The Witcher was one of Netflix’s biggest hits when it was released. After all, the monsters, magic, and fantasy combined with heartfelt storytelling gripped viewers all over the globe. All of this was made possible thanks to the cast of The Witcher. So today we will tell you 5 facts about this cast that you might not have known. 

What Do We Not Know About The Witcher Cast? 

1. MyAnna Buring Played Tissaia And Anna Henrietta

If there was one supporting cast member who stood head and shoulders above the rest with her performance then it has to be MyAnna Buring‘s Tissaia de Vries. Tissaia is an experienced and powerful sorceress who teaches Anya Chalotra’s Yennefer to harness her power within. It’s clear that Tissaia acts as a mother figure while being Yennefer’s mentor as well. 

However, this wasn’t the first time that MyAnna Buring had played a character, especially in this franchise. Not many know that she voiced Anna Henrietta, Duchess of Toussaint in The Witcher III: Wild Hunt. But don’t think that Buring is the only actor in the supporting cast who had lent her voice before to a Witcher character before. 

In fact, Lu Cornfield, who portrays Marites in the show had previously voiced Iris von Everec. Of course, it was in the expansion pack Hearts of Stone. 

2. Joey Batey Can Actually Sing As well As Play His Lute

If you have read the books then you will know that Jaskier is actually portrayed as a womanizing poet and troubadour who follows the main protagonist on his adventures. Jaskier’s main job is to be a foil to the introverted and reserved Geralt. In the show, their relationship has produced funny scenes that have helped lighten up the serious atmosphere a lot. 

Here’s what the showrunner had to say about Jaskier in the show: 

“It was about the best way to include Jaskier in the stories, and that, in my opinion, is being a foil to Geralt. Their scenes together are amazing. 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. He’s like a five-year-old, and digs in and sort of just basically pokes at him. So it’s a lot of fun.” 

A lot of that credit goes to Joey Batey (Jaskier). After all, he is the one who has to be upbeat and funny all the time. But it’s clear that his portrayal was perfect since fans loved it immediately. So if you loved his portrayal of Jaskier, then you will be glad to know that Joey can actually sing. He is actually a singer in The Amazing Devil, a British indie-folk band. 

However, another thing you might not know about him is that he knows how to actually play the lute. Think this makes him perfect for the role? Wait till you hear that he also does stand-up comedy. 

3. Mahesh Jadu (Vilgefortz) Actually Is An Acting Coach- For Villains! 

Vilgefortz’s casting in the very first season of the show surprised many. After all, the mercenary-turned-mage was seen first in Sapkowski’s third book. He is the “Hero of Sodden,” and actually led the mages of the North to victory in the battle. But, his role also changed from that of a hero later on as he actually ended up opposing some of the titular characters. 

As such, Mahesh Jadu’s casting is surely an important one. It actually highlights that he might be playing a villainous role later on. It also makes sense since the Australian actor actually teaches a program called “Villain Course” at the Marbella Film School. 

The course synopsis reads: 

“With Mahesh Jadu on your side, you will be learning first-hand villainous traits and the characteristics of what makes a conflicted character.” So we are certainly excited to see this turn later on in the show, and who better to play the role than the actor who teaches a villain master class. 

4. Stunts? Of course, Anya Chalotra And Henry Cavill Did It All Themselves

We all know that Henry Cavill did all the stunts in season one by himself. He really didn’t use any stunt doubles for those. His level of dedication is indeed shocking since there are seemingly numerous fight scenes in season one. To prepare for the stunts, Cavill trained non-stop with his team and was even praised by the showrunner for his efforts. 

When Cavill was asked why he decided to do it all by himself then he explained that it was important to him that people knew it was Geralt and him on screen doing all that. He further said that it was important to him to embody all the aspects of Geralt. 

However, Cavill wasn’t the only one who did all of his own action scenes, Anya Chalotra (Yennefer) also did a lot of her stunts. In an interview, she said that she did a lot of her stunts as well. By a lot, we mean that there was really one that she didn’t do and that too not because it was difficult or something, but because she simply didn’t have the time to do it. 

5. Freya Allan Was Almost Cast In Another Role In The Show

Freya Allan is a fresh face in the industry and The Witcher can proudly say that she started her journey with them. She of course portrays Princess Ciri, Lioncub of Cintra in the show. 

In the books, Ciri is one of the main characters since the narrative revolves around her faith and destiny. However, Freya Allan almost lost out on the role of Ciri since she was casted as Marika, the Blaviken alderman’s daughter first. 

However, the showrunner reconsidered and cast Freya as Ciri. In an interview, Lauren Hissrich (the showrunner) said about this casting: 

“Freya, actually, we had cast her as another character in the first episode, and she was signed, sealed and done for that. I couldn’t find a Ciri that I loved. Sophie Holland, our casting director, actually called me and said, ‘I’d love [for] you to think about Freya Allan for this.’ So I flew over to London, and we cast Freya that day.”

It was obviously a great day for Freya when she got casted as one of the leads. In fact, she found out that she was playing Ciri the day before her birthday! 

Haven’t seen The Witcher till now? Then check the first season out before the second one drops. 

Check Out: The Witcher Season 2 Set Photos Reveals The Wild Hunt