Kristofer Hivju, who will appear in the upcoming season of The Witcher, has tested positive for the coronavirus. Hivju is best known for the role of Tormund Giantsbane in Game of Thrones. He also recently appeared in the Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Will Ferrell starring comedy Downhill. In the The Witcher's second season he is set to play the cursed character, Nivellen, in the show's adaptation of "A Grain of Truth" from Andrej Sapkowski's short story collection, The Last Wish.
The Witcher had already shut down production on the second season before this news broke, following suit with Netflix's wave of production halts. The second season is due to adapt one of the last short stories and then move on to the series' first novel, Blood of Elves. Little is known about how far the second season will progress into The Witcher saga outside of a few leaks and casting reveals that suggest the show will spend time in the witcher stronghold Kaer Morhen as well as delve deeper into the Continent's politics. The show will remain shut down for at least the next two weeks but no concrete details for what this means for the show's eventual release have been made available.
Hivju revealed his diagnosis in an Instagram post earlier today. He stressed to fans that his symptoms are mild, only that of a cold, and that he and his family are in good health and will be "self-isolating at home for as long as it takes." He also encouraged fans to consider those for whom the diagnosis would be much more serious. Hivju also suggested people do everything they can to prevent the disease's spread, such as wash their hands, quarantine, and follow the instructions on their country's Center for Disease Control's website. Check out the full post below:
Deadline is also reporting that Netflix will be taking precautions to clean the set and prevent any further infections. In an email, the streaming giant stated:
We paused production prior to becoming aware of this, but as a further precaution we will be closing production offices and Arborfield immediately and arranging for deep cleaning and disinfection. We are in the process of contacting those who were in close contact with the relevant individual. However, due to the nature of this production, it is recommended that crew and cast self-quarantine for 14 days, monitor their temperature, and seek medical advice if they experience any symptoms.
Netflix's memo stressed that, according to the World Health Organization, the likelihood of catching the disease from someone not exhibiting symptoms is "very low," but regardless it's good to see Netflix treating the situation with the caution it deserves. Hivju and his family are thankfully not members of groups deemed to be most at risk, but there's no telling who he has come in contact with on set or otherwise. Hopefully, he and his family's symptoms will remain mild as they make a speedy recovery. It's unclear whether the crisis will have been managed enough for the show to actually resume filming in two weeks. as fans stay tuned for more updates on season 2 of The Witcher.
Sources: Kristofer Hivju, Deadline
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