The Witcher: Blood Origin will mark Michelle Yeoh’s introduction to The Witcher universe, but the iconic action star, who will play Scian in the upcoming series, is already well-acquainted with the popular fantasy franchise.
“So I was already a big fan of The Witcher series because I love this world of fantasy and science fiction and monsters and the ability to do magic and all that,” Yeoh told IGN in a new interview.
Yeoh called writer Declan De Barra “very exciting” when he approached her to play Scian, a very skilled swordsman from the elven Ghost tribe. But Yeoh didn’t need that much convincing to join the new show – she was already “very attached to this genre.”
“I was completely drawn into it, because this is the original story – why do we have the Witcher? Why did we have to sacrifice a hero or heroine to create this Witcher that is able to save us all? And why did we get to this path?” Yeoh said “The elf kingdom was the golden age. How did we not manage to stay there? And I found that fascinating because this is a story that is a thousand, two, three hundred years ago prior to The Witcher. And for me that's always fascinating, mysterious, and interesting. So well, how do you say no to that?”
Bringing Scian to live in The Witcher: Blood Origin
Yeoh stars alongside Sophia Brown and Laurence O’Fuarain in the upcoming prequel to the hit Netflix series. The Witcher: Blood Origin will take place 1200 years before the original series and depict the creation of the first Witcher as well as the lead-up to the so-called “Conjunction of the Spheres” – the moment monsters slipped into the series’ world. It will be a four-part miniseries.
Talking about the process of bringing Scian to life, Yeoh described working closely with the show’s stunt coordinator to develop a style she describes as fluid and stealthy.
“She's the gel that brings her team together. And all the things that are done is not just a singular performance, it has to work as a team,” Yeoh says. “So the thing is how she works with Fjall and with Éile is how they move with and together. So it's the fluidity that makes this character and makes the style of fighting very, very different from like Crouching Tiger or even Emperor Georgiou.”
Despite the differences, Yeoh doesn’t really compare the characters, saying every one of the characters have their own place.
“I mean it's so fun,” Yeoh said. “You get to put on the ears and those amazing tattoos that tell the story of its own and those eyes that completely transforms…that you don't see whether it's Crouching Tiger, a warrior, or you don't see an aging woman who's trying to get her taxes done. And you just see this very spiritual elf.
“And that's what I love about being an actor is being able to step into different shoes and find things that are challenging. And hopefully every single time you find something completely different so that you're not just trying to repeat the same things again and again. And it's boring for you too.”
The Witcher: Blood Origin is set to release December 25. Go here to learn more about The Witcher: Blood Origins’ cast in the run-up to release.
Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.
source https://www.ign.com/articles/michelle-yeoh-witcher-blood-origin-interview