The pilot of The Witcher offered the wider Netflix viewing audience its first look at Henry Cavill's Geralt of Rivia. While fans would have to wait until the second episode to get a look at the female lead, Yennefer, there was a lot going on in that first episode alone.
The world of Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri had to be presented in an hour and it had to draw viewers in and make them want to see more. It did just that, roping in some 76 million viewers. But, with so much going on, and so much new information to take in, here are a few things fans might have missed.
Geralt's Lack of Dialogue
Geralt is all over episode one, fighting both the kikimore and Renfri, two very different monsters. Yet, the Witcher is soft-spoken, and certainly a man of very few words. It may not have been apparent how little Geralt talks, in part because he was written very differently. Show Runner Lauren Schmidt originally wrote quite a few lines for Geralt, it was Henry Cavill himself, and his silent and stoic performance that made those lines unnecessary.
Cavill's Voice Isn't That Deep
Geralt has a very deep voice when he does decide to speak, or grumble, or swear. That voice, however, is completely in character, as actor Henry Cavill's voice is not quite so low in real life. However, those on set might not been aware, since Cavill maintained Geralt's voice throughout, only going back to his natural octave when filming officially ended for the day.
Game of Thrones
Despite the fact that Game of Thrones actors were discouraged from auditioning for the show a familiar face did make it into the pilot. Rebecca Benson, who originally played Tall Tarly, sister to Dickon and Samwell Tarly on Game of Thrones, made an appearance as Marilka in the pilot of The Witcher. However, the part was later recast and Mia McKenna-Bruce took over as Marilka instead.
Book Time Line
Fighting Renfri and the kikemore may be the first story in The Witcher show on Netflix, however it was based on a later story entitled "The Lesser Evil" that takes place in the first book in The Witcher series, The Last Wish. The kikimore is taken care of in the first book, but not the first chapter.
In fact, it is the striga of a later episode that is tackled in the first story in the book The Last Wish.
Geralt Was Dehydrated
Fighting Renfri and her men it looks as if Geralt is in incredible shape and, for the most part, Henry Cavill was. However, to look particularly ripped Cavill's diet was relatively extreme and included dehydrating himself for multiple days before filming certain scenes. That makes the look a bit less healthy than Geralt might appear when he spins on to screen with his sword and his icy stare.
Henry Cavill Was Not First
Watching the pilot episode of The Witcher makes it very difficult to imagine any actor besides Henry Cavill taking on the role of Geralt of Rivia. He makes the hair work, he has an icy stare, and he's certainly a man of very few words. However, Henry Cavill was far from a shoe-in or first choice for the project. In fact, over two hundred different actors auditioned to take on the role of the famed Witcher in the series.
Blind Geralt
Again, examining Henry Cavill's epic performance in The Witcher's pilot episode, it's hard to imagine that he was dehydrated or uncomfortable in any way. As Geralt, he was strong, sure, and entertaining. But playing the famed Witcher wasn't as comfortable as the episode makes it appear. The s Cavill wore to get Geralt's look just right almost blinded him. By wearing the s for more than the recommended three hours he almost damaged his eyes permanently.
Marilka Miscasting
Marilka of the pilot had more actresses attached to the role than any other character on the show. First Rebecca Benson, then the recasting to Mia McKenna-Bruce.
Originally, though, it was Ciri herself, Freya Allen, who was supposed to take on the part of Marilka in the first episode. Obviously Freya was promoted to play princess Ciri herself, but she has a much more complicated history than simply being cast as the Princess of Cintra.
Own Stunts
Part of Henry Cavill's impressive performance is the fact that he plays so much of Geralt. Though it may not be obvious, Cavill (along with co-star Anya Chalotra, who plays Yennefer) insisted on doing all his own stunts. Not only did Cavill have to wear special s and go on a special diet, he also had to perfect all his fighting because he insisted on doing everything he could without relying on a stunt double.
The Original Geralt
The Witcher is not the first time Geralt has appeared on screen in a live-action adaptation. The Hexer was a Polish television movie based on the novels of Andrzej Sapkowski, came out in 2001. If anyone sees the pilot of Netflix's The Witcher in polish, Geralt from The Hexer, actor Michal Zebrowski, does the Polish voice over for Cavill's Geralt in the Netflix show.