The Witcher's original Geralt actor Doug Cockle has weighed in on Liam Hemsworth's performance as the White Wolf in Netflix's adaptation. The actor, who voiced the character in CD Projekt Red's video games, shared that he was a big fan of Henry Cavill's replacement.
"It's tough to do what [Hemsworth] did. Really, really tough, especially with a character in a show that so many people adore," Cockle told Polygon. "To be the actor replacing someone else who originated a character in the same series is so difficult."
The actor added that he thinks Cavill "did a fabulous job" but he was also a big fan of Hemsworth's take on the monster slayer. "I find that Henry's performance has a little bit more weight to it and Liam's is a little bit more energized and actually kind of youthful, but in a fun way."
Hemsworth took over the role in The Witcher season 4, following on from Cavill's exit. While the former Superman star has never revealed his exact reasons for departing, his exit did cause disruption among the cast with Ciri actor Freya Allan admitting she almost left as well.
Luckily, she stayed the course as reviews for Hemsworth's take on Geralt have been very positive. The actor will be returning to the role for the final season on Netflix too.
With Cockle, Hemsworth and Cavill all playing the role at different times, the game actor also compared the part to Hamlet, adding that everyone brings something unique to it.
"What I always say about these kinds of things is that every actor has to make a role their own," Cockle added to Polygon. "There have been thousands of people who've played Hamlet, and each Hamlet is different. Every individual brings their own quirks, emotional life, experiences, and ideas to the table and interprets the character through all of that."
The Witcher season 5 will be released at some point in 2026. In the meantime, check out our guides to new TV shows on the way.
