Diksha Sundriyal
Based on the series of novels by Andrzej Sapkowski, ‘The Witcher’ tells the story of a monster hunter who gets embroiled in the events that change the history of the Continent. Even though he doesn’t believe in it, it is destiny that drives his story, and he crosses paths with people who define his journey. Netflix’s adaptation brings the complicated story of Geralt of Rivia to the screen. Every episode introduces us to new monsters that the hero has to fight and the people that he becomes enemies with or earns the alliance of.
Being a fantasy series, the world of ‘The Witcher’ is vast and full of multitudes of characters, all of whom serve a specific purpose in the protagonist’s life. Even the minor ones become stepping-stones in Geralt’s character development and have the potential of changing the course of his journey. While this is a great tool for storytelling, it can also become problematic for the audience to keep track of them. Just so you don’t get lost in that spiral of confusion, we have listed down all the main characters in the series that you should be familiar with. Let’s begin with the three most important characters in the show.
The Witcher – Henry Cavill
Geralt of Rivia is the primary character of the series. He is a witcher by profession, who has been trained to kill monsters. He was born as a human, but at a very young age, found himself at Kaer Morhen, where he not only received the intense physical training in combat but also learned some basic spells to defend himself during a fight. On top of it, he went through a procedure that actually mutated him, which is why he doesn’t identify as human anymore. All the boys in training have to go through a procedure called the Trial of the Grasses, where they consume a concoction meant to change their body chemistry. The ones that survive it become witchers.
In the Netflix series, Henry Cavill brings the role of Geralt to life. The actor is best-known for playing Superman in ‘Man of Steel’ and the Justice League universe. He has also appeared in action movies like ‘Mission: Impossible– Fallout’ and spy film, ‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E’. Before that, he worked in television series like ‘The Tudors’.
Yennefer of Vengerberg – Anya Chalotra
The second most important character in ‘The Witcher’ is the sorceress, Yennefer of Vengerberg. Known for her beauty and boundless ambition, she has a fierce personality and a taste for revenge. Before this, she went through some very difficult times. Her childhood was a constant agony, where she was tormented and bullied, not just by the outsiders, but also her own family. She was born a hunchback, and her disfigurement is what made her vulnerable to physical and verbal attacks by others. However, when she unintentionally teleports herself, she comes under the radar of the sorceresses who take her to Thanedd Island to help her hone her talents.
On the screen, the character is played by Anya Chalotra. The British-Indian actress is known for her work in TV shows like Netflix’s ‘Wanderlust’, BBC’s ‘The ABC Murders’ and YouTube Premium’s ‘Sherwood’.
Princess Cirilla of Cintra – Freya Allan
Princess Cirilla comes from the kingdom of Cintra and was brought up by her grandmother, Queen Calanthe. Her mother is Princess Pavetta who married a man named, Duny, to whom she had been promised by her father, due to the Law of Surprise. The night that they received the blessing of Calanthe, Geralt had been present there. He fought the soldiers to prevent them from killing Duny, who asked him to demand something in return. Geralt invoked the Law of Surprise, and it is through it that his destiny got entangled with that of the yet unborn Princess Ciri. After the fall of Cintra at the hands of Nilfgaard, she goes out in the search of the Witcher.
The character of Ciri is played by Freya Allan. The young actress has worked in several TV series and short films. Her credits include ‘Into the Badlands’, BBC’s ‘The War of the Worlds’ and ‘The Third Day’.
Supporting Characters
While the story revolves around the main characters, it is the supporting ones that help bring all of it together. ‘The Witcher’, too, relies on such characters. Let’s have a look at the most prominent ones.
Every hero needs a sidekick, and for Geralt, that is Jaskier. He is a bard who comes across Geralt in a tavern, from where they move on to the adventure of hunting the devil who is terrorising the locals. A complete opposite of the Witcher’s personality, he latches on to Geralt and soon, becomes one of his most trusted friends. Joey Batey plays the role in the TV series. He has previously appeared in ‘Knightfall’, ‘C.B. Strike’ and ‘The White Queen’.
While Geralt has his fair share of lovers, Yennefer has some exes too. Her first love is a sorcerer, Istredd. She meets him while both of them are in training. Even after the break-up, their paths cross a number of times, and he becomes Geralt’s competitor in winning Yennefer’s affection. His role is played by Royce Pierreson, who has previously worked in TV shows and movies like ‘Line of Duty’, ‘Our Girl’ and ‘Judy’.
Adam Levy (‘Supergirl’) plays the role of Mousesack, a druid who served the king of Skellige. He had been present at the feast where Princess Pavetta unleashed her secret power. He stayed back in Cintra to help her control them and has been a loyal ally of the crown since then.
MyAnna Buring plays the role of Tissaia de Vries, the sorceress who seeks out Yennefer after sensing that she has magical abilities. She mentors her, often becoming biased in her favour because she relates to her and sees potential in her. The actress is known for her work in films and TV shows like ‘Official Secrets’, ‘One Night’, ‘Ripper Street’ and ‘Downton Abbey’.
Other major sorceresses to appear in the series are Fringilla, who is assigned to Nilfgaard after Yennefer refuses to accept it in favour of Aedirn; and Triss Merigold, whom Geralt meets in Temeria while getting rid of the striga. Fringilla is played by Mimi Ndiweni, who is known for her roles in ‘Black Earth Rising’, ‘The Legend of Tarzan’ and ‘Doctor Who’. Anna Shaffer plays the role of Triss. She has appeared in ‘Hollyoaks’ as Ruby Button, and played the minor role of Romilda Vane in the latter parts of the ‘Harry Potter’ series.
Jodhi May plays the role of Queen Calanthe of Cintra. She is a fierce warrior and ruler who doesn’t shy away from battles and violence. May is known for her roles in ‘Gentleman Jack’, ‘Emma’, ‘The Turn of the Screw’ and ‘The Last of the Mohicans’. Calanthe marries King Eist of Skellige, who is played by Björn Hlynur Haraldsson, known for his work in ‘The Borgias’ and ‘The Cliff’.
Lars Mikkelsen plays the role of the sorcerer Stregobor, who hides in Blaviken trying to save himself from the wrath of Princess Renfri, played by Emma Appleton (‘Genius’, ‘The End of the F***ing World’). Stregobor is also shown as the mentor of Istredd, and asks him to spy on Yennefer for him. Wilson Radjou-Pujalte plays the role of Dara, an elven kid whom Ciri meets after fleeing the siege of Cintra. With her, she finds the Forest of Brokilon, where they meet Dryads.
Read More: Is The Witcher Inspired by Real Life?
