Doug Cockle Discusses His Role as Netflix's New Geralt in The Witcher

While Henry Cavill may be the most famous actor to have portrayed Geralt of Rivia, he's not the first name that comes to mind for many, especially within the gaming community. For gamers, Doug Cockle, the voice behind Geralt in CD Projekt Red's critically acclaimed RPG series, is considered the definitive White Wolf. Now, the paths of Cavill and Cockle's Geralts have converged, with Cockle lending his iconic voice to Netflix's animated film, *The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep*.

Although Cockle isn't voicing the same Geralt as seen in the games, he was not asked to mimic Henry Cavill or Liam Hemsworth, who will take over the role in the next season of the live-action series. This creative choice allowed Cockle to utilize the same method and approach that crafted the distinctive, gravelly tones of his Geralt. Fans will still hear the voice they've cherished for nearly two decades.

Cockle developed this iconic voice back in 2005 while recording for the first Witcher video game. "The most challenging aspect of recording *Witcher 1* was the voice itself," Cockle recalls. "Initially, Geralt's voice was very deep in my register, something I had to push towards."

At the time, there were no clear guidelines on how long voice actors should record in a single session, leading Cockle to spend eight or nine hours a day delivering that gravelly voice. "I would return to my hotel feeling like my throat was shredded," he remembers. This struggle persisted into the recording of *The Witcher 2*, but eventually, Cockle's vocal cords adapted and strengthened, a process he humorously compares to an athlete conditioning their muscles.

Cockle's vocal adaptation wasn't the only significant change during the development of the second game. "The books started being released in English while I was recording *Witcher 2*," he explains. "Before that, the developers at CD Projekt Red were my sole source of information about Geralt. As soon as *The Last Wish* was available in English, I rushed to the bookstore and devoured it. Reading just that one book gave me insights into Geralt that I hadn't grasped before."

"The developers kept insisting, 'He's emotionless,'" Cockle says. "And I was like, 'Okay, I understand, but I'm an actor. I want to explore emotions.' Reading the book helped me understand why they were pushing for such a flat emotional portrayal."

Cockle quickly fell in love with the books, praising author Andrzej Sapkowski as "a wonderful writer." Having grown up with Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Cockle connected deeply with this new fantasy universe. Among Sapkowski's novels, he holds a special fondness for Season of Storms, a story he'd love to voice if Netflix ever needs Geralt again.

"It's one of those stories that, when I read it, I thought, 'This is horrible. This is awful.' Yet, it's thrilling at the same time," he says. "Sapkowski's graphic fight scenes would make for an exciting anime or TV episode."

Currently, fans can see and hear Cockle's Geralt in *Sirens of the Deep*, Netflix's latest animated Witcher adventure. Based on the short story "A Little Sacrifice" from the *Sword of Destiny* collection, it offers a dark and twisted take on Hans Christian Andersen's *The Little Mermaid*. After a mermaid and a human prince fall in love, Geralt becomes entangled in a conflict between two very different kingdoms. While the story is filled with intense action and political drama, Cockle is particularly drawn to its lighter moments, such as a humorous campfire conversation between Geralt and Jaskier, showcasing Geralt's often overlooked softer side.

"Part of the joy of acting is exploring the different facets of a character's personality and the choices they make," Cockle explains. "I enjoy Geralt's gravitas when he's serious and brooding, but I also appreciate those moments when he tries to be light-hearted. His attempts at humor, though often unsuccessful, add depth to his character."

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While much of Cockle's work on Sirens of the Deep involved using a voice that has become second nature, the project presented a unique challenge: learning to speak mermaid. For the first time in his career, Cockle had to perform in a fictional language.

"I found it really difficult," he admits. "I received phonetic spellings to familiarize myself with the language, hoping to be ready on the day. But when I got in front of the microphone, it was much harder than I anticipated."

Cockle's return to the world of video games in *The Witcher 4*, revealed with an exciting trailer at The Game Awards last year, should be much smoother. Returning to his original version of Geralt will feel like slipping into a comfortable pair of old slippers. Moreover, he won't need to record nearly as much dialogue as he did for the previous three games, as Geralt will be a supporting character in a story that focuses on Ciri, his adoptive daughter.

Cockle remains tight-lipped about *The Witcher 4*, claiming to know only as much as the public does. However, he's excited about CDPR's next chapter in The Witcher saga and believes the shift in perspective to Ciri is a promising move.

"I think it's a really good move," he says of the narrative shift to Ciri. "I always thought that continuing the saga but focusing on Ciri would be fascinating for many reasons, especially due to events in the books, which I won't spoil. I want people to read them. So, yes, I'm really excited. I can't wait to see what they've done."

To learn more about CD Projekt Red's plans, check out our in-depth interview with the creators of *The Witcher 4*. And to see more of Doug Cockle, watch *The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep* on Netflix, or follow him on Instagram, Cameo, and X.