The second season of The Witcher has officially started production in the UK, and Netflix has confirmed several new and returning members of the cast, including Game of Thrones fan-favorite Kristofer Hivju. Rumors and reports surfaced online over the past couple of weeks that Hivju had been cast in The Witcher ahead of its second season, but the role had yet to be confirmed.
Know your Favorite Character
Hivju will play Nivellen, according to a cast sheet, which described the character as a “charismatic, witty, and funny man” from an aristocratic family. In the Andrzej Sapkowski novels upon which The Witcher is based, Nivellen is a cursed man with an array of beastly powers that he often struggles to control. Much like in the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, he lives a secluded life in a plush manor house, isolated from his local community. The character was initially codenamed “Nigel” to throw fans off the scent, but director Stephen Surjik announced the casting in a now-deleted Instagram post.
The CAST Newcomers and Old-Favorites!!
As rumoured, Hivju will be playing the character of Nivellen, one of the more popular characters The Witcher books. Hivju is joined by fellow newcomers Yasen Atour (Young Wallender) as Coen, Agnes Bjourn as Vereena, Paul Bullion (Peaky Blinders) as Lambert, Thue Ersted Rasmussen (Fast & Furious 9) as Eskel, Aisha Febienne Ross (The Danish Girl) as Lydia, and Mecia Simson as Francesca. Of course, there are also a few significant stars returning to The Witcher for Season 2. Henry Cavill will once again lead the charge as Geralt of Rivia, Anya Chalotra returns as Yennefer, Freya Allan reprises her role as Ciri, and Joey Batey will serenade audiences with more songs as the beloved bard Jaskier.
The Talented Pool of Directors
Four different directors will split duties on the second instalment. Stephen Surjik (Umbrella Academy) will direct episodes 201 and 202, Sarah O’Gorman (Cursed) will direct 203 and 204, Ed Bazalgette (The Last Kingdom) will direct 205 and 208, and Geeta Patel (Meet the Patels) will lead 206 and 207.
Sources: comicbook