Michelle Yeoh is revealing why she wanted to join The Witcher: Blood Origin. The upcoming miniseries, created by Declan de Barra and Lauren Schmidt Hissrich, is a prequel to Netflix’s popular fantasy adventure show, The Witcher. Set to premiere on December 25, Blood Origin will explore more of the lore established in Andrzej Sapkowski’s novels, taking place 1,200 years before Geralt’s exploits. In addition to Yeoh—whose character Scian, an elf, represents the last of the Ghost Tribe—The Witcher: Blood Origin stars Sophia Brown, Minnie Driver, Laurence O’Fuarain, Lenny Henry, and Mirren Mack.
In a recent interview with E! News, Yeoh explained why she was excited about joining the prequel series, revealing that it is not common to see “an Asian-looking elf.” She goes on to say that more of The Witcher‘s world will be explored and that fans will get to find out why a lot of the monsters are there. Read Yeoh’s comments regarding being a part of The Witcher: Blood Origin below:
“I get to play an elf, and you don’t see an Asian-looking elf running around a lot. I love this whole world of magic and monsters and defeating them, but I also wanted to learn why there were these monsters. In Blood Origin, you’ll find out, and it was a really exciting journey to be a part of.“
How Yeoh’s Witcher Casting Continues A Recent Fantasy Trend
Yeoh’s casting in The Witcher: Blood Origin, has continued a trend among recent fantasy projects, including The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and even The Wheel of Time. Across the genre, an increase in diversity has been noted by audiences, and Yeoh’s excitement about playing an elf and being a part of a franchise like The Witcher has been echoed by other stars. Following the release of The Rings of Power, actor Ismael Cruz Córdova celebrated the series’ inclusion, sharing the significance of his role as the Silvan elf, Arondir, and what representation does for others feeling sidelined.
Despite some unreasonable complaints surrounding the more diverse casting, shows such as The Rings of Power have managed to draw impressive ratings and even break records. During its season 1 run, stars like Elijah Wood, Billy Boyd, and Dominic Monaghan showed their support for the series and amid pushback from fans of J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels, Galadriel’s actress Morfydd Clark, touched on the complexities of the author’s work. When it comes to overall viewership though, the show prevailed, and The Witcher: Blood Origin will likely follow suit. The Witcher is already one of Netflix’s most popular series and with recent trailers highlighting Michelle Yeoh’s character, audiences can expect her role to be important to Blood Origin‘s own success.
Michelle Yeoh’s Blood Origin Character Explained
Yeoh’s character, Scian, is the last member of the Elven Ghost Tribe, on a journey to recover a stolen blade. She has piercing eyes and several distinctive tattoos, and with Yeoh’s notable stunt experience, Scian will likely be involved in a lot of action and shown as a tough match for anybody. When the series begins, the character will be alone in the Black Sands, but is rescued by another group after her tribe is killed, and develops a relationship with Éile (Brown). With only four episodes in the series, it will definitely be interesting to learn more about Scian’s role. Those looking forward to seeing Yeoh join the franchise can be sure to check out The Witcher: Blood Origin when it debuts December 25.
Source: E! News
