Henry Cavill may be most known for playing Superman in the DCEU, but these days he’s also just as popular for tackling The Witcher on Netflix. While Geralt is already a very popular character even after only one season on the subscription streamer, Cavill does know that not all of the commentary related to The Witcher has been positive. As it turns out, Cavill does actually keep tabs on what people are saying and does have some thoughts about the criticisms.
In fact, Henry Cavill feels he “thrives” by reading all of the different takes on Geralt of Rivia. He takes to all the corners of the Internet and sometimes even uses those critiques to his advantage. Ahead of Season 2 of the hit Netflix show, he’s learning new things – much of it from the fans who are familiar with the other Witcher properties. Or as he detailed to Vanity Fair:
I am very happy that people liked the character so much. I know that there are mixed opinions out there as well, which I really thrive upon reading as well. For me, it’s vital to go about and read—I’m on all the Reddit forums. I’m reading all the reviews. I’m literally trying to get everyone’s information. Some of it is not useful, and other criticisms are incredibly useful. I take it all in, and I look forward to bringing it even closer and closer to Sapkowski’s writing.
So, if you are someone who has been voicing opinions about the hit series on social media, there’s actually a chance the actor has seen those thoughts. Hope you weren’t too much of a jerk about any complaints! We know, in fact, that one of the criticisms that Henry Cavill has faced is being told he’s actually too good-looking to play The Witcher character, who is noted for his “hideous smile” and more in the books and games. Yet Cavill has said he works to do those aspects of his famous character justice and a lot of people seem to agree.
That’s the thing about these opinions. There have been some criticisms of The Witcher, but that nearly always happens anytime a series is exceedingly popular. Just look at the final season of Game of Thrones (a series that is oft-compared to The Witcher) as an example. At the end of the day, Henry Cavill has also had plenty of practice with processing criticisms, noting a lot of times they really can help.
I think any of those criticisms, they often lie in things like I was saying—we don’t have the advantage of a long-involved conversation or dialogue with Geralt, so they are criticisms which I think I was prepared for. So for me, it’s about seeing that, understanding it, and working out how I can do my job better within the framework provided, [how to] appease and make those people feel comfortable that I do actually understand this character—and love this character just as much as they do.
When The Witcher first hit Netflix, it dealt with plenty of negative and middling reviews. The Witcher showrunner Lauren S. Hissrich even responded initially to talk about her experience with the feedback and what she was taking from it. Now, months later, the critical consensus on Rotten Tomatoes actually fares on the positive side at 67%. Meanwhile, even if there are some critiques of the fantasy drama rolling around, it seems Henry Cavill at least is taking them in stride.
Which is cool, because we will be seeing a lot more of Geralt of Rivia. The Witcher was already renewed by Netflix for Season 2, though like several shows, filming was delayed on the series due to recent global events. As things start moving forward, I can’t wait to hear more about what Henry Cavill will be bringing to the role in Season 2.
