The Witcher’s Doug Cockle on Becoming Netflix’s Latest Geralt

While Henry Cavill may be the most famous actor to portray Geralt of Rivia, Doug Cockle—the voice of Geralt in CD Projekt Red's acclaimed RPG series—remains the definitive White Wolf for many gamers. Now, their Geralts converge in Netflix's animated film, The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep, with Cockle reprising his iconic role.

Interestingly, Cockle wasn't asked to emulate Henry Cavill or Liam Hemsworth's portrayal. This allowed him to utilize the same vocal techniques that created Geralt's signature gravelly voice, providing fans with the familiar tones they've cherished for nearly two decades.

Cockle developed that voice back in 2005, during the recording of the first Witcher game. He recalls the challenge: "The thing I found most challenging about recording Witcher 1 was actually the voice itself. When I first started, Geralt's voice was very, very low in my register. It was something I had to push towards." Long recording sessions (eight to nine hours daily) initially strained his voice, a process he compares to an athlete building muscle.

The development of The Witcher 2 marked another significant shift. "The books started coming out in English while I was recording," Cockle explains. "Before that, the developers taught me about Geralt. But as soon as The Last Wish came out, I read it and understood aspects of Geralt I hadn't before. The developers kept saying, 'He's emotionless,' and I wanted to play with emotions. Reading the book helped me understand their push for a more emotionally restrained portrayal."

Cockle fell in love with Sapkowski's writing, connecting with the fantasy world reminiscent of Tolkien. Season of Storms remains a favorite, a story he'd relish voicing should Netflix require his services again. "It's horrible and awful, but thrilling," he says, highlighting the graphic fight scenes suitable for anime or a TV episode.

In Sirens of the Deep, based on "A Little Sacrifice," Cockle appreciates the lighter moments, particularly a humorous exchange between Geralt and Jaskier. He enjoys exploring Geralt's multifaceted personality: "I enjoy the gravitas of Geralt when he's serious, but I also like those moments when he's trying to be light, cracking jokes that usually fall flat."

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Sirens of the Deep presented a unique challenge: speaking Mermaid. Cockle found it surprisingly difficult, despite phonetic guides. His return to video games in The Witcher 4, however, promises a smoother experience, with a reduced workload and Geralt in a supporting role to Ciri.

Cockle remains tight-lipped about The Witcher 4, but enthusiastically supports the shift to Ciri as protagonist. "It's a good move," he says, citing reasons rooted in the books. He encourages readers to discover these themselves. For more on The Witcher 4, he directs readers to an in-depth interview with its creators. To connect with Doug Cockle, check out The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep on Netflix, or find him on Instagram, Cameo, and X.