Actor Thue Rasmussen has dropped out of Netflix’s The Witcher due to a scheduling conflict related to COVID-19. Writing on Twitter, the actor who played Eskel the Witcher in the series, said it’s “heartbreaking” not to be able to continue to play the role. He was on set earlier this year, but he was unable to come back because the schedule got changed due to COVID-19.
“Sadly, due to the rescheduling because of COVID-19, I will not be portraying Eskel in The Witcher,” he said. “It’s heartbreaking, of course, but I mostly feel happy and grateful for the days I got to spend on set earlier this year. Everyone was extremely engaged and passionate about the project, and it was a truly inspiring experience.”
Rasmussen added: “A heartfelt thank you to all the fans who wrote me lovely, encouraging messages. “I wish everyone on the show best of luck with the rest of the production. I’m sure Season 2 will be absolutely amazing and now I get to watch it as a fanboy instead of as a Witcher.”
Showrunner Lauren S. Hissrich responded to Rasmussen’s message with three heart emojis. Rasmussen sent three heart emojis back, along with the message to Hissrich, “Thank you, Lauren. Best of luck with the rest the production. I can’t wait to see it!”
Netflix’s The Witcher Season 2 was filming in the UK until it closed down in March. It was one of the first major productions to be suspended in the UK, after actor Kristofer Hivju tested positive for coronavirus.
While The Witcher Season 2 doesn’t have a confirmed release date, showrunner Lauren Hissrich previously stated that it would appear sometime in 2021. “We don’t want to rush the product,” she said in January. “That doesn’t benefit anyone.” Hissrich has also suggested that the story of The Witcher Season 2 will be easier to follow than that of Season 1, which was spread over different timelines. “The story will be much more linear, now that the three characters’ stories have started to intersect,” she explained.
The Witcher stars Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia, Freya Allan as Ciri, Anya Chalotra as Yennefer, Eamon Farren as Cahir, and Joey Batey as Jaskier. It’s based on the book series by Andrzej Sapkowski, which in turn inspired the popular video game series.
