The Witcher season 2 adds Kim Bodnia as Geralt’s mentor Vesemir

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Some fans of The Witcher were making an online push to get Mark Hamill cast in the role of Geralt's mentor Vesemir, and Hamill was all for it despite having "no idea what this is or what it's about". But the role of Vesemir has now been cast for the hit Netflix series, and it didn't go to Hamill. Instead, Vesemir is going to be played by Danish actor Kim Bodnia.

Starring Henry Cavill as Geralt and inspired by a series of novels written by Andrzej Sapkowski, The Witcher is an 

epic tale of fate and family — the story of the intertwined destinies of three individuals in the vast world of The Continent, where humans, elves, witchers, gnomes, and monsters battle to survive and thrive, and where good and evil is not easily identified.

Vesemir is described as 

a charming relic of the witcher Golden Age. He is the oldest and most experienced Witcher in the series, as well as a father figure to Geralt (Cavill). 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.

Bodnia has 72 screen credits to his name, but these days may be best known for playing Konstantin on the show Killing Eve. The Witcher showrunner and executive producer Lauren Schmidt Hissrich says, 

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."

Bodnia's fellow new additions to the cast of season 2 include Carmel Laniado as a smart, sadistic teenager named Violet; Mecia Simson as Elven sorceress Francesca; Kristofer Hivju as Nivellen, a man cursed as a result of a terrible sin; Thue Ersted Rasmussen, Yasen Atour, and Paul Bullion as the Witchers of Kaer Morhern; Aisha Fabienne Ross as the sorceress Lydia; and Agnes Born as Vereena, who is fragile and vulnerable on the outside but is capable of brutal violence.

Cavill's fellow returning cast members include Anya Chalotra as Yennefer, Freya Allan as Ciri, Joey Batey as Jaskier, MyAnna Buring as Tissaia, Tom Canton as Filavandrel, Lilly Cooper as Murta, Jeremy Crawford as Yarpen Zigrin, Eamon Farren as Cahir, Mahesh Jadu as Vilgefortz, Terrence Maynard as Artorius, Lars Mikkelsen as Stregobor, Mimi Ndiweni as Fringilla Vigo, Royce Pierreson as Istredd, Wilson Radjou-Pujalte as Dara, Anna Shaffer as Triss Merigold, and Therica Wilson Read as Sabrina.

The Witcher season 2 will reach the Netflix streaming service sometime in 2021. 

Theo James provided the voice of a younger Vesemir for a vocal cameo in the last episode of The Witcher's first season. The character will also be the lead in the animated film THE WITCHER: NIGHTMARE OF THE WOLF.