When the Witcher Netflix series was announced, fans were excited to know they’d have more experiences in the beloved fantasy world. Of course, the question then became who’d play the iconic roles of Geralt and his band of friends. Henry Cavill, best known for Superman, will be playing the role of Geralt himself, with some lesser known actors and actresses filling the roles of characters like Yennefer and Ciri.
Of course, one of the bigger characters in the Witcher series is Dandelion, also known as Jaskier. Dandelion is a smarmy bard and Geralt’s closest friend, who ends up getting him in more trouble than anything else.
We have a few picks on actors that should play the role of Dandelion, based on both looks and experience. Keep in mind the Witcher Netflix series will, of course, be an adaption of the book series and not the video games. However, we’re still using the video portrayal of Dandelion as a baseline for what the character should look like. Now, without further ado, here are five actors that should play Dandelion (Jaskier) in the Witcher Netflix series.
Actors That Should Play Dandelion (Jaskier) In The Witcher Netflix Series
Tom Hiddleston
Tom Hiddleston is, obviously, best known for his phenomenal portrayal of Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The mythology-based Marvel characters actually has a lot in common with Dandelion from the Witcher, and Hiddleston’s overly cocky, sarcastic portrayal of Loki would make him a great fit for Dandelion.
However, Hiddleston has tons of other acting credits outside of Marvel. Early on in his career, the British actor gained experience in stage plays with Donmar Warehouse. This included playing Cassio in Othello, alongside Chiwetel Ejiofor and Ewan McGregor.
He’s also played roles in the BBC television films Henry IV and Henry V. These experiences playing historical characters give him a strong basis for the medieval fantasy world of The Witcher.
To top it all of his general look and upbeat personality simply make him a shoe-in for the role of Geralt’s closest friend.
Actors That Should Play Dandelion (Jaskier) In The Witcher Netflix Series
Orlando Bloom
Simply looking at Orlando Bloom’s role of Will Turner in Pirates of the Caribbean shows how perfect he’d be for Dandelion. The two characters look eerily similar, and their brash, overconfident personalities have a lot in common as well. Of course, Bloom is no stranger to roles in fantasy universes, as for years he portrayed the iconic character Legolas in Lord of the Rings.
His roles in movies like The Three Musketeers and Kingdom of Heaven also give him plenty of relevant experience for The Witcher. Bloom consistently portrays characters that have the same kind of smarmy personality that Dandelion does, and he’d have no problem filling the shoes of the womanizing bard. His accent and look also make him one of the most obvious choices, in terms of appearance.
Actors That Should Play Dandelion (Jaskier) In The Witcher Netflix Series
Ben Barnes (Prince Caspian in Narnia, Bill in Punisher)
Most recently you probably recognize Ben Barnes as Billy Russo in Punisher or as Logan in Westworld. However, the actor’s first big role was in a major fantasy series, playing Prince Caspian in the Chronicles of Narnia films. These wildly different roles show the intense range that Barnes has to his acting, and as the actor sports an obvious likeness to Dandelion as he’s gotten older.
Most of Barnes’ recent roles are devious villains, but characters like Billy Russo have a very arrogant air about them, on top of being a womanizer. His role in the Punisher, despite very different settings, has quite a few similarities to Dandelion. With experience in a fantasy setting and some big recent roles, Barnes would be a great pick for the Witcher Netflix series.
Actors That Should Play Dandelion (Jaskier) In The Witcher Netflix Series
Ian Somerhalder (Boone in Lost)
Ian Somerhalder may be the actor that most resembles what Dandelion is supposed to look like, and he has an uncanny resemblance to the video game’s portrayal of the character, as well as various art. Somerhalder is best known for playing Boone Carlyle on Lost and Damon Salvatore in The Vampire Diaries. He’s no stranger to mature television series, which is certainly what Netlfix’s The Witcher is going to be.
Somerhalder’s experience is mostly in TV, which gives him a bit of an advantage over other candidates here. His two major roles, Lost and Vampire Diaries, had him playing free-spirited characters, which is just about the best word you could think of to describe Dandelion.
Actors That Should Play Dandelion (Jaskier) In The Witcher Netflix Series
Matt Smith (Doctor Who)
Matt Smith is best known for his role as the enigmatic Doctor in Doctor Who, but his portrayal of the iconic character is much goofier and more carefree than actors like David Tennant or Peter Capaldi. Smith spent seven years playing the Doctor, showing off a phenomenal range of acting talents, and the somewhat bumbling character has some similarities to Dandelion.
Of course, Smtih has plenty of other credits as an actor, playing Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh in the period piece The Crown and Parson Collins in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. His characters are never the most heroic looking, but Smith’s charm and style make him a perfect pick for Dandelion, both in terms of looks and personality .
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