By We are back with an exclusive update on the new characters of Netflix’s prequel series ‘The Witcher: Blood Origin’. An eclectic blend of heroes, heroines and villains will bring the ancient Continent to life, as it was 1200 years before the events of the main Witcher show.
For today’s post, we thought it might be a good time to give a breakdown of the characters we’ll meet in ‘Blood Origin’, including several interesting new ones we’ve only learned about recently.
A spoiler warning ahead: There may be character descriptions that give hints as to the story. No major spoilers such as character deaths of course. So here it goes.
Disclaimer: Some of the names may be codenames for the casting process and thus subject to change.
Fjall ‘Stoneheart’ (Lead, male)
According to The Illuminerdi, Fjall is a member of a rival clan of Eile’s. He is described as ‘physically strong, raw, gritty and visceral’, a contrast to the more elegant, graceful Eile. His casting announcement reads: “Born into a clan of warriors sworn to protect a King, Fjall carries a deep scar within, the death of a loved one who fell in battle trying to save him. A scar that won’t let him settle, or make peace with himself or the world around him. In his quest for redemption, Fjall will find himself fighting beside the most unlikely of allies as he carves a path of vengeance across a continent in turmoil.”
Irish actor Laurence O’Fuarain (Rebellion, Vikings) will play Fjall in The Witcher: Blood Origin.
Eile ‘The Lark’ Lithe (Lead, female)
Eile is an elven warrior, hailing from a clan that uses knives as their primary weapons. In the original casting announcement she was described as: ‘an elite warrior blessed with the voice of a goddess, who has left her clan and position as Queen’s guardian to follow her heart as a nomadic musician. A grand reckoning on the continent forces her to return to the way of the blade in her quest for vengeance and redemption.’
Jodie Turner-Smith (Nightflyers, Queen & Slim) was previously set to play Eile but had to step down due to scheduling issues.
At the time of writing, Netflix has not announced a replacement, but we strongly suspect Sophia Monique Brown, who is just as tall as Jodie and is also a highly-skilled singer, which is a requirement for Eile’s role. Brown has appeared in such productions as Clique, The Capture and Giri/Haji and is a prolific theater actress.
We haven’t been able to definitively confirm Sophia Brown as Eile yet, but many things along with cast/crew connections point to that very likely being the case.
UPDATE 08/07/2021: Netflix has finally confirmed Sophia Brown as Eile.
Scian (Lead, female)
Scian, played by the famous Michelle Yeoh, is “the very last of her nomadic tribe of sword-elves. No one can come close to her artistry with the blade, and no one carries as much loss within their heart. When a chance presents itself to retrieve a stolen sacred sword, taken from her fallen tribe by nefarious means, she launches herself into a deadly quest that will change the outcome of the Continent.”
She is also the sword master to Eile, played by Sophia Brown.
Princess Merwyn (Lead, female)
Described as ‘the flower that no one noticed had poison blooms beneath her thorns’. Intelligent and sharp-minded but hiding behind the mask of a feckless girl. In a patriarchal world, she was raised as a chess piece to be married off and forgotten. Biding her time, she leant how to appear docile, concealing her true intelligence and tactician’s mind in order to strike when no one would expect it. Appears in 6 episodes.
Captain Eredin Bréacc Glas (Lead, male)
Eredin is a well-known figure in the world of The Witcher, featuring in the novels and (more prominently) in the video games, especially The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. In the books and the games, he is the king of the Wild Hunt, a spectral group of riders that sometimes appears in the sky, heralding war according to common superstition. In reality, he is a member of an elven race from another world, known as the Aen Elle. His role and involvement in ‘Blood Origin’ remain unknown. However, we’ll likely see a very different Eredin, given that there are 1200 years separating us from the novels.
As we revealed in May, Eredin will be played by Jacob Collins-Levy (The White Princess, Young Wallander) in The Witcher: Blood Origin. Interestingly, we’ll also see actor (Sam Hazeldine) playing Eredin in the upcoming second season of the main Witcher show.
Chief Druid Balor (Lead, male)
We don’t know much about this role, but Netflix is apparently looking for a prolific actor. Previous offers include Pierce Brosnan, Djimon Hounsou, and Hiroyuki Sanada, but all three have passed and won’t be appearing in the series. Balor appears in 6 episodes.
(Note: role offers are an industry practice sometimes used to offer a part to an established actor without an audition process, e.g. the role of Vesemir in season two of The Witcher was reportedly offered to Mark Hamill and Mads Mikkelsen, but both ultimately passed and the offer went out to Kim Bodnia who in the end was cast.)
Kaleb (Recurring)
A physically imposing warrior from a clan fighting with axes and older brother to one of the leads. Appears in 2 episodes.
While don’t know which of the clans uses axes as their primary fighting weapon, we can probably rule out Eile’s clan of knifers. Since Kaleb is a brother to one of the leads, it’s quite possibly Fjall’s clan and they would be the ones using axes.
Perhaps showrunner Declan de Barra even showed us one of those axes. Quite impressive in size, those.
Salliche (Recurring, male)
Described as a multi-talented genius, an elven ‘Da Vinci’ of sorts. He is dabbling in experiments exploring the limits of magic, math and science and is consumed by his obsessions. Appears in 5 episodes.
Actor David Fawaz auditioned for the role of Salliche and you can read a transcript of the now-deleted video here:
READ MORE: Audition tapes for The Witcher prequel reveal a scientist, a sellsword, a prince and more
Kaali (Recurring, female)
The wife of a young sought-after genius (note: most likely Salliche) and handmaid to a member of royalty. According to a casting call, she is a sweet and enthusiastic character. Kind, caring and loyal to her husband and his plight.
Eades (Recurring, male)
A high-ranking commander, hailing from a military family. Described as strong, cold and calculating and able to take on many different guises. He hides his male lovers from court, fearing that his emotional attachments may be used against him. Appears in 5 episodes.
Baalke (Recurring, male)
A charming and strategic merchant leader, bound to a male lover (note: quite possibly Eades). While he’s loyal, he’s also fearing for the future of their relationship. Appears in 3 episodes.
Atar (Recurring, male)
A young novice druid. Nervous but loyal. He finds himself the protector of a king after saving the monarch’s life. Appears in 4 episodes.
Raskane (Recurring, female)
A young battle-scarred and highly-skilled warrior, who is willing to risk her life for those she must protect. Appears in 2 episodes.
Gwyn (Guest Star, female)
A brilliantly, sharp-minded assassin with restricted growth. Described as a ‘true-wildcard’, who revels in carnage, violence and chaos.
Actress Lucy North uploaded an audition video for Gwyn (Character G) that has since been taken down. Transcription can be read here.
Utharis (Recurring, male)
From a recent audition tape, we can gather that Utharis is somewhat of a typical swellsword kind of character with vibes similar to Game of Thrones’ Ser Bronn of the Blackwater. He comes across as very experienced, extremely talkative, and quite willing to sell his services to the highest bidder.
If you’re interested in learning more about Utharis you can read a transcription of the dialogue recorded by actor Neil Fitzmaurice.
READ MORE: Audition tapes for The Witcher prequel reveal a scientist, a sellsword, a prince and more
Fabbri (Female)
Fabbri’s casting call reads: ‘Fabbri is a tall, muscular female druid who is deaf or who communicates via sign language. She is dangerous, witty and delighted by the arrival of her sudden access to magic.
Character Z (Female)
Described in another casting call as ‘a mystical and earthly conduit with cerebral palsy. This incredibly powerful female becomes part of a motley crew on a quest for vengeance.’
This concludes our character update for The Witcher: Blood Origin. We expect more news to break once we get closer to the start of filming. As always, you can keep informed by following Redanian Intelligence Twitter.
