On October 10, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Netflix had cast several roles for its upcoming adaptation of Andrzej Sapkowski’s Witcher novels. Anya Chalotra will play Yennefer, a sorceress and the on-again, off-again love interest of main character Geralt of Rivia. Meanwhile, Millie Brady will play the outcast Princess Renfri.
But even though The Hollywood Reporter broke the news, it wasn’t the first the internet had heard of it. Recapped, a Hollywood gossip site, had the scoop on Bradey playing Princess Renfri on October 7, three days before THR’s story. More impressively, Recapped first reported that Chalotra may be cast as Yennefer on August 19, well over a month before THR confirmed it.
Why am I talking about Recapped? Because they’ve just reported on a new rumor. According to their sources, whoever they are, HBO may have cast Naomi Watts in its upcoming Game of Thrones prequel show.
Before we go any further, let’s reiterate that this is a rumor. We won’t know if Watts is actually on board until HBO makes an official announcement, either with a press release or through an outlet like THR, but given Recapped’s track record, it’s a rumor worth discussing.
If this is true, I think it’s a great move by HBO. Watts is a powerhouse dramatic actor who can steal a scene, like in this sequence from 21 Grams, where she plays a former addict who suddenly loses her husband and children in a car accident:
I also think Watts is a good choice if HBO wants to get a big-name actor without looking it’s engaging in stunt casting. Watts has a lot of credits to her name, including roles in movies like Mulholland Drive, The Ring, King Kong, Birdman and many more, but she’s always been a character actor first and foremost, and she was never a headline-grabbing “star” in the tabloid sense of the word. And as an English-born performer, she’ll be able to pull off the accent required of all denizens of Westeros.
As for who she’ll play, we’ve no clue. HBO has several ideas for prequels in the percolator, but the only one we know is going forward will be set thousands of years before the events of Game of Thrones, during the Age of Heroes. Watts has the coloring of a Lannister ancestor, but with her talent, she could play Bran the Builder and I’d be fine with it.
Sorry; I’m gushing a bit. I’m a fan of Watts’ work from way back, so I think this rumor is pretty exciting. I hope it’s true!
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