While Henry Cavill is undeniably 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. Their paths converge in Netflix's animated film, *The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep*, where Cockle lends his iconic voice to the character.
Interestingly, Cockle wasn't asked to emulate either Cavill or Liam Hemsworth's portrayal. This allowed him to utilize the same vocal approach that defined his Geralt for nearly two decades, ensuring fans hear the familiar, gravelly tones they've come to love.
That distinctive voice was forged in 2005 during the recording of the first *Witcher* game. Cockle recalls the initial 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 humorously compares to an athlete building muscle.
The release of *The Last Wish* in English marked a turning point during *Witcher 2*'s development. Cockle explains, "The books started coming out in English while I was recording *Witcher 2*. Before that, it was the developers who taught me about Geralt. As soon as *The Last Wish* came out, I bought it and tore through it. Reading it clarified aspects of Geralt I hadn't understood before." This deepened his understanding of the character, particularly regarding Geralt's often-described emotional restraint.
"The developers kept saying, 'He's emotionless,' and I was like, 'Okay, I get it, but I'm an actor. I want to play with emotions.' But reading the book helped me understand why they wanted a flat emotional life for him."
Cockle's appreciation for Andrzej Sapkowski's writing, reminiscent of his childhood love for Tolkien, is evident. *Season of Storms* stands out as a favorite, a story he'd relish the opportunity to voice in future adaptations. "It's one of those stories where I thought, 'Oh, this is horrible, awful,' but thrilling at the same time. The graphic fight scenes would be fun to adapt for anime or a TV episode."
In *Sirens of the Deep*, based on "A Little Sacrifice," Cockle enjoys the lighter moments, particularly a campfire conversation between Geralt and Jaskier, showcasing Geralt's less-seen softer side. "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 don't land."
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The anime presented a unique challenge: speaking Mermaid. Cockle admits, "I found it really difficult. I got phonetic spellings, but in front of the mic, it was harder than I thought."
His return to video games in *The Witcher 4*, where Geralt will be a supporting character to Ciri, is highly anticipated. While remaining tight-lipped on details, Cockle expresses excitement about the shift in perspective. "It's a good move. Continuing the saga, but shifting to Ciri is interesting, especially considering events in the books. I can't wait to see what they've done."
For more on CD Projekt Red's plans, check out our interview with the creators of *The Witcher 4*. To connect with Doug Cockle, watch *The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep* on Netflix, or find him on Instagram, Cameo, and X.
