THE WITCHER: Anya Chalotra Was Cast As Yennefer To "Challenge" Outdated Beauty Standards!?

THE WITCHER: Anya Chalotra Was Cast As Yennefer To "Challenge" Outdated Beauty Standards!?

For many The Witcher fans, Anya Chalotra's take on Yennefer of Vengerberg is one of the highlights of the show, but you might be surprised to learn what led to her casting...

News
By MarkCassidy - Aug 02, 2023 07:08 AM EST
Filed Under: The Witcher

Anya Chalotra's Yennefer has emerged as a major highlight of The Witcher for many viewers, but you might be surprised to learn how and why she was cast in the role.

Casting director Sophie Holland has spoken about pushing to cast Chalotra as Yennefer of Vengerberg in Netflix's adaptation of the fantasy adventure novels, and her comments have raised a few eyebrows.

During an interview with Variety (via SFFGazette.com), Holland said that she wanted the relatively inexperienced actress to play Yennefer to "challenge" what she perceives as an outdated "standard of beauty."

"Lauren Schmidt Hissrich is the showrunner [on The Witcher] and we work so well together and she's so open to conversations," she told the trade. "In the book, [Yennefer's] described as the most beautiful woman in the world. This was a few years ago and I'd like to think things have changed. But when you think about people's unconscious bias -- especially in the fantasy world, it felt like these worlds were predominantly white"

"I remember saying, 'I feel like we need to challenge what people think of as the standard of beauty. And having a woman of color in this role does incredibly powerful things to the people watching.'"

To be fair, Holland's comments have been taken at least somewhat out of context, as she seems to have been referring more to her desire to cast a non-white actress in the role as opposed to someone who wasn't conventionally attractive.

All episodes of The Witcher season 3 are now available on Netflix.

"As monarchs, mages, and beasts of the Continent compete to capture her, Geralt takes Ciri into hiding, determined to protect his newly-reunited family against those who threaten to destroy it. Entrusted with Ciri’s magical training, Yennefer leads them to the protected fortress of Aretuza, where they hope to uncover more about the girl’s untapped powers; instead, they discover they’ve landed in a battlefield of political corruption, dark magic, and treachery. They must fight back, put everything on the line – or risk losing each other forever."

The Witcher also stars Joey Batey (Jaskier), Myanna Buring (Tissaia), Eamon Farren (Cahir), Mimî M Khayisa (Fringilla), Royce Pierreson (Istredd), Anna Shaffer (Triss Merigold), Mecia Simson (Francesca), Tom Canton (Filavandrel), Mahesh Jadu (Vilgefortz), Graham McTavish (Dijkstra), Cassie Clare (Philippa), Hugh Skinner (Radovid), Wilson Mbomio (Dara), Lars Mikkelsen (Stregobor), Terence Maynard (Artorius), Simon Callow (Codringher), Liz Carr (Fenn), Therica Wilson-Read (Sabrina), Safiyya Ingar (Keira), Rochelle Rose (Margarita), Michalina Olszanska) (Marti), Robbie Amell (Gallatin), Jeremy Crawford (Yarpen), Bart Edwards (Emhyr), Aisha Fabienne Ross (Lydia), Christelle Elwin (Mistle), and Meng’er Zhang (Milva).

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TheyDont
TheyDont - 8/2/2023, 7:04 AM
These morons keep making a laughingstock out of themselves.
dagenspear
dagenspear - 8/2/2023, 7:28 AM
@TheyDont - LORD willing, insulting is wrong.
TheyDont
TheyDont - 8/2/2023, 7:40 AM
@dagenspear - How did I insult these morons?
HAILHYDRA
HAILHYDRA - 8/2/2023, 8:46 AM
@TheyDont - they trade off a self-created moral currency. If they think they can pat themselves on the back and get woke points, they’ll take every opportunity. This just proves that to a comical degree.
rebellion
rebellion - 8/2/2023, 7:07 AM
“Yennefer, although attractive in her own way, couldn’t pass as a great beauty... in actual fact, not many would describe sorceresses as good-looking... She had the figure of a twenty-year-old, although he preferred not to guess her real age. She moved with natural, unaffected grace.”

there, that's the actual book description. this property was massacred by clueless morons from the first. it never stood a chance.
Clintthahamster
Clintthahamster - 8/2/2023, 7:08 AM
@rebellion - Is that actual text from the novel? That is some truly terrible writing.
rebellion
rebellion - 8/2/2023, 7:20 AM
@ClintThaHamster - yes, and why is this so terrible?
dagenspear
dagenspear - 8/2/2023, 7:27 AM
@rebellion - LORD willing, insulting is wrong.
Clintthahamster
Clintthahamster - 8/2/2023, 10:49 AM
@rebellion - Sorry, terrible's too strong. Unremarkable, maybe? Plain? Uninspired.
rebellion
rebellion - 8/2/2023, 1:04 PM
@ClintThaHamster - man, its only 4 sentences from geralts pov so i think youre being a tad dramatic
Clintthahamster
Clintthahamster - 8/2/2023, 2:15 PM
@rebellion - Like I said, terrible is too strong. Hadn't had my coffee when I posted. I'm just always surprised by the dry prose of these popular fantasy novels. I thought Song of Ice and Fire was unreadable, too, for what it's worth.
Forthas
Forthas - 8/2/2023, 7:10 AM
Adding more people of color to Hollywood productions is always a good thing, but that casting director is making assumptions that I don't think should have factored into the decision. Anya Chalotra is extremely gorgeous and has made the role her own.
JobinJ
JobinJ - 8/2/2023, 7:14 AM
"ChAllEnGe OuTdAtED BeaUtY StAndArds"

STFU so tired of changing things to be more inclusive. Just let people make their art without forcing them to be woke.

When are we going to force BET to cast more white actors in the main roles?
Chewtoy
Chewtoy - 8/2/2023, 7:22 AM
@JobinJ -

The people making the art made this decision. This was literally one of the points they wanted to make with their art.

So, I guess let people make their art without forcing them to be non-woke?
dagenspear
dagenspear - 8/2/2023, 7:26 AM
@JobinJ - She looks hot anyway, so I don't know what this thing is.
dagenspear
dagenspear - 8/2/2023, 7:27 AM
@Chewtoy - If they wanted to make a point, I think they'd do it way better.
BlackBolt84
BlackBolt84 - 8/2/2023, 7:29 AM
@Chewtoy - But they're not making the art. They're copying it, adapting it, and butchering it. The authors are the ones who made the art this and other shows are poorly attempting to mimic. Who are these hacks who produce the show to try and toy with the actual art that was created? None of them are artists; why do they have free reign? Clearly that approach isn't working, because no one watched season 3.
Origame
Origame - 8/2/2023, 8:52 AM
@Chewtoy - except it's not their art. Not fully. It's an adaptation of a book. One that holds significance to an entire culture that's underrepresented (in fact Poland was so proud of how successful the Witcher games became they gave Obama a copy of the Witcher 2). And they look at the people of that culture and say the idea of finding them beautiful is "outdated". The absolute disirespect when they're the whole reason anyone cares about this crappy show.
Clintthahamster
Clintthahamster - 8/2/2023, 10:47 AM
@BlackBolt84 - Would you consider Denis Villeneuve's Dune to be art? What about Kubrick's Shining, or Silence of the Lambs.

All of these are adaptations, all are based on novels, and all stand on their own as artistic works.
BlackBolt84
BlackBolt84 - 8/2/2023, 2:34 PM
@ClintThaHamster - I sincerely hope we're not comparing run-of-the-mill Netflix trash adaptations to those films. Witcher is not art, Wednesday is not art. When a Netflix adaptation reaches the levels of praise that any of your examples do, then we can continue the conversation. The people adapting THESE shows are not artists. They are a step below AI in regards to their capabilities. The original point was that the people responsible for this mess are not artists, and I stand by that.
Clintthahamster
Clintthahamster - 8/2/2023, 3:28 PM
@BlackBolt84 - Whether or not something is art isn't determined by whether or not it's successful or well liked. Some art is shit, some art is excellent, but it's all art. Yes, Netflix productions are probably about as mercenary as they come, but that doesn't make it any less the product of a hardworking team of creatives.
dagenspear
dagenspear - 8/2/2023, 5:37 PM
@JobinJ - I don't think there was force involved.
BlackBolt84
BlackBolt84 - 8/4/2023, 7:42 AM
@ClintThaHamster - But when the end product is flat, lifeless, and devoid of creativity? Again, a lot of this stuff winds up being a rehash of an existing formula. It already seems like AI has taken over the writing room, because there is no creativity in these sorts of products
SpiderParker
SpiderParker - 8/2/2023, 7:16 AM
It's a little bit racist when you have to justify it. And she is a beauty nonetheless.
Origame
Origame - 8/2/2023, 8:55 AM
@SpiderParker - ...how is this just a little bit racist? She said the idea of a white person being considered beautiful is outdated. And considering Poland is predominantly white, that is giving a giant middle finger to them while butchering one of their most beloved stories.
Clintthahamster
Clintthahamster - 8/2/2023, 10:51 AM
@Origame - "She said the idea of a white person being considered beautiful is outdated."

She did not, in fact. She said that the idea that whiteness is the standard of beauty is outdated, and she's not wrong.
SpiderParker
SpiderParker - 8/2/2023, 11:05 AM
@Origame - Wait, are you mad that I called it a 'little bit racist' rather than 'whole lot racist'? Whats going on here
Origame
Origame - 8/2/2023, 11:11 AM
@ClintThaHamster - she never stated it was about standards of beauty. She pointed out this white character is considered beautiful and viewed that as outdated. Hell, the book doesn't even point out she's white when discussing her as being beautiful. Just that she is white due to the context the story is set in a predominantly white fictional country. And it's not like the book is saying "she's pretty and these brown people arent".

She's literally just looking at a white woman being called pretty and calling that concept outdated simply because she's white.
Origame
Origame - 8/2/2023, 11:12 AM
@SpiderParker - first, didn't say I was mad.

Second, it's questioning things. If this were about an African fictional country, they called a black woman beautiful, and this writer called that idea outdated and race swapped her because of it, would that be just a little racist to you?
Clintthahamster
Clintthahamster - 8/2/2023, 11:47 AM
@Origame - "she never stated it was about standards of beauty."

From the article, quoted above: "I feel like we need to challenge what people think of as the standard of beauty."

"She's literally just looking at a white woman being called pretty and calling that concept outdated simply because she's white."

Sure, you could read some kind of insane racist intent into it if that's your bag. I'm seeing more of a "deluded casting director thinks she's changing the world by casting a conventionally beautiful half-Indian actor in a role" kind of story.
SpiderParker
SpiderParker - 8/2/2023, 11:49 AM
@Origame - First of all, let me be clear, my initial point was that its racist towards Anya and POC. I understand what you are saying and although I don't disagree to some degree but I doubt the character's race was described in the books. But again, I was referring to the racist remark that somehow, beauty automatically means white.

And to be fair, she might not be the whitest person in the room, but she is still quite fair skinned and looks the part, saying otherwise is also kinda racist considering she is mostly of European descent so her race actually fits the bill.
Origame
Origame - 8/2/2023, 11:54 AM
@ClintThaHamster - ...well she saw a white woman being called pretty, said it was outdated, and "fixed" it by casting a minority. Seems pretty racist.

I will agree she's deluded.
Origame
Origame - 8/2/2023, 12:00 PM
@SpiderParker - 1) oh, so it's the part that isn't actually racist because it's about a POC being called beautiful.

2) yeah, it wasn't described in the book. She could only get that from the fact it's a polish story and Poland is full of white people. If anything, that makes it more racist, because her race isn't considered in the book as a reason for her beauty.

3) I will defend her by saying that's not what she was saying. She was inferring the book was sending the message about white meaning beautiful. Not that she genuinely believes that. That's the idea she called outdated.

4) again, my point of her being racist is entirely on the logic of the recasting. Not the race of the actual actress.
Clintthahamster
Clintthahamster - 8/2/2023, 12:12 PM
@Origame - '...well she saw a white woman being called pretty, said it was outdated, and "fixed" it by casting a minority.'

Or, she saw a character description that said "beautiful" and considered non-white actors for the role. I guess it comes down to worldview, depending on whether or not one believes in Great Replacement Theory. I, for one, am not a paranoid racist, so I'm not too bothered by it.
Clintthahamster
Clintthahamster - 8/2/2023, 12:15 PM
@Origame - "it's a polish story and Poland is full of white people."

Well, it's written by a Polish author, but it's set in a fictional, mythological land called "The Continent," and the author has said explicitly that "mostly, I put aside existing mythologies and invent something myself." If anything, you're insulting the author by calling it simply Polish. Why would you want to insult the author, Origame?
Origame
Origame - 8/2/2023, 12:19 PM
@ClintThaHamster - considered non white actors for the role, while pointing out she's definitely white in the books and calling that idea outdated and needing to be fixed.

And no, it comes down to what she literally said. Even by your admission.

And I never evoked the replacement theory. Just saying she's calling the idea of a beautiful white woman being "outdated" racist. And my only issue with race bending characters is that they should look like the characters (which hilariously the actress still does because she looks white) 🤣
Origame
Origame - 8/2/2023, 12:24 PM
@ClintThaHamster - dude, just because it isn't perfectly translating polish mythology and isn't set in Poland doesn't mean it isn't a part of polish culture. All depictions of the characters in the illustrations were white, any character not white are rare and from completely different areas. This is racially Poland. And a huge part of that culture. In fact, the prime minister once gave president Obama the gift of a copy of the Witcher 2.

So if anything, you're insulting the author by trying to take away the cultural significance of his work by saying it isn't polish, as well as insulting all of Poland by justifying why it shouldn't be considered a polish work.
Clintthahamster
Clintthahamster - 8/2/2023, 12:46 PM
@Origame - Man, I unblocked you because I saw people responding to you all the time and thought I might be missing something, but nope!
SpiderParker
SpiderParker - 8/2/2023, 12:56 PM
@Origame - Are you saying Harry Potter doesn't have any Black or Asian characters? In a fictional story, unless the race is pointed out, the race can be anything. Also, Anya is WHITE!

And yes, she is being racist. She didn't call the POC beautiful (She is dominantly white, but lets stop that for a moment), She was justifying how White people are considered the most beautiful and she wanted to challenge that, (it's a racist statement, who said that? who considers white people to be the most beautiful? that's virtue signaling) she was only projecting her own standard of beauty.

Also, it was her thoughts not inferring the books, cause if the books are racist or misogynistic, being set in a older-time period gives it all the rights to be just that, cause of course that is "outdated" as it is meant to be. Which is why I previously said I don't disagree with your point to some degree but again, its a fantasy, I doubt there's a Witcher race in Poland right now and Anya is still White. So, the issue is only the comment itself.
Origame
Origame - 8/2/2023, 1:12 PM
@SpiderParker - 1) no because they were specifically described as those races and is set in modern day Europe which is significantly diverse compared to the rest of the world due to immigration.

The Witcher takes place in a medieval like fantasy world where travel made wide spread immigration basically impossible. In fact the story specifically points out this as the reason for lack of diversity when a POC does show up.

And no, she did call her beautiful. Just that the book is (apparently) under the impression that only white people can be beautiful. The hiring of the actress was meant to challenge that by being a POC but still beautiful.

And really? You're not taking umbridge with her calling a book that was written. In modern times sexist and racist because it's set in the past?
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