Taking over a role previously portrayed by someone else can be a daunting task for an actor. There’s a very fine line to walk, as it’s important for the new actor to put their own stamp on the part while also staying true to the established nature of the character. It’s difficult enough when it’s a franchise reboot giving the property a fresh start, but the job becomes even harder when the film or series is set within the same continuity. Liam Hemsworth is under a lot of pressure as he replaces Henry Cavill as Geralt as The Witcher, and yet, taking over for a fan favorite is not what scared Hemsworth the most about his latest gig.
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In an interview with ComicBook to promote The Witcher Season 4 (now streaming at Netflix), Hemsworth revealed he was nervous about how he’d look with Geralt’s signature long white hairstyle. “It was probably the thing I was most fearful about,” he said. “I had these conversations with the head of hair and makeup about the wig, and even my team as well, before I even officially came on, was like, ‘Can we try out the wig first?’ We did a few runs at it and tried different things, and I think we wound up in an okay place.”
Liam Hemsworth Has Made the Role of Geralt His Own
In the build up to The Witcher Season 4, there was obviously a lot of interest in seeing Hemsworth’s performance as Geralt. Over the course of three seasons, Cavill proved to be a strong fit for the role, imbuing the character with naturally gruff charisma. Fortunately, Hemsworth has proven to be a worthy successor. While reviews for The Witcher Season 4 are more mixed than the previous outings (setting a new low for the series on Rotten Tomatoes), the consensus is that Hemsworth has by and large done a good job coming into an unenviable situation. He pulls off Geralt’s distinct look and doesn’t seem out of place in the fantasy world. Some fans may never fully accept the recast, but Hemsworth has proven he’s a natural fit for the material.
It’s encouraging that Hemsworth’s tenure as Geralt has gotten off to a positive start since it’s already been confirmed The Witcher will return for a fifth and final season. It’s unlikely Hemsworth will ever make viewers completely forget about Cavill’s iteration (despite Netflix doing its best to wipe Cavill from the show’s history), but by the time The Witcher Season 5 rolls around, he should be even more comfortable in the role thanks the the experience he’s gained. That could go a long way in ensuring the series wraps up on a high note, enthralling viewers with a compelling lead performance.
It’s amusing that the wig — not taking over for Cavill — is what scared Hemsworth the most. When he signed on for the show, he of course understood the circumstances, but that doesn’t appear to have bothered him too much. But Hemsworth’s response shows he had the right mentality as he stepped into the role. Rather than worry about fan reactions and the pressure of replacing a fan-favorite actor, Hemsworth kept his focus on things that were more in his control. He wanted to make sure he looked good as Geralt because that’s half the battle. He was always confident in his ability to play the character, but the aesthetics needed to be right in order to get viewers onboard with the change.
It probably helped Hemsworth’s mindset going in that this isn’t the first time a major role has been recast. Multiple actors have played characters like James Bond, Batman, Superman, and Spider-Man. Looking outside reboots, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has had to recast parts at various points (see: Don Cheadle and Mark Ruffalo), so the Hemsworth/Witcher situation wasn’t anything unprecedented. There are instances of recasts turning out well, and hopefully Hemsworth’s Geralt can be the latest addition to that list.
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