Liam Hemsworth admits that taking over the role of Geralt of Rivia from Henry Cavill in season four of The Witcher was a little daunting.
British actor Henry Cavill, 42, portrayed the monster hunter from seasons one to three but announced in October 2022 that he would be stepping away from the hit fantasy series.
Hemsworth, 35, who has been a long-time fan of the show, said he was thrilled to join the cast but admitted to feeling nervous given the franchise's passionate fan base.
"I was a massive fan of this world and this character, and I was really excited to come on board," the Australian actor told the PA news agency.
"But then, leading up to the actual shoot, it was a little daunting.
"I think just realising how big it was, there’s a really passionate fan base behind it, which I appreciate and love.
"I think through having a good chunk of time to really prepare for it, and being welcomed so kindly into this group by these guys and the rest of the cast, I felt really good by the time I stepped on set."
The new season follows Geralt, Yennefer of Vengerberg (Anya Chalotra) and Princess Cirilla of Cintra (Freya Allan), who are faced with traversing the war-ravaged continent and its many demons while apart from one another.
Allen, 24, who plays Princess Cirilla, also known as Ciri, said she was excited that her character got to enjoy her own independence in this series.
"I feel like I’d always been playing Ciri while attached to Yennefer and Geralt, almost as if I were still the child in their care," said the Oxford-born actress.
"Obviously, there’s so much more to her than that, but it was really nice to explore who Ciri is without them, and to discover her as a young woman now."
Chalotra, 30, said she was excited for her character Yennefer to step into a leadership role this series.
"Yennefer is stepping into a leadership role, something that she’s always wanted for very different reasons and now very organically, because of her loyalties and connection to Ciri," said the Wolverhampton-born actress.
"She’s fighting for a better world and she knows enough now she can use her voice for good and share all the information she has to make this a safer space, to find Ciri and to defeat Vilgefortz."
Hemsworth added that fellow cast member Joey Batey, who plays Jaskier, was a great support to him while filming this series.
"Joey was my real guiding light through it all," said Hemsworth.
"I understood where Geralt was and what his emotional state was.
"But as for things that had been shot in the past, Joey was so good at filling in the gaps and bringing little clues or call backs to moments they’d filmed before.
"He’s amazing at tying things from the past into what’s happening now.
"Anytime I had any concerns or questions, I’d go to Joey. He’s such a great guy, so kind, such a brilliant actor. I really love that guy."
Hemsworth, is known for playing Gale in The Hunger Games film series and has also starred in The Last Song (2010), The Expendables 2 (2012) and Land Of Bad (2024).
The Witcher season four premieres on Netflix on Thursday, 30 October.
The streaming platform revealed in 2024 that series five will be the show’s final season.
