Liam Hemsworth stepped into the role of Geralt of Rivia with the enormous challenge of succeeding Henry Cavill, whose portrayal had become iconic. As The Witcher Season 4 approaches its October 30 release on Netflix, Hemsworth shared how he avoided the backlash often faced by replacements by disconnecting from social media and focusing on his craft.
How Hemsworth Managed the Pressure of Replacing Cavill
<pTaking over from Henry Cavill, who was widely hailed for his portrayal of the White Wolf, Hemsworth anticipated the intense scrutiny from devoted fantasy fans. To protect himself from online negativity, he chose to step away from the internet for much of the previous year. “There was quite a bit of noise and I had to put that aside. It started to become a distraction. I dealt with that sort of thing in the past a lot and, you know, at the end of the day, I love making movies and I love telling stories and acting. I just don't want any of that to affect my way of telling the story that I'm trying to tell. I jumped off social media and the internet most of last year,” Hemsworth told EW.
The Path to Landing the Role of Geralt
Netflix announced Henry Cavill’s departure after Season 3 in 2022, with showrunner Lauren Hissrich explaining that the decision had been under consideration for some time. Cavill wished to pursue other high-profile projects like Warhammer 40K and a Highlander reboot, which remains delayed, along with a potential but unrealized return as Superman.
Lauren Hissrich noted that Liam Hemsworth was a longtime fan of The Witcher video games and had been on the show’s radar for a significant period. Hemsworth himself described the casting news as unexpected:
“It came out of nowhere. I was as surprised as anyone.”
Instead of imitating Cavill’s portrayal, Hemsworth immersed himself in the original books and earlier seasons to develop his own interpretation. He focused on Geralt’s protective nature, drawing parallels to his own upbringing with a father involved in child protection services, and aimed to highlight the humor and humanity beneath the character’s gruff exterior.
Building Toward the Finale of The Witcher Series
The show’s fifth and final season is already in production, marking a significant progression toward the conclusion inspired by Andrzej Sapkowski’s Lady of the Lake. For now, viewers will see Hemsworth’s version of Geralt when Season 4 premieres with eight episodes on Netflix. The new season will test how audiences respond to this fresh take on a beloved character.
The Witcher Series and Principal Cast
Geralt of Rivia is a solitary monster hunter caught between dangerous beasts and even more treacherous humans in a brutal world. Alongside Hemsworth’s Geralt, Anya Chalotra returns as Yennefer of Vengerberg, a powerful sorceress whose story intertwines tightly with Geralt’s fate.
