Henry Cavill can brag about playing Clark Kent/Superman and The Witcher’s Geralt of Rivia, but he’s not the first actor to play both. Based on the books series of the same name by Andrzej Sapkowski, The Witcher was released on Netflix in December 2019 and was one of the most anticipated releases of the year. Netflix knew what it had, and renewed the series for a second season before the release of the first one.
The Witcher is mostly based on the books The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny, and follows the stories of three characters, set in different points in time and converging near the end of the season. Those characters are Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill), an enhanced monster hunter with a reputation of being the best; Yennefer of Vengerberg (Anya Chalotra), a powerful sorceress; and Ciri (Freya Allan), the crown princess of Cintra and who is in the process of discovering her powers.
Netflix’s The Witcher is not the first TV adaptation of Sapkowski’s novels, the first one being the Polish version titled The Hexer, which isn’t exactly Sapkowski’s favorite – however, Netflix’s is the first English-language adaptation. Another “first” that The Witcher could brag about is having a Superman playing Geralt of Rivia, but as it turns out, Henry Cavill isn’t really the first one with that privilege.
The Witcher: How Henry Cavill & Jacek Rozenek Share TWO Characters
Prior to playing Geralt in Netflix’s The Witcher, Henry Cavill was best known for playing Superman/Clark Kent on DC’s movie universe (unofficially titled DC’s extended universe). Cavill’s debut as Superman came in 2013 with Man of Steel, and he reprised the role in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League. Cavill’s future in the DCEU is now uncertain, but he will continue to be part of The Witcher’s universe thanks to its second season – and he’s not the only actor who has Superman and Geralt among his acting credits.
Polish actor Jacek Rozenek shares those roles with Cavill, but in different formats. Rozenek is known for being the original voice of Geralt in The Witcher video games, and as such he has a special place in the hearts of fans. Rozenek first voiced Geralt in 2007, and he’s rumored to have reprised his role for Cyberpunk 2077. Prior to that, he dubbed Superman in the Polish localization of the 2001 animated series Justice League. Cavill and Rozenek share two fan-favorite characters, but Cavill can still brag about being the only one who has played Superman and Geralt in live-action form, and Rozenek about being the one who has given them life through his voice, which has made him a favorite mostly among fans of The Witcher.