The Witcher’s Yennefer on Dealing With Expectations for the Character

The world of The Witcher is getting a little larger later this year when a new adaptation of the books by Andrzej Sapkowski comes out in the form of an original Netflix series. Specifically, Netflix’s The Witcher notably adapts largely from the books, rather than the video games from CD Projekt Red, and both have passionate followings, so folks like Anya Chalotra, who plays Yennefer in the upcoming series, have a lot to live up to. And that can be daunting.

During a roundtable interview attended by ComicBook.com at San Diego Comic-Con 2019 last week, Chalotra was asked whether it was odd to portray a character that so many folks already have such a strong impression of or connection to.

“Yeah. I think I kind of distance myself from that though,” Chalotra said. “I think I definitely had faith [in] those who cast me […] and in myself that I was right for this part because that was — whatever I gave to the character was something that they were looking for and wanted to give Yennefer. So I never worried about that, I don’t think. But I definitely always, I always looked back at the source material, was making sure that I was staying true to the books, because that’s something that I really care about.”

Chalotra also spoke about what it felt like to attend her first San Diego Comic-Con with all that fan expectation over her head.

“I was so nervous,” she admitted. “So it’s yeah, the only word I have is insane. It’s epic, isn’t it? […] But it’s amazing to meet the fans.”

What do you think of what you’ve seen and heard of Netflix’s The Witcher so far? Are you excited to check out what Cavill, Chalotra, and crew add to the mythos? Let us know in the comments, or hit me up directly on Twitter @rollinbishop to talk all things gaming!

Here’s how Netflix describes the upcoming series on its press site:

“Based on the best-selling fantasy series, The Witcher is an epic tale of fate and family. Geralt of Rivia, a solitary monster hunter, struggles to find his place in a world where people often prove more wicked than beasts. But when destiny hurtles him toward a powerful sorceress, and a young princess with a dangerous secret, the three must learn to navigate the increasingly volatile Continent together.”

Netflix’s The Witcher is scheduled to release its eight-episode first season on the streaming service at some point this year. It stars Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia, Anya Chalotra as Yennefer, and Freya Allan as Ciri. You can check out all of our previous coverage of the upcoming adaptation right here.