It seems The Witcher just lost one of its, well, witchers. Actor Thue Rasmussen (F9: The Fast Saga) has taken to Instagram to confirm that due to scheduling conflicts caused by COVID-19, he will no longer be playing Eskel in season two of the popular Netflix series.
"Sadly, due to the rescheduling because of Covid-19, I will not be portraying Eskel in The Witcher," he explains, later adding. "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."
If he spent times on set, it's likely he filmed some scenes, so it now remains to be seen whether Netflix decides to cut him from the series, recast, or just make his role in proceedings smaller.
Eskel is an important character in The Witcher mythos. Like Geralt of Rivia, he was taught at the School of the Wolf by Master Vesemir at Kaer Morhen. Though less famous than his peer Geralt, Eskel became renowned in his own right as a professional, reliable witcher, and possessing a kind and relaxed disposition.
Check out Rasmussen statement in full below: