The Witcher Season 4 is now on Netflix with a brand-new face for Geralt. Liam Hemsworth has replaced Henry Cavill, who played the character for the first three seasons. And though TV recasts of big characters have happened before, it’s hard to argue that there has been a more successful one than this.
What The Witcher is now in Season 4, and what it is likely to be in the fifth and final season, has little to do with the growling, broody version of Geralt that Cavill gave us. And some fans might argue that’s a good thing, as the show is now closer to the source material than it ever was before.
If you’re interested in what other actors not only nailed a recast, but made the character better than it originally was, we’ve put together a list of other roles shaped by the person who took over from the original star. If you don’t even remember who played these characters first in some cases, I can’t say I blame you. Watch these shows now on Netflix, HBO Max, and more.
Liam Hemsworth’s Geralt Is Better Than Henry Cavill’s
Big words, I know. But if you like your main characters to be less Zack Snyder’s Superman and more grumpy but still charismatic, Liam Hemsworth is your guy. Forget how bland he was as Gale in The Hunger Games franchise. This is Hemsworth’s best character by far, and he embodies it not just physically (though, the fight choreography is still A+), but emotionally.
It helps that Season 4 of The Witcher is also the most entertaining season yet, writing-wise. Yennefer’s arc makes sense, Ciri’s arc makes sense, and it all comes together in a really great way. You thought you had to give up on the show after Cavill left? Think again. In fact, at this point, we can put this video game adaptation next to Fallout (2024) and The Last of Us (2023) among the most successful ones.
Who Actually Remembers The Original Daario Naharis On ‘Game of Thrones’?
Yes, Ed Skrein originated the role of Daario Naharis onGame of Thrones (2011), and he was indeed pretty blond and hunky. But there was nothing about him that was memorable, and his chemistry with Emilia Clarke’s Daenerys was just okay. By the time Michiel Huisman showed up to play the same character, we’d already forgotten Skrein’s take. Sorry, not sorry. The chemistry was red hot, the character was still pretty hunky, and though we knew the romance was always doomed to end, we still enjoyed it while it lasted.
Credit where credit is due, the change took the character from a footnote to someone we actually remember. If you like fantasy and haven’t watched Game of Thrones by now, what are you waiting for?
Noah Centineo Made Jesus Foster Work In ‘The Fosters’
Before To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018) made Noah Centineo the internet’s boyfriend, the actor displayed all his charisma in the Freeform family dramaThe Fosters (2013). He didn’t originate the character, but rather replaced Jake T. Austin as the second eldest son, Jesus. Nothing against Austin, but Centineo really gave the character new depth, and he was the one present for the bigger storylines, like a traumatic brain injury and an eventual reconciliation with girlfriend-turned-fiancé Emma.
The Fosters isn’t exactly groundbreaking entertainment, more like Party of Five (1994) meets Parenthood (2010), but the family dynamics and Centineo’s performance still make it a great watch.
Austin Stowell Is Young Gibbs On ‘NCIS: Origins’
I’m not saying Austin Stowell is a better Gibbs than Mark Harmon, who originated the character and played the older version on NCIS (2003). That would be sacrilegious. But I am saying that he is indeed better than Sean Harmon, who played the young version of Gibbs in flashbacks for the original series.NCIS: Origins (2024) is a show just about the younger version of Gibbs, so he gets more time to develop the character, and he has certainly made the most of it.
There’s just something about seeing Stowell become the character we know and love that works really well. And the good thing about a prequel is, you don’t actually need to know anything about NCIS to enjoy it, though if you know the mothership then you will certainly enjoy it more.
Erica Durance Played Supergirl’s Mom
Yes, Erica Durance, better known for playing Lois Lane in Smallville (2001) stepped into another super role later in life, playing Kara’s mom Alura in theSupergirl (2015) series. But she did not originate the character, Laura Benanti did. As good as she was at it, someone with a previous connection to the Superman mythos was just better..
Plus, Durance was just a really great holo-counsel for Kara in a show that, in many ways, feels like the reason we are now getting a Supergirl movie. It was that good, and Melissa Benoist will forever be Supergirl for an entire generation. The fact they secured Erica Durance to play Alura doesn’t hurt, either.
Frank Costanza Became Iconic On ‘Seinfeld’
Yes, the late John Randolph played George’s dad in a Season 4 episode ofSeinfeld (1989), which was later reshot with Jerry Stiller, and it wasn’t bad! But no one can argue that Stiller didn’t make the character iconic.
Perhaps it was the chemistry with Jason Alexander, who played his son George, or perhaps it was the way Stiller always played Frank so over the top and yet believable. Either way, Frank Costanza became part of pop culture because of Jerry Stiller, and everyone kinda forgot someone else once played the character. And yes, people are still watching Seinfeld to this day and enjoying George and Frank’s screaming matches. “Serenity now!”
Francesca On ‘Bridgerton’ Looks Very Different
Bridgerton (2020) focuses on a different sibling’s romantic storyline every season, so when the show re-cast Ruby Stokes with Hannah Dodd for Season 3, it was still early enough that no one really batted an eye. Francesca got a much bigger role in Season 3—and her first marriage—but she’s not due to be the main character for probably two more seasons. So, we’ll have more time with Dodd as Francesca before her turn to headline the show ever comes than we had with Stokes.
And people are already invested. The contemporary romance market is pretty saturated, particularly when it comes to YA (think The Summer I Turned Pretty), but we’re sadly lacking in the way of period romance adaptations. So, until we get more, Bridgerton will continue to reign supreme. As it should.
James Kent’s ‘True Blood’ Replacement Made The Character Better
It’s rare to see a character replaced so late in a show’s run, but when Nathan Parsons replaced Luke Grimes as James Kent onTrue Blood Season 6, the character undoubtedly got more interesting. The season after, Luke became a love interest for Lafayette Reynolds, and we got to explore a different side of the character.
As that was the most memorable storyline James Kent got, to this day, Parsons is better remembered as the character. If you enjoyed The Vampire Diaries (2009) but want a more serious tone, you’re likely to enjoy True Blood and what the show ended up doing with James Kent.
