The Witcher Season 4 continues to be the subject of debate, but one actor who made their debut in the Netflix series has gone viral for his “accurate” portrayal, even convincing some fans to rethink how they perceive the fourth chapter.
Ever since Geralt star Henry Cavill announced he’d be leaving The Witcher to pursue new projects, the series has faced a number of challenges. While Liam Hemsworth does a fine job as the White Wolf, that hasn’t shielded it from criticism.
Season 4’s first-week viewership figures dropped 50% from Season 3, and it’s also received the lowest Rotten Tomatoes scores of the flagship series, earning 56% from critics and 19% from audiences.
But as is the case with any TV show based on beloved IP, it’s not all negative. There’s still plenty to enjoy in The Witcher’s latest outing, including the incredible cast performances. One in particular is in the spotlight right now: Sharlto Copley as Leo Bonhart. Warning: spoilers ahead!
Leo Bonhart actor receives praise despite The Witcher Season 4 backlash
Copley, who made his debut as the legendary bounty hunter in Season 4, took to X/Twitter yesterday (November 9) to write, “Hello Witcher Fans… hope you enjoy my Leo. Tried to keep him faithful spirit of the books. PS (kids, may he serve as a reminder to always listen to your elders… haha).”
His character is an assassin who’s gained infamy as a Witcher killer, collecting their medallions as trophies, and in The Witcher Season 4, he’s paid to hunt down the Rats (notably, to locate Ciri).
All of this builds to a horrific finale in which Leo brutally executes the Rats in front of Ciri. Many fans have used Copley’s post to share praise for his character arc and portrayal, feeling it was in line with the tone of Andrzej Sapkowski’s novels.
“The scene where you annihilate the Rats was literally one of the few extremely satisfying things in this entire season,” wrote one. “Wish they had the entire show in that tone, it would have been a success on the level of GoT.”
Another said, “While I have rather mixed feelings about the show in general, your performance was absolutely stunning! You portrayed the character exactly as I imagined him 25 years ago when I first read the books. The little kid inside me is truly impressed.”
“I’ve only seen ‘the scene’ and it looks like you nailed it. Got flashbacks of reading it 20 years ago. Kudos,” a third agreed, while a fourth added, “I think your Leo is the most accurate depiction of a witcher. Amazing job.”
The post has received more than 250,000 views, nearly 7000 likes, and hundreds of comments and reshares, with some even saying they might give Season 4 a go after watching Copley in action.
“I’ve been very disinterested in the series after Season 1, but watching a short clip of your character has made me FAR more interested in watching,” said one.
“You are one of my favorite actors of all time from District 9 and Elysium. I didn’t even realize it was you playing Leo until Episode 8. Brilliant. Emmy isn’t enough, need an Oscar for this,” wrote another.
A third added, “The moment I heard about the casting, I was so thrilled! I love District 9 and Elysium, and I knew you’d be perfect for the role of Leo Bonhart, and I wasn’t disappointed, on the contrary! Absolutely killed it (literally)! Best villain ever, can’t wait for Season 5.”
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