Earlier this year, a former writer on Netflix’s The Witcher series revealed that other writers on the show had outward disdain for the source material and would even mock the original books. According to showrunner Lauren S. Hissrich, however, that isn’t true at all.
During a recent interview with the Sci-Fi & Fantasy Gazette, Hissrich spoke about writer Beau DeMayo’s comments, as well as denouncing any idea that she herself had any dislike of the original Andrzej Sapkowski novels or games from CD Projekt Red.
“I think if you watch … any interview I’ve ever done … including those with [Andrzej Sapkowski] … you’ll see that I am quite a fan of the books [and the games],” Hissrich said, before addressing DeMayo’s claims. “Do you believe … that when one person states something as fact, that it’s therefore fact? This particular thing is not a fact.”
Hissrich went on to say that she loved the books, and while she is bad at the games, she has never mocked either and claimed she had a great relationship with Sapkowski.
“I love the books. I’m s— at the games, but that’s me, not them,” said Hissrich. “I’ve never mocked the books … The books are my entire livelihood, I have a great relationship with Mr. Sapkowski, and writers rooms are sacred and safe and — more than anything — supportive spaces. Don’t believe everything you read.”
Although she did note that his claims were false, Hissrich did also praise DeMayo, saying she had “great respect” for him and that some of the episodes he wrote were among her favorite of the entire series.
She later added, “I have great respect for Beau, and the episodes he wrote! The Striga episode is one of my favorites. He wrote the one where people came to Kaer Morhen and Eskel died, which had a lot of backlash, but he was brave in telling the story he wanted to tell. It takes a lot of balls to do that. I respect that.”
