Henry Cavill reportedly refused to do all shirtless scenes in ‘The Witcher’
Henry Cavill is said to have refused to do any shirtless scenes in The Witcher.
The claim has emerged after a transcript from the Deuxmoi podcast, which aired last year, resurfaced. The podcast made a number of claims, supposedly from insiders on the show. Amongst the accusations were that Cavill “decided” he wasn’t happy with any shirtless scenes in the steamy fantasy show – see the PopFiction tweet below for the transcript.
The podcast transcript reads: “He decided that he didn’t want any romantic scenes at all. No kissing, no shirtless scenes, etc. He wanted complete control of storylines, but had no idea of the limitations of TV, structure, budget etc.”
A number of other claims are made during the segment on Cavill and his behaviour on the set of the Netflix show. Amongst them are that Cavill was at loggerheards with The Witcher‘s female showrunner. However, it’s worth noting that Lauren Schmidt Hissrich isn’t named in this podcast.
“He would try to overrule her and try to get changes made last minute across the board without her knowledge,” the podcast transcript reads.
Other claims revolve around Cavill’s behaviour being “completely fucked” on set. Alleging the Mission Impossible star had a difficult and seemingly toxic attitude at times on set.
A transcript of the Deuxmoi podcast reveals that Henry Cavill allegedly became “impossible” to work with for ‘The Witcher’:
“He would try to overrule her (female showrunner) […] Female writers and directors were suddenly completely ignored on set, unable to do their jobs.” pic.twitter.com/NgpQmKBhZS
— Pop Faction (@PopFactions) December 17, 2022
“Every department head was complaining,” it’s claimed. “He started making comments. It wasn’t a sexual thing: he wasn’t grabbing anyone, or being lewd, but it was disrespectful and toxic all the same.”
Cavill has not spoken widely about his exit from The Witcher, which was announced in October by the actor himself. Sharing the news in an Instagram post, Cavill wrote: “My journey as Geralt of Rivia has been filled with both monsters and adventures, and alas, I will be laying down my medallion and my swords for season four.
“In my stead, the fantastic Mr Liam Hemsworth will be taking up the mantle of the White Wolf. As with the greatest of literary characters, I pass the torch with reverence for the time spent embodying Geralt and enthusiasm to see Liam’s take on this most fascinating and nuanced of men.”
“I do have a lot to say,” Hissrich said to NME in an interview in December to promote new prequel series The Witcher: Blood Origin, “and I think that there’s a lot of, you know… we’ll obviously never get into exactly why Henry left, all of the reasons, but I can say it’s been a mutually respectful relationship… So please, please, please come back in six months when we can talk.”
The Witcher season three will see Henry Cavill take a bow as Geralt, and is due to air in the summer of this year. Season four will move on with Liam Hemsworth in the lead role. Talking about his casting in the role, Hemsworth said:
“As a Witcher fan I’m over the moon about the opportunity to play Geralt of Rivia. Henry Cavill has been an incredible Geralt, and I’m honoured that he’s handing me the reins and allowing me to take up the White Wolf’s blades for the next chapter of his adventure.
“Henry, I’ve been a fan of yours for years and was inspired by what you brought to this beloved character. I may have some big boots to fill, but I’m truly excited to be stepping into The Witcher world.”
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JJ Nattrass
NME
