simply required time to perfect without causing significant issues.
Accepting Inevitable Comparisons While Forging His Own Path
Despite his efforts to define Geralt in his own image, Hemsworth recognizes that viewers will naturally compare his portrayal with Cavill’s.
“There’s definitely going to be similarities,”
he conceded, citing
“a certain way this character holds himself”
as an example. Nonetheless, he focused on his personal journey, stating,
“I didn’t want the comparison to be a part of anything that I was doing. Initially, I watched his seasons. I had to let go of that and focus on my journey and the story that I was telling.”
As filming wraps on the final season, Hemsworth’s approach to Geralt blends his physical limitations, vocal work, and creative action choices, positioning him as a distinct figure within the series’ evolving saga. With Season 4 soon arriving, audiences will witness how Hemsworth’s fresh interpretation of the White Wolf stands alongside the legacy left by Cavill, adding new dimensions to Andrzej Sapkowski’s cherished character.
