“I gave you all I could give,” Tissaia de Vries says. “What more do you want?”
The response from Yennefer of Vengerberg is brief, bold, and brilliantly indicative of one of The Witcher’s most enduringly beloved characters: “Everything.”
The above exchange occurs in episode five of The Witcher’s inaugural season and pertains to Yennefer’s transformation from Tissaia’s little Piglet into one of The Continent’s most deadly sorceresses. In the years since she left Aretuza, Yen has grown hungry for authority, status, and power. Still, there is always a deep kind of benevolence imbued in her - even at her coldest, Yen is one of The Witcher’s warmest characters.
This depth makes her persona one that is particularly challenging to take on, especially when you consider that Yen’s entire arc in the Netflix series is mostly original. For actress Anya Chalotra, this presented a unique opportunity to turn an already revered character into someone even more complex and accessible.
“I felt a lack of pressure because I knew we were focusing on Yennefer’s backstory,” Chalotra tells me. “I could bring in whatever we wanted as a team to make her into the icon that everyone loves, someone who I don't think we see the whole of. We get that opportunity in this series. I hope the fans really enjoyed delving into that and seeing what's behind that stern, cold exterior.”
Prior to the Netflix series, Yennefer’s most prominent appearances have been in Andrzej Sapkowki’s Witcher novels and CD Projekt Red’s behemoth RPG The Witcher 3, both of which have helped carve out that iconic status Chalotra speaks of. While the books and games offer us a look at Yen’s more tender side, the Netflix series consciously makes a point to not just broach her ostensibly cold demeanor, but to contextualise how Yennefer became the person she is in the first place. As a result, Chalotra has been able to individually dig into the elements of Yennefer that collectively contribute to her popularity - something she feels is earned for a variety of reasons.
“She breaks fantasy stereotypes and she doesn't take no for an answer,” Chalotra explains. “I think she's also very unpredictable and exciting to watch - you don't necessarily feel safe with her.
“But not only that, you see where she's come from. I've definitely fallen in love with her from where she's come from to where she is now. That's what the audience sees as well, you see that whole journey. You get to invest in that.”
This is probably the most important aspect to consider when discussing Netflix’s version of Yennefer, at least for season one. The series’ second season is due to air on December 17 and will adapt many of the events that transpire in Andrzej Sapkowski’s Blood of Elves, although given that The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny primarily focus on Geralt, most of Yennefer’s scenes from last season were fully original to the Netflix show. In an effort to continue elevating Yennefer to the same level of importance as Geralt and Ciri, next season will feature even more original material.
“You’ll still love her,” Chalotra says. “The only reason we add new material is to get to know these characters better and bring out elements of them that people might not have assumed. Or maybe they presume something that actually, if you look at it [from] another angle, something equally as brilliant comes out of their personality. I think that's what the writing really does in season two - it brings these characters to light in the best way.
“All the additions to the scripts just bring a fullness to them. It's not to damage their character in any way or it's not one sided. It’s so the audience sees the whole of them and makes their own opinion of each character. And I think that's what’s really brilliant about The Witcher is there's no right or wrong, there's no evil or good. It's up to the audience. We get a fair view by watching the Witcher because you see the whole of it.”
Obviously, not all of Yennefer’s arc will be original. Those who have read the books will likely already have an idea of where Yennefer is headed - who she’ll meet, what she’ll do, and how she’ll respond to certain situations. Anyone who has played the games is also likely to have crucial context for who Yennfer strives to become down the line. As a result of that preexisting knowledge, there’s a lot of chatter among fans about Yen’s inevitable meeting with Ciri.
“We do meet in season two,” Chalotra says. “I think fans know from the books that we will continue to stay true to that relationship. From what we have established in season two, I think we're on a really exciting journey. I'm very happy with the way it's going right now.
“Nothing really is figured out in season two. We've got a long journey to go on. Hopefully we'll get to play that out. But from their meeting, all I can say is it's a complex relationship which is going to take each of the characters making certain choices which will either help or hinder their relationship. It's exciting to me though, because you've got three orphans who are put together and from what I've read and know they find such a beautiful dynamic between them. They need each other, I think.”
Chalotra also says Yennefer is set to “make some unlikely alliances that will change her life” in season two, although it remains to be seen who said alliances will be with. For those who haven’t read the books, all I’ll say is that there’s a good chance we’ll get to see Yennefer in a pretty badass fight scene, as well as possibly one of the most affecting exchanges between Yen and Ciri in the entire saga.
It’s worth noting that the journey Chalotra and her co-stars have been on has already been longer than expected. On top of the usual challenges that come with filming a TV series, the people working on The Witcher had to adjust to working through a pandemic.
“It wasn't [easy],” Chalotra tells me. “There were parts that were easier than being in the real world because we were in a space which we were protected in. We have an onsite testing centre and I felt safer inside the studios than I did out.
“In one aspect it was fine. In another, it lasted a year and a half for goodness sake. To sustain yourself through lockdown is hard, but to sustain a character and bring the utmost respect, etiquette, and everything else to a set so everyone can do their jobs fully... because it's all coming from you, it can be quite tiring. But you have to pinch yourself and remember ‘I’m playing Yennefer of Vengerberg’. It was hard, sometimes, but equally quite liberating.”
This juxtaposition of difficulty and liberation has allowed Chalotra to take quite a lot from her experiences playing Yennefer so far. When asked about what her favourite part of performing in such a prominent role has been, she’s quick to state that finding out more about herself has been a particularly rewarding part of embodying Yennefer.
“That's why I got into acting,” Chalotra says. “I love playing parts that challenge my understanding of certain situations [and] circumstances, and this is a magical world so it really does challenge my understanding.
“She's changed my life. Everything she goes through is a new experience for me, especially in this magic world. I just bloody hope I bring the best version of truth to the screen.”
The Witcher season two will debut exclusively on Netflix on December 17, 2021.