Henry Cavill Has Come in For Some Mighty Praise From Original ‘The Witcher’ Star, Who Has Advice for Liam Hemsworth

Veteran voice actor, and the OG voice of Geralt of Rivia in CD Projekt Red’s video games, Doug Cockle, is in agreement with the wider Witcher fan base that Henry Cavill was exceptional in Netflix’s ongoing adaptation. Cavill brought Geralt to life in The Witcher, based on the series of fantasy novels by Polish author, Andrzej Sapkowski. The English actor portrayed Geralt in the first three seasons of the show, before departing the series ahead of the upcoming fourth and fifth seasons (which will bring The Witcher to a close). Many fans rallied behind Cavill and his performance, with some even declaring they wouldn’t be watching the show without him. Cockle is equally praising of Cavill’s performance, although he’s also offered some sound advice for Liam Hemsworth, who will take over the role.

During an interview with GamesRadar+, Doug Cockle reflected on Henry Cavill’s tenure as Geralt in the Netflix series, and the similarities in their performances. “I think what Henry and I brought to the role was that slight dour[ness],” Cockle began. “I call him a reluctant hero.” The voice actor explained that Geralt’s reluctance to be involved with political scheming and other backstabbing on The Continent (where The Witcher takes place) is essential to the character; in the books, the video games, and the live-action series.

“It’s that quality I think is most important to bring to the character of Geralt, because that’s what he does,” Cockle continued. “He’s not a bad guy; he’s not necessarily a good guy. He always wants to remain neutral, but he keeps finding himself in these situations where he has to make a decision when faced with a moral dilemma.” Filming is underway on the final two seasons of The Witcher. Fans are waiting for a full trailer to see Liam Hemsworth’s new take on Geralt in action. So far, all we’ve seen are leaked set photos, and a very brief teaser of Hemsworth in costume.

Doug Cockle Offers Witcher Advice to Liam Hemsworth

Liam Hemsworth has some big boots to fill as Geralt of Rivia. Not only is the character beloved by fans of the books and the video games, but Henry Cavill’s own love of the franchise made fans adore his performance tenfold. While some will not be tuning in to see Hemsworth’s performance, Doug Cockle is optimistic about the future of The Witcher on television, and believes Liam Hemsworth can bring something great to Geralt.

“He’s great in all those action films that he’s done, isn’t he?” Cockle began, praising Liam Hemsworth’s past filmography. “He is wonderful. So I think he’ll bring all that to it. We’ll see what he brings to the table. He’s a good actor, so I’m really excited to see what he brings!”

Doug Cockle is about to mark 20 years of playing Geralt of Rivia. He first voiced the character in The Witcher, the first video game from CD Projekt Red, released in 2007. Cockle is now reprising the role in the upcoming animated movie, The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep, which is set in the canon of Netflix’s wider Witcher universe. Sirens of the Deep streams on Netflix on February 11.