Did Witcher Recast Ciri? Why She Looks Different In Season 2
The official trailer for The Witcher season 2 features a very different-looking Ciri, so did Netflix recast Freya Allan's character?
The Witcher season 2's Ciri looks very different, but did the Netflix series recast the major character? The first season of The Witcher introduced audiences around the world to the high-fantasy realm in which Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill) resides. The show took viewers on a journey as Geralt slew various monsters, encountered the powerful sorceress Yennefer (Anya Chalotra), and finally met Ciri (Freya Allan) after her long search for him. The bond between Geralt and Ciri through the Law of Surprise will continue in season 2.
The story of The Witcher season 2 has started to become a bit more clear after the release of a proper trailer. The footage showed Ciri and Geralt arriving in the fortress of the School of the Wolf, Kaer Morhen. This is where Geralt's old mentor Vesemir and other witchers will appear and presumably help Geralt and Ciri on their quest. A key part of The Witcher season 2 will be the further exploration of the power that lies within Ciri, which should once again ensure that she is a major part of the plot. As exciting as the new trailer is, some viewers might be a bit puzzled by Ciri's look.
The new Witcher season 2 trailer featured plenty of footage of Ciri, but she looks noticeably different. This has sparked some discussion about whether or not Netflix recast Ciri for the new season. However, the truth is that they did not and Freya Allan is once again playing the mysteriously powerful character. So why does she look so different? The explanation is as simple as the young star growing up considerably during and between productions. The first season of The Witcher started filming right after Allan turned 17, but production on season two lasted until she was nearly 20. This extended gap in time during a time when Allan is exiting adolescence and maturing explains why Ciri looks so different in The Witcher season 2.
The dramatic change in Ciri's appearance only became more prominent due to delays to The Witcher season 2's production. The show originally started filming in February 2020 when Allan was 18 years old. Multiple COVID-19 shutdowns and an injury to Henry Cavill caused severe delays to filming. The Witcher season 2 wrapped filming in April 2021, more than a year after Allan returned to work. This meant she was only five months away from her 20th birthday. Although the circumstances behind Allan's older appearance are unique, it is something that many TV and movie productions deal with. Netflix is no stranger to this either after watching the cast of Stranger Things age dramatically between new seasons.
It will be interesting to see if The Witcher season 2 takes any time to address Ciri looking significantly older. The new season appears to pick up relatively close to where the first season ended, with Geralt and Ciri still getting to know each other and Yennefer still gone. Unless there is a time jump during season two (which won't be too surprising considering how fast and loose The Witcher season 1 moved about the timeline), The Witcher will likely ignore it and hope too many viewers aren't confused with Ciri's look.