This article contains spoilers for The Witcher: Blood Origin.
The Witcher: Blood Origin is set 1,200 years before the main series, featuring a range of new characters who have been forgotten in the mists of time. Netflix is attempting to turn the world of The Witcher into a massive transmedia franchise, and the prequel series The Witcher: Blood Origin is a key part of their plans. The main series is inspired by the books of Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, but this limited series tells a story he never told: the true origin of the Witchers, and the Conjunction of the Spheres that first brought monsters (and humans) to the Continent.
It also finally reveals the truth about the mysterious prophecy that has shaped Ciri's life. That means this is essential viewing for anyone who really wants to understand what's going on in The Witcher, not least because some of the secondary characters in The Witcher: Blood Origin are cast adrift in time and space, and they will return to threaten Ciri herself. Here's everything you need to know about the cast and characters of Netflix's new prequel show.
9 Sophia Brown Stars As Éile, Otherwise Known As The Lark
British actress Sophia Brown is essentially the star of the show, playing Éile - the leader of a band of adventurers who resolve to end the elven Golden Empire. A British actress best known for her roles in Disobedience, Beauty & the Beast, and Genius, Brown's skill with dance means she has a remarkable fluidity of movement when her warlike character is in a combat situation. Viewers may be used to a Continent where the elves are hated and feared, a persecuted minority in danger of extinction, but they are the rulers of the Continent 1,200 years ago. Éile and her Raven Clan kindred were trained to protect the elven kingdom of Pryshia, but she abandoned her duties in objection to the crimes she was tasked with performing on the monarchy's behalf. She's become a champion of the lowborn and oppressed, best known for songs that inspire hope.
8 Laurence O’Fuarain Is Fjal, A Dog Clan Warrior
Irish actor Laurence O’Fuarain is no stranger to action drama, having appeared in Game of Thrones, The Vikings, and Into the Badlands. He plays Fjal, a Dog Clan warrior who was assigned to personally protect the Xintr'ean princess Merwyn - and who failed in his duty when he slept with her. Fall ultimately becomes the first Witcher, the origin of their bloodline. The dynamic between Fjal and Éile is a complicated one, because Dog Clan and Raven Clan are traditionally rivals, but the two nonetheless find love.
7 Michelle Yeoh Is Scían, Last Survivor Of Ghost Tribe
Michelle Yeoh is one of the most high-profile of the cast in The Witcher: Blood Origin, known for roles in Star Trek: Discovery, Everything Everywhere All At Once, and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. She plays Scían, one of the last survivors of Ghost Tribe, a skilled swordswoman who trained Éile in the ways of the blade. She was shamed when Éile left Raven Clan, but resolves to regain her honor by destroying the Golden Empire. Scían is particularly devoted to the recovery of Ghost Tribe's ancstral blade, Soulreaver.
6 Huw Novelli and Lizzie Annis Are Brother Death And Zacaré
British actor Huw Novelli (The Snow Spider, The Capture) and West End actress Lizzie Annis (Crush Hour: A Musical) play the lovers Brother Death and Zacaré. Magic is central to The Witcher's lore, meaning the sorceress Zacaré plays an important role in helping create the first Witcher. Brother Death is the more ionate character, driven by a desire for vengeance against the Golden Empire because they wiped out a village that had taken him in.
5 Zach Wyatt Is Syndril, An Important Elven Mage
Zach Wyatt (Timestalker, Blithe Spirit) plays the part of Syndril, one of the most important elven mages in The Witcher: Blood Origin. Syndril's studies of the Monoliths unlocked the secret of traveling through space, although he failed to realize his calculations could also be adapted to allow for time travel as well. Appalled at the way his magic has been abused by Balor, he resolves to put matters right - but unwittingly triggers the Conjunction of the Spheres when Chaos and Order magic combine.
4 sca Mills Is Meldof, The Dwarven Warrior
The dwarves have already been brought to the brink of extension by elves in The Witcher: Blood Origin, but one of their number still s the Seven; Meldof, a vengeful warrior whose lover was killed by elves and who has sworn revenge. She's played by sca Mills, another British actress best known for her roles in Harlots and Worzel Gummidge. She was nominated for the 2016 Ian Charleson Award for her performance in The Government Inspector.
3 Mirren Mack Is Merwyn, The Ambitious Xintr'ean Princess
Scottish actress Mirren Mack is no stranger to Netflix dramas, playing the character of Florence in Sex Education. She proved her skill starring in the BBC drama The Next, and now plays a major antagonist in The Witcher: Blood Origin - with Merwyn's Golden Empire foreshadowing the Nilfgaardian Empire of The Witcher. Ruthless and cunning, Merwyn is motivated by her knowledge of history, believing the past is the prelude to the present and that history moves in cycles. She's constantly underestimated - a fact she uses to her advantage.
2 Lenny Henry Is Balor, The Sorcerer Who Covets Chaos Magic
Lenny Henry's career began as a successful stand-up comedian, but over the last decade he's transitioned into film and TV. Henry has already showed his skill in major science-fiction and fantasy franchises, appearing in Doctor Who season 12 and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. He plays another major role in The Witcher: Blood Origin, as the ruthless lowborn sorcerer Balor who is determined to master Chaos Magic. Balor is the one who has learned to use the Monoliths to travel between the worlds - and his experiments go terribly wrong.
1 The Witcher: Blood Origin ing Cast & Characters
The Witcher: Blood Origin also features a number of key ing characters, including:
- Joey Batey reprising the role of Jaskier, a key character in The Witcher lore. The closest thing Geralt has to a best friend, Jaskier is approached by a mysterious storyteller who wishes to tell him the tale of the Seven. Batey is also known for The White Queen, The War of the Worlds, and C.B. Strike.
- Celebrated actress and singer Minnie Driver plays Seanchaí, the mysterious storyteller who shares the narrative. 2022 has also seen Driver appear in Rosaline, Chevalier, and Starstruck.
- Australian actor Jacob Collins-Levy (The White Princess, Young Wallander, The Liberator) makes his debut as Eredin, an elven military commander who will become part of the Wild Hunt.
- Samuel Blenkin (Peaky Blinders, Atlanta, Dracula) appears as the elven mage Avallac’h, who becomes a key ally of Merwyn. Again, this is a character who will return courtesy of the Conjunction of the Spheres seen in The Witcher: Blood Origin.
The Witcher: Blood Origin is streaming now on Netflix.