The Witcher: Playing Ciri Has Taught Freya Allan How To Do Just About 'Everything'
Lest fans think otherwise, "The Witcher" is not an easy show to make. One of Netflix's most ambitious and popular titles, the series is a live-action fantasy adventure drama, which means it has to pack more expensive action sequences, sets, locations, and visual effects into a single season than most other, closer-to-reality TV shows ever do. While some fantasy fans have been quick to express their displeasure with some of the differences between Netflix's "The Witcher" and the books that it's based on, too, everyone seems to have a genuine appreciation for how much work goes into the actual making of it.
With that in mind, it shouldn't come as much of a surprise to learn that the fantasy series has proven to be a bit of an acting and stunt boot camp for many of its stars, including Freya Allan. The actor, who plays Ciri on "The Witcher," has even gone so far as to claim that the show has taught her basically everything she'll ever need to know as a screen performer. She said as much while speaking with Netflix's Tudum about "The Witcher" Season 3, telling the outlet, "In terms of skill set, I've learned everything I could possibly learn on 'The Witcher.'"
"I've learned how to horse ride, do so many different types of stunts and sword fight. I even sing this season," Allan continued. "Ice skating was my least favorite [activity], but [I've done] everything."
Freya Allan has grown up with her Witcher character
For Freya Allan, working on "The Witcher" has been a real learning process. The actor's screen credits prior to being cast as Ciri were fairly limited, and four years after "The Witcher" Season 1 premiered on Netflix, the character remains the biggest role of her career to date. In case that wasn't enough, Allan says that her journey playing Ciri has strangely mirrored the character's own fictional arc.
Over the course of the first three seasons of "The Witcher," viewers have watched Ciri slowly but surely come to understand — with the help of Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill) — her place in the world better than she did when she was introduced. Allan, for her part, notes that she herself has similarly grown more comfortable and confident with her performance as Ciri throughout the past four years.
"I've reached a point where I feel proud to play her. Ciri's a really cool character," Allan recently told Tudum. "I just hope that people also appreciate that it's not just about the action. There's also a huge amount of work and energy that goes into the emotional side of her too."
Of course, Ciri has been guided along her journey by Cavill's Geralt, who has not only served as her sworn protector but also as her adoptive father figure. Taking that into account, it'd be easy to assume that Cavill likely ended up having just as much of an impact on Allan's experience making "The Witcher" as his character has had on Ciri's on-screen journey. Unfortunately, "The Witcher" Season 3 is also said to be Cavill's last on-screen run as Geralt.
Freya Allan 'didn't expect' Henry Cavill's recasting on The Witcher
In October 2022, it was announced that "The Hunger Games" star Liam Hemsworth would be taking over the role of Geralt of Rivia for Henry Cavill in "The Witcher" Season 4. The announcement was predictably met with some passionate responses from fans, most of whom lamented the loss of Cavill, whose lead performance has long been regarded as one of the best aspects of the fantasy series. Unsurprisingly, the show's fans aren't the only ones who have had a hard time coming to terms with Cavill's departure.
In an interview with the Evening Standard, Freya Allan revealed that she was deeply saddened to learn that her longtime "Witcher" co-star was leaving the Netflix series. "We found out quite a few months after wrapping [Season 3]," Allan explained. "We found out the day before the world found out. It was a shock. Everyone was in shock at the same time." The Ciri actor added, "I cried when I found out; I just didn't expect it. I feel very connected to him through our characters. It was sad."
Based on how fans have responded to the news of Cavill's departure over the past few months, it seems safe to say that Allan's reaction isn't a unique one. That said, Cavill and Allan's chemistry as Geralt and Ciri has been an integral part of their show's success up to this point. Therefore, if "The Witcher" wants to keep fans invested, it'll have to make sure that Allan has as much on-screen chemistry with Hemsworth as she's had with Cavill, which is something that seems far easier said than done.