While Henry Cavill may be the face most often associated with Geralt of Rivia in the popular Netflix series, within the gaming community, Doug Cockle is revered as the definitive voice of the White Wolf from CD Projekt Red's acclaimed RPG series. The worlds of Cavill's and Cockle's Geralts have now intertwined with Cockle lending his iconic voice to the character in Netflix's latest animated film, "The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep."
Cockle's portrayal in the animated film remains true to the voice he crafted for the video game series, despite not voicing the same Geralt as seen in the games. He was not directed to mimic Cavill or Liam Hemsworth, who will take over the role in the live-action series' next season. This allowed Cockle to continue using the method that brought us the distinct, gravelly tones fans have cherished for nearly two decades.
Cockle first developed Geralt's voice during the recording of the original Witcher game in 2005. He found the process challenging, as he had to push his voice into a lower register, which initially strained his vocal cords. "The thing I found most challenging about recording Witcher 1 was actually the voice itself," Cockle recalls. "When I first started recording the game, (Geralt’s) voice was very, very far down in my register. It was something I had to push towards." The demanding recording sessions, which lasted eight to nine hours a day, took a toll on his throat. However, by the time he recorded for The Witcher 2, his vocal cords had adapted, much like an athlete's muscles conditioning over time.
A significant shift occurred during the development of The Witcher 2, as the English translations of Andrzej Sapkowski's books became available. "The books started to come out in English while I was recording Witcher 2," Cockle explains. "Before that, it was the developers from CD Projekt Red who taught me everything I needed to know about Geralt. So as soon as The Last Wish came out in English, I was down at the bookstore buying it, and I tore through it. And I understood things about Geralt just from reading just that one book that I didn't understand at all before." This deeper understanding of the character helped him grasp why the developers insisted on portraying Geralt as emotionless, despite his own inclination to explore the character's emotional range.
Cockle's appreciation for Sapkowski's writing grew rapidly, connecting with the fantasy universe much like he had with Tolkien's works. Of all the novels, "Season of Storms" left a lasting impression on him, and he expressed interest in voicing Geralt for any future adaptations of this story. "It's one of those stories that when I read it, I was like, ‘Oh, this is horrible. This is awful.’ [But] it's thrilling at the same time," he says, envisioning its potential as an anime or TV episode.
In "The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep," which draws from the short story "A Little Sacrifice" from the "Sword of Destiny" collection, Cockle's Geralt navigates a conflict between two kingdoms following a forbidden romance between a mermaid and a human prince. While the film features intense action and political drama, Cockle is particularly drawn to the lighter moments, such as a humorous exchange between Geralt and Jaskier around a campfire. These scenes highlight Geralt's often-overlooked softer side, showcasing the multifaceted nature of the character. "I enjoy the gravitas of Geralt when he's all serious and mopey and whatever, but I do also like those moments when he's trying to be light," Cockle notes, appreciating the contrast between Geralt's seriousness and attempts at humor.
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While much of Cockle's work on "Sirens of the Deep" was familiar territory, he faced a new challenge: speaking in the fictional language of the mermaids. "I found doing this really difficult," he admits. "I got phonetic spellings of the words and things so I could get familiar with it and hopefully be okay on the day. And then I got in front of the mic and… it wasn't like performance anxiety or anything like that, it's just that it was a lot harder than I thought it was going to be."
Cockle is set to return to the gaming world in "The Witcher 4," where Geralt will play a supporting role to Ciri, his adoptive daughter, who takes center stage. This transition to Ciri as the protagonist is something Cockle believes is a smart move, especially given the developments in Sapkowski's books. "I think it's a really good move," he says. "I mean, I always thought that continuing the saga, but shifting to Ciri would be a really, really interesting move for all kinds of reasons, but mostly because of things that happen in the books, which I don't want to give away because people, I want people to go read. So yeah, I think it's really exciting. I can't wait. I can't wait to see what they've done."
For more insights into CD Projekt Red's plans, check out our detailed interview with the creators of "The Witcher 4." And to experience more of Doug Cockle's work, be sure to watch "The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep" on Netflix, or follow him on Instagram, Cameo, and X.
