Casting director Sophie Holland has broken down the careful consideration that went into deciding who would take on the role of Yennefer of Vengerberg in Netflix’s celebrated series, ‘The Witcher’. In an interview with Variety, Holland discussed how she used the show as an opportunity to challenge traditional beauty standards with a diverse casting choice.
All-Star Cast of ‘The Witcher’
‘The Witcher’, fronted by actor Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia, features Anya Chalotra as Yennefer of Vengerberg. Other stars include Freya Allan, Joey Batey, MyAnna Buring, Mimi Ndiweni, and Eamon Farren.
Sophie Holland: Championing Representation in Casting
While sharing her perspective on casting, Holland, who has also contributed to shows like ‘Wednesday’ and ‘You’, explained her commitment to representation. Noting it is crucial to think broadly about casting, she said, “I think representation is important. Not just for women, but all minority groups.”
How ‘The Witcher’ Embraces Diversity
Holland went on to explain how ‘The Witcher’ became an exemplar of her commitment to challenging outdated norms and celebrating diversity. She explained that the casting of Yennefer was particularly significant, with open-minded showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich embracing these discussions about representative casting.
The Casting of Yennefer: Challenging Perceptions of Fantasy Worlds
Holland pointed out how she wanted to challenge the traditional white-centric casting of fantasy worlds. She posited this thought while discussing Yennefer, whom the book describes as the ‘most beautiful woman in the world’. She was conscious of veering away from a white-centric beauty narrative, stating: “I feel like we need to challenge what people think of as the standard of beauty. And having a woman of color in this role does incredibly powerful things to the people watching.”
Anya Chalotra: A Fresh Face As Yennefer
Holland then detailed the process of casting Chalotra as Yennefer, revealing how she recognized the young actress’s talent from her first audition after graduating from drama school. Holland praised Chalotra’s unique skills and said that it felt like their professional journeys would intersect.
The Crucial Chemistry Reads
Holland also noted the importance of chemistry reads in the casting process. By bringing Chalotra in to perform with other actors and seeing her portray the history of India in a different show, Holand felt more confident in her casting choice.
All three seasons of ‘The Witcher’ are now available for streaming on Netflix, offering viewers the chance to watch these memorable characters and witness the power of representative casting firsthand.
