A dog is man’s best friend, they say. The saying even made its way into the world of comics when Krypto became Superman’s loyal friend. And when one combines the two, they get Henry Cavill and his Akita dog, Kal. The British actor, who is synonymous with the roles of Superman and Geralt, is also known for his bond with his dog, aptly named Kal. However, during his early days in The Witcher, Cavill found himself in a bad situation.

A show as dark, gritty, and brutal as The Witcher sometimes made way for some gross scenes as well. However, in one of the earliest such scenes, lead, Cavill was not in his best mood.

Henry Cavill had to deal with the thought of almost losing Kal while filming this scene

While Cavill and the crew were getting ready to film the Selkiemore scene of the fourth episode for season one of the show, his dog, Kal, got himself in a life-or-death situation. The Akita pup was sprinting through Cavill’s trailer to do what dogs usually do, chase a cat. However, the stairs of the trailer had holes in between them to allow rainwater to seep through. It was in one of those slots that Kal got his foot stuck. Meanwhile, Cavill was about to get covered up in yogurt and prosthetics to resemble Selkimore’s guts. 

The scene involved Geralt breaking open through the creature after it had devoured him. Speaking on the Witcher-Con in 2021, the actor recalled that upon coming to the rescue, he was left dumbfounded at the sight of his dog, who stood “shame-faced” and, with one of its claws, nearly ripped off. Thus, it necessitated urgent veterinary care. However, Cavill was called in to film right then.

Fortunately, his assistant offered to take the dog in and later informed the actor that he had to be put under anesthesia. And some dogs do not wake up after the operation, Cavill was fore-warned. Yet, he went through with the scene owing to his sincere dedication, all the while worried about his dog.

Nevertheless, Kal survived, and now frequently stars alongside Cavill on his social media. Although Kal stayed for Cavill, The Witcher did not.

The Witcher set itself on a collision course for failure long before roping in Liam Hemsworth as a replacement

Henry Cavill exiting The Witcher as Geralt took the show’s soul away. While many felt that it was Cavill’s own decision, it was rather one he was compelled to make. The 40-year-old actor was embroiled in an exchange with the showrunner owing to frequent script changes. The Man of Steel actor who is an avid gamer and self-proclaimed “Witcher-nerd,” objected to the deviations from the source material. However, he was mocked and paid no heed. And thus came his exit at the end of Season 3.

Alas, the actor had the last laugh when the show’s deviations and sub-plots created too big a mess to handle. The show fell staggeringly in popularity, with the final two episodes of season three being its lowest ever. Regardless, the showrunners still blamed Cavill for high-handedness. Meanwhile, the show has tanked in viewership and thus, Cavill’s Geralt replacement, Liam Hemsworth may need to do more than just lift the sword to restore the series to its former glory.

What do you think of the incident with Cavill’s dog? Let us know in the comments below.