Henry Cavill Was So Muscular That He Ruined His 'Witcher' Costume, and the Internet Can't Get Over It

Henry Cavill prepared well for his role on The Witcher — perhaps too well, according to the [...]

By Michael Hein

Henry Cavill prepared well for his role on The Witcher — perhaps too well, according to the show's costume designer. The actor spent a lot of time getting in shape for the role, and the results were impressive muscles that "wore down the leather" of his armor. Social media is still reeling from this behind-the-scenes fact.

Cavill plays Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher. A magically mutated warrior, Geralt is a part of a reclusive sect of magic-using fighters who were created with the sole task of killing monsters throughout the continent. He had to be strong, and as the cinematic face of Superman, Cavill was prepared to meet that requisite.

Reporters from Polygon visited the set of The Witcher in Europe, saving up facts and Easter eggs for a feature report that came out ahead of the show's premiere this weekend. In it, they talked to the armorers and costume designers, who said Cavill had a heavy hand in compiling his own materials and look to play Geralt.

Costume designer Tim Aslan said that "not only was the actor particular about his outfit, but that during shooting, his muscles wore down the leather at such an alarming rate that replacements were constantly produced to meet the production's needs," according to the report.

On the show, Geralt dresses in studded leather armor with big shoulder plates with many belts and straps and overlapping panels. The effect is often to cover up Cavill's hard-earned muscles. Apparently, the muscles weren't having that.

Fans had appreciative responses for this little tidbit, some of which ranged into the explicit. Many responded with a suggestions like: "then stopping putting clothes on him" on Twitter, and the consensus was strong.

"I don't know if it's cheap or sexy," one person wrote.

The man is too swole," added another.

A few knowledgeable people even chimed in with helpful tips about caring for leather and ensuring it fits properly, while speculating that his armor was too snug, since producers would have wanted to show off Cavill's physique.

Cavill has been enthusiastic about this new role from the start, and has discussed his process of training extensively, with eye towards the stunts that he would be taking on by himself wherever possible. The actor even carries a real, heavy sword in the show, meaning ever take in a combat scene took a lot out of him.

The Witcher hit Netflix on Friday, and so far the reviews have been largely positive — especially from casual audiences, who gave it a 92 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

The Witcher Season 1 is streaming now on Netflix.

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