The Witcher star Eamon Farren recently opened up about his failed audition for the Geralt of Rivia role.
Farren recalled trying out for the part that ultimately went to The Witcher's leading man Henry Cavill during a panel appearance at MCM London Comic Con. "I auditioned for Geralt's role to start with," he said. "And I didn't get that, which was shocking to me." Undeterred, Farren then auditioned for the part of Nilfgaardian commander Cahir Mawr Dyffryn aep Ceallach -- and to his surprise, he landed the gig. "I made my way to this other character that was like a mercenary sort of fighter/killer guy. I sent [the audition] off and didn't expect anything, and then I got the job and then we ended up in Budapest... It's been a wild ride," the Aussie actor said.
While Farren was no doubt disappointed to miss out on the Geralt role, The Witcher's creative team arguably made the right call when they cast Cavill. The British actor's portrayal of Geralt has garnered positive reviews since The Witcher debuted on Netflix in 2019, with many critics citing it as the best thing about the show. However, The Witcher Season 3 will mark Cavill's final appearance as Geralt, with Liam Hemsworth set to suit up as the taciturn protagonist in Season 4. Executive producers Steve Gaub and Tomek Baginski touched on Cavill's exit in a recent interview, promising fans that there's "a very, very good plan" for the transition to Hemsworth.
The Witcher Cast and Crew Discuss Cavill's Departure
The Witcher cast member Mecia Simson echoed Gaub and Baginski's sentiments, insisting that the fantasy series' quality won't dip following the original Geralt's departure. "I think what comes next... there's going to be more exciting things that are going to happen. I think the show is still going to be great," she said. At the same time, Simson, who plays Francesca Findabair, admitted she was "sad" to see Cavill go and said she and her co-stars were grateful to have acted opposite him during his stint on The Witcher.
Showrunner Lauren S. Hissrich recently weighed in on Cavill's exit as well, revealing that she and the show's other executive producers turned down the opportunity to wrap up The Witcher after Cavill left. "We had the choice to have Geralt exit and to end the show," Hissrich explained. "[But] that's not something that we were willing to do. There's just too many stories left to tell."
The Witcher Seasons 1 and 2 are currently streaming on Netflix. Season 3's two volumes are set to premiere on the platform on June 29 and July 27, 2023, respectively.
Source: MCM London Comic Con, via Popverse