By It’s been over a year since The Witcher‘s second season began filming, and we have since learned of the addition of several new cast members that will join Henry Cavill, Anya Chalotra and Freya Allan (some confirmed by Netflix, others via our sources). Today, The Hollywood Reporter were able to confirm seven new castings with Netflix. If you follow our website, you will recognize more than a few of these names, but it’s great to have these confirmed officially.
UPDTATE: The Official Witcher Twitter account has released descriptions for each of the new characters. You can read them here or below.
Graham McTavish as Sigismund Dijkstra
Outlander alum Graham McTavish is the first and possibly the best-known actor on this list, and he will portray Redanian Spymaster Sigismund Dijkstra. Perhaps the closest advisor to King Vizimir of Redania, Dijkstra is one of the most important political figures on the Continent. Working in co-operation with powerful sorceress Philippa Eilhart (more on her soon), Dijkstra will have a major impact on the story going forward.
As head of the Redanian Intelligence secret service, double crossers and ne’er do wells all over the Continent know Sigismund Dijkstra’s name when whispered. His impressive style and physical strength are second to his knowledge of kings and mages and getting everything he wants.
If you’re interested to see McTavish’s audition for the role, you can watch it in the link below.
RELATED ARTICLE: The Witcher Season 2: The Hobbit actor auditions for Dijkstra
Adjoa Andoh as Mother Nenneke
One of two cast members familiar to fans of Silent Witness and Bridgerton, Adjoa Andoh will portray a character many fans are excited about: the wise, and wise-cracking, Mother Nenneke. As the Head Priestess in the Temple of Melitele, Nenneke will help Geralt and Ciri in the second season.
As a Priestess, Nenneke is a mother figure to many lost travelers who find themselves seeking refuge at the gates of Melitele Temple. She has nursed many, including Geralt, back to health with her elixirs, ointments, and level-headed advice.
RELATED ARTICLE: The Witcher Season 2 to introduce Nenneke and the Temple of Melitele
Cassie Clare as Philippa Eilhart
As we reported last week, Ransom and Brave New World allum Cassie Clare has joined the cast in the fandom’s most anticipated season two role: the sorceress Philippa Eilhart. As the advisor of King Vizimir and a powerful sorceress, Philippa will be at the center of some of the show’s most memorable twists and turns in the coming seasons.
Equal parts charming and conniving, Philippa Eilhart is a primary advisor to Redania’s King Vizimir. Her ability to figuratively — and literally — shapeshift through courts and parties alike makes her one of the most influential sorceresses within the Continent’s politics.
RELATED ARTICLE: The Witcher casts Philippa Eilhart
Liz Carr as Fenn
The first in a duo, Silent Witness and Devs allum Liz Carr will portray the esteemed investigator Fenn. Together with Codringher, she will help Geralt identify his enemies. An audition for this role can be seen in the link below, though by a different actor.
Partners-in-crime — ostensibly, solving crime — Codringher and Fenn deal in the business of information: gathering, knowing, revealing, and even burying, for the right price.
RELATED ARTICLE: The Witcher audition reveals two key book characters are joining Season 2
Simon Callow as Codringher
Four Weddings and a Funeral and A Room with a View star Simon Callow joins Carr in the aforementioned detective duo as Codringher.
Codringher acts as the face of the business, while Fenn stays buried in her research; neither have ever been presented with a mystery as all-encompassing as the one about to drop into their Dorian office.
RELATED ARTICLE: The Witcher audition reveals two key book characters are joining Season 2
Chris Fulton as Rience
As we speculated earlier today, Bridgerton allum Chris Fulton is now confirmed to be the villainous mage Rience. Rience will be a thorn in our heroes’ sides in the coming seasons of the show, and is also involved in some of the novels’ most memorable fight scenes.
A sadistic mage with a penchant for fire, Rience is employed by a mysterious lord in order to hunt down a prized jewel. His cruel tactics leave deep scars wherever he goes… though he’ll try in vain to escape without some of his own.
RELATED ARTICLE: The Witcher casts Chris Fulton, who may become one of the series’ cruelest villains
Kevin Doyle as Ba’lian
As we reported a few weeks ago, Downtown Abbey‘s Kevin Doyle has also joined the cast for season two. Doyle will portray an original character that has not appeared in the books.
Having escaped violent round-ups in the North, Ba’lian is one of many elves seeking safe refuge in unexpected places on the Continent. Brave and principled, his journey intersects with some surprising characters, who are inspired by his refusal to go down without a fight.
RELATED ARTICLE: The Witcher casts Downton Abbey actor Kevin Doyle
We finally know the actors who will portray Dijkstra, Philippa, Nenneke and Rience! We can’t wait to see the actors fill these incredible characters’ shoes when season two releases on Netflix later this year.
So folks at Redanian Int, how’s it feel to have your boss finally cast?
It feels very good, thanks for asking 🙂
Graham McTavish is very good for Bonhart (if he was filming it now) or some Nilfgaardian nobleman, but for Dijkstra he is now too old and dry, in the last season he will be unduly old and painful next to Philippa.
Love Graham McTavish, great to see him in such great series – best casting so far. Although he would be better as Emhyr or Leo B. in my opinion, but still AAA actor on the show. Bring in Charles Dance
Yup, I agree. I declared that I wouldnt be watchin season2, but for one of my favs, Dijkstra being portrayed by my man McTavish, maybe I’ll give it a chance.
Just can’t stand this blackwashing from Netflix. There are now, if I don’t miss anything, 6 nonwhite witches for 2 white ones, one of which is dead and gone.
But the male villains are white. Is that equality, Netflix? “white men are evil” bollocks
Vilgefortz is the biggest male villain and he is not white. Fringilla has been made a villain and she is the least white in the show.
There is no such thing as black washing, there’s no need to be so dramatic. Season One was very white, it’s good to see some more diversity.
The new cast looks fantastic!!!
Seems The Witcher is now turning into a kind of Bridgerton and many actors of that show get cast here. The negative characters aren’t exclusively white. But mages are now of color, with overwhelming majority. What is concerning is that diversity is now exclusively reserved to mean African descent, with the exception of Anya Chalotra, perhaps. Aside from her, people of other origin than African or European are not presented by the cast. Maybe the intention is to make the show unpopular in Asia. I like McTavish but I agree with others that he isn’t a very good choice as Dijkstra.
I like how some people say that Graham McTavish is somehow to old. He just turned 60 as of January. To put it in reference, Vinnie Jones (some peoples pick for Dijkstra) is 56.
The Codringher-Fenn scenes are among my favorites in the books. They are really well written and take the reader on a sort of detective journey into Ciri’s family history background, so they also provide crucial information about many developments in the story. Also the surrounding events are interesting. Some of the later parts in the books are not as compelling and densely written as this part, so I hope those scenes unfold in the show at a comparably good level.
Agreed. I think their casting for Codringher is absolutely spot on. Simon Callow will be “eating up the scenery”, I’m sure.