There’s no ifs, ands or buts about it, Geralt of Rivia’s look is iconic and very distinct. So, as Liam Hemsworth took over The Witcher role for Season 4, I was curious what it felt like for him to put that costume on for the first time, and I wondered how the cast reacted to him in it as well. So, I asked Hemsworth and his co-star, Anya Chalotra, about it, and they made a comparison that is just as funny as it is logical.
Ahead of The Witcher’s Season 4 premiere on Netflix’s 2025 schedule, I had the chance to interview Hemsworth, Anya Chalotra, who plays Yennefer, and Ciri actress Freya Allan together. I asked them all about the fact that there was a new Geralt actor this season, and when I specifically posed a question to the Yennefer actress about seeing Hemsworth in costume for the first time, she said:
So, [Freya Allan and I] saw you together. We had one of our first scenes together, was it?
So, the three leads of The Witcher got to be together for this monumental moment, which was fun. It turns out it was funny too. That became clear as Liam Hemsworth cut in to explain that he kind of felt like a kid on the first day of school when he rolled up wearing that white wig and Geralt’s signature black look. He said:
I kind of felt like a school kid dressing up for the first time in front of their parents, you kind of don't know what to do, and they're like, ‘Wow!’ [And I’m like] ‘Yeah, cool. You like it?’
I have to say, he pulls the fit (and the wig) off nicely, and overall, his castmates were easily able to work with him as Geralt after Henry Cavill left. However, The Hunger Games actor wasn’t the only one feeling like he was the new kid on the block. Chalotra, who has been playing Yen for four seasons, also felt that energy, too, as she explained:
I kind of felt like that too, and I’ve been in the costume for so long. It was just, it was different and kind of amazing. There was, I think we were, we had a lot of laughs that day, which, yeah, which helped. It was just, yeah, real.
She went on to say that while the whole situation was quite “surreal,” it also felt “natural.” Now, you can watch Hemsworth’s take on Geralt with a Netflix subscription, and, at least to me, it seems like he really did fit right into this world naturally.
Overall, it makes sense why putting on the costume for the first time felt like a big first day of school. It was a big first, and there was a lot of noise surrounding Hemsworth’s casting and Cavill’s exit. Plus, no matter how you shake it, it’s hard to replace a lead character after they’ve been played by someone for so long. Then, add in the lore and fandom that comes with The Witcher, as well as the incredibly distinct look Geralt has, and you have a recipe for pressure.
However, I love that they handled it all with laughs and a fun interaction.
Now, we can all see Liam Hemsworth in Geralt’s get-up too, because Season 4 of The Witcher is out now on Netflix, and Season 5 is on the way.
