Kim Bodnia has been cast as Vesemir, a key character and father figure for the second season of The Witcher series. The character serves as a mentor to Geralt of Rivia and Ciri and is the most senior of the Witchers.
In a statement released by Netflix on Friday, “A charming relic of the witcher Golden Age, Vesemir is the oldest and most experienced witcher in our series, as well as a father figure to Geralt. As one of the survivors of The Massacre at Kaer Morhen, a haunting slaughter that nearly exterminated the Witchers, he is fiercely protective of the remaining few, who he sees as an endangered community who can find glory on ‘the Path’ slaying monsters.
The Witcher’s first season premiered December 2019 on Netflix and has quickly cemented itself as a flagship series of the streaming service. Based on the novels of the same name by Andrej Sapkowski, it features the adventures of Geralt of Rivia, a magically enchanted monster-hunter as he traverses “The Continent” (The world that the story takes place in).
Kim Bodnia is most well-known for his role on BBC’s Killing Eve in which he plays Konstantin, the handler of Russian assassin Villanelle (Jodie Comer).
Showrunner Lauren Hissrich stated, “I am so thrilled to welcome Kim Bodnia to the cast of ‘The Witcher.’ I have admired his unique talents in shows like ‘Killing Eve’ and ‘The Bridge,’ and cannot wait for him to bring strength, tenacity, and warmth to the character of Vesemir, who is such an integral part of our upcoming season.”
However, this decision may come as a slight upset to some fans due to rumors that Mark Hamill, of Star Wars fame, would be taking the role. Hamill himself expressed an interest in the role in a tweet last year.
The second season is set to debut next year. However, The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, an animated film, is supposedly to bridge the gap between the two series and will introduce Vesemir through his own journey as a witcher. It is currently unclear whether or not Bodnia will be cast as Vesemir in the film as well. The release date for the film has not yet been announced.