Netflix’s The Witcher is (hopefully) going to be the game-to-screen adaptation that we want and deserve, but it seems the project is hitting the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
People have started a petition to block the casting of “black, Asian and those of non-white ethnic backgrounds” for the upcoming show after a casting call surfaced looking for an actress to play Ciri.
The Change.org petition states: “A recent casting call for Ciri in the Netflix TV show The Witcher, has been revealed to be ‘looking for a 16 or 15 year old BAME girl.’
“For those unaware, BAME stands for Black, Asain [sic], and non white minority ethnic backgrounds…
“I, as well as many other fans of this series belive [sic] that the best actress, not the most diverse actress, should be cast as Ciri.”
Unfortunately although the petition’s creator focuses on the lore of The Witcher and calls out for respectful comments only, some of the people signing have taken things one step further.
People are calling out for the ENTIRE cast to be white, suggesting the petition has encouraged people to sign for their own racist agendas.
Naturally Twitter has a lot to say on the matter and it seems The Witcher fandom is divided on the issue, querying the reasoning behind changing Ciri’s heritage and ethnicity for the show.
#witchernetflix Lauren. Cirilla is described in the books as pale skinned, with ashen (white) hair. Set in fantasy poland The Witcher is a piece of cultural pride for Poland, a historically oppressed nation. So why is your casting call looking for anything but a white actress?
— Loosh (@Alverd_Dralshya) September 8, 2018
One user tweeted: “#witchernetflix Lauren. Cirilla is described in the books as pale skinned, with ashen (white) hair.
“Set in fantasy poland The Witcher is a piece of cultural pride for Poland, a historically oppressed nation. So why is your casting call looking for anything but a white actress?”
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So if Ciri is gonna be black or asian , i suppose her father the emperor of an empire called Nilfgaard, a bloke named Emhyr var Emreis, which sounds very white european, is going to be black or asian as well? That doesn’t sound too forced to you? #witchernetflix
— カラス (@JohnrichCondes) September 9, 2018
Another questioned how the decision might affect the law in the game, wondering: “So if Ciri is gonna be black or asian , i suppose her father the emperor of an empire called Nilfgaard, a bloke named Emhyr var Emreis, which sounds very white european, is going to be black or asian as well? That doesn’t sound too forced to you? #witchernetflix“
Because of the massive backlash The Witcher’s showrunner has now quit Twitter.
Don’t care if the Ciri isn’t white, just want a good actress for the role
— Zach McBride (@Zach6844) September 8, 2018
A Twitter user added what we’re all thinking here, saying: “Don’t care if the Ciri isn’t white, just want a good actress for the role.”
Well said!