Liam Hemsworth is taking a moment to reflect on his rigorous training to embody the White Wolf. Months after the actor made his debut as Geralt of Rivia—a role previously brought to life by Henry Cavill—in the fourth season of *The Witcher*, he opened up about how he managed the storm of fan reactions to the abrupt recasting. “There was quite a bit of noise, and I had to set that aside,” the 35-year-old actor shared with *Entertainment Weekly* in an interview published on September 25. “It started to become a distraction. I’ve dealt with this kind of thing before, and at the end of the day, I love making movies, telling stories, and acting. I just didn’t want any of that external noise to interfere with how I approached the story I was trying to tell.”
Indeed, fans of the Netflix series were left reeling when Henry Cavill, 42, announced in 2022 that Liam would step into the boots of the white-haired witcher. At the time, rumors swirled that Henry was leaving the role to reprise his iconic part as Superman, but he later clarified that he wouldn’t be returning to the DC Universe. As Liam prepared to immerse himself in his new role for the upcoming season—slated for release on October 30—he found a fresh approach to focus on his monster-hunting training. “I stepped away from social media and mostly avoided the internet for most of last year,” the *Hunger Games* alum continued.
Regarding the offer to portray Geralt, Liam admitted he was “just as surprised as anyone” that showrunner Lauren Hissrich wanted him for the part. However, Lauren revealed that his name had “been circulating in *The Witcher* world for a very long time,” and she was eager to see how he would fill Henry’s considerable shoes. “Another truly remarkable thing about Liam is how seriously he takes this,” Lauren told *EW* in the same interview. “I think he understood he was stepping into a massive legacy. It was incredibly important to him to maintain certain elements of continuity—while also introducing unique touches so that his version of Geralt could stand on his own.”
Lauren isn’t the only one who approached Liam’s casting with an open mind. In fact, several actors from the franchise, including Michelle Yeoh—who portrays swordmaster Scían in *The Witcher: Blood Origin*—shared balanced perspectives on the recasting. “I think Henry did an extraordinary job,” she told *E! News* in December 2022. “Let’s see what Liam brings to the table, right? That’s just how it goes.”
