In the course of entertainment casting, few roles have landed at the destiny of those who were born to portray them. Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine are some of the most recent examples that come to mind. Meanwhile, a few others acquired the skill and mastered it along the way. Leading from the front, Netflix found itself in safe hands with Henry Cavill in The Witcher. However, there were a few other cast members in the Witcherverse who made their way into the series by sheer talent.

One such oddity exists who enthralled the audience with his performance in a genre in which he jumped ships from galaxies afar.

The Witcher universe actor who cracked through the fantasy genre

The beloved Henry Cavill’s spot-on portrayal of Geralt came on the back of years of acting experience in historical dramas. The actor had worked his time on shows such as The Tudors and The Count of Monte Cristo. Meanwhile, another talented cast member, MyAnna Buring, had a history in the Witcherverse predating the Netflix show itself. Coming in as an oddball among them was Lenny Henry, who played Chief Druid Balor in The Witcher: Blood Origin.

A talented display on-screen, Henry had never set afoot in the fantasy genre and was rather a popular stand-up comedian. Before landing as one of the leading villain in Netflix’s prequel mini-series, the actor was a staple in comedy outings. However, by sheer grit and determination, he made his way into two big fantasy outings in 2022, starring in the lowly received The Witcher’s 1200-year-flashback prequel as well as in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. And thus, by way of hard work, Henry now stands as a known face in the genre.

Notwithstanding a strong cast to shoulder it, The Witcher: Blood Origin failed to crack through audience and critics’ hearts. And some of its issues spilled over to season three of the main storyline.

How sloppy writing tanked the popularity of Netflix’s breakthrough fantasy universe

Set to serve as a prologue to returning, as well as newcomers to the Witcherverse, the prequel series failed miserably in reception. Amassing a mere 10% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the show had many glaring issues to sort out. A slow pace marred by frequently changing arcs and disregard for the source material played spoilsport for the series.

Incidentally, the same complaints rang once again when season three of The Witcher recorded the main series’ lowest ratings ever. In what proved to be too costly a mistake for Netflix, the faith of the fandom was left shaken. As such, a lot of amends that need to be made falls upon Liam Hemsworth and the forthcoming season four.

What are your thoughts on Lenny Henry’s acting transformation? Do you think The Witcher will redeem itself in season four? Let us know in the comments below.