Netflix’s ‘The Witcher’ Showrunner Quits Twitter Following Ciri Backlash

Following the massive backlash concerning the recent casting ad for The Witcher Netflix series searching for a woman of color to play the role of Ciri, the showrunner made one final Twitter post to announce her temporary departure from the social media platform.

Lauren S. Hissrich took to Twitter to announce her hiatus while work continues on the upcoming series.

“It’s time for a Twitter hiatus. The love here is amazing, and the hate is enlightening, like a real-life Trial of the Grasses, except I HAVE to read less and write more — or we won’t have a damn finale. Be back soon with more insight and more Roach. Be nice to each other, okay?” she wrote.

Fans of hers were quick to show their support, even amidst growing concerns from others — and yes, even the trolls.

Others referenced a previous tweet made by the showrunner while bringing up cultural concerns regarding the books’ origins.

Still, the casting news for Ciri has not been confirmed and leaks aren’t always the most reliable. At this point in time, the only confirmed casting we have is that of Man of Steel’s Henry Cavill as the show’s protagonist: Geralt of Rivia.

Hissrich not the first in the entertainment business to have to take a break in reaction to trolls, but it seems to be a trend growing at a fast rate.

For those that may need a little catching up, the casting ad was looking for a non-white female to take on the role. With the original novel’s writer aboard the creative team, all casting choices have been run by him, as well. As far as the ad itself, here is what the team was looking for.

“CIRI can often be found rough-housing with the Palace hands instead of sitting in finery at the knee of the QUEEN CALANTHE, her grandmother. That is, until Cintra is massacred by the Nilfgaardians and CIRI is orphaned, left to traverse THE CONTINENT, alone. She doesn’t know it yet, but she’s a direct descendent of LARA DORREN, an Elven Mage – which is why everyone in our series is after her. We follow CIRI as she evades her captors, and in the meantime, discovers her magical talents, her dark side, and the role she is to play in the coming apocalypse. We are looking for an extraordinary young talent to lead this series. She should be brave hearted and MUST have something truly special about her,” the ad read.

What do you think about Hissrich’s temporary leave of absence? What are your thoughts on the show’s development so far, as little as we know? Sound off with your thoughts in the comment section below.