Witcher Netflix Showrunner Takes Twitter Hiatus Following Backlash Over Ciri Casting
Lauren Hissrich, the showrunner for the Witcher Netflix series, has announced that she will be taking a hiatus from Twitter. She has not said how long the hiatus will last, nor a precise reason for the departure. However, there has been significant backlash directed towards the series recently due to a casting ad which emerged online; the advertisement was seeking a BAME actress (Black, Asian, or minority ethnic) actress for the role. While it may not be the case, the timing is such that Hissrich’s lamentable departure could well be due to the vitriol being directed towards her online.
It's time for a Twitter hiatus. The love here is amazing, and the hate is enlightening, like a real-life Trial of the Grasses, except I HAVE to read less and write more — or we won't have a damn finale. Be back soon with more insight and more Roach. Be nice to each other, okay?
— Lauren S. Hissrich (@LHissrich) September 10, 2018
Lauren Hissrich’s Twitter Hiatus
Ever since the announcement of the Witcher Netflix series, Lauren Hissrich has been outspoken on Twitter. She has posted regular updates about the progress of the series; something which is highly unusual for a series in development. Certainly, she has gone out of her way to keep fans in the loop and explain various decisions as they happen. She recently explained to fans her reasoning for casting Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia, for instance. However, the discovery that an ad was seeking a BAME actress for the character of Ciri has resulted in sadly unsurprising backlash from a certain group of so-called fans.
The actual content of the ad made one thing very clear; the picture which the writers have for the character of Ciri is very true to the novels. The ad detailed her motivations and backstory, and lends credence to what Hissrich has been saying for a long time; that she and the other writers care about staying true to the source material. Note here that the source material is specifically Andrzej Sapkowski’s original Witcher novels, not the CD Projekt Red game series. Unfortunately, that aspect is being overshadowed by caustic responses from people online. Some people have even set up a Change.org petition calling for the show to cast a white actress instead. Andrzej Sapkowski has stated publicly, and to Hissrich herself, that he did not specify skin colour in his novels:
— in its population, in every way (race, culture, gender, and yes, occasionally skin color, which he said he did not always specify). I’m not sure how people insinuate I’m destroying the books by recognizing that. I’m honoring the author’s own intentions. He told me so himself.
— Lauren S. Hissrich (@LHissrich) May 11, 2018
Hopefully, Hissrich is simply ignoring those complaining about the casting ad; especially given that their complaints go against what the author himself has said. Certainly, her hiatus decision could well merely be as she says; to focus on writing the series finale. Now that casting news is beginning to emerge, the show could well be approaching time to start filming.