Warning: This article contains spoilers from The Witcher season 3 volume 2 and contains mention of suicide.
While headlines have been busy discussing Henry Cavill’s exit from The Witcher, season 3 has quietly said goodbye to another long-serving cast member. In the show’s heartbreaking finale, Tissaia de Vries commits suicide after the events of the siege of Aretuza.
"One of the first things we learn about Chaos is that it always has consequences," she writes to Yennefer in a letter in her final scene. "There is a cost to this magic and eventually we all must pay." Her death is canon in Andrzej Sapkowski’s novels, so it was something actor MyAnna Buring tells 12DOVE that she knew was coming.
"When I signed on three seasons ago, almost five years ago, I knew that this was coming," she explains. "I knew that that was the end. So for me, it was very emotional to do it and it's actually been emotional talking about it today [at the junket]."
However, Buring is keen to point out that her time on the show has been a very special part of her life. "It's been wonderful," she beams. "For me personally it's just been such a great journey, I've had the best time. My little boy has grown up with this show being filmed around him. It's been incredible and an incredible world to be a part of. So I'm just very grateful.
"In terms of the character, I think the best stories have characters come to an end so that new things can blossom and grow. Tissaia has been a wonderful character to follow, so as tragic as her passing is, I also think it is a huge celebration that we got to get to know her at all."
It certainly feels like Buring will be missed on set a great deal, as her co-star Therica Wilson-Read, who plays sorceress Sabrina Glevissig also shares. "A lot of tears were shed," she admits of her final days, "A lot." Holding on to her co-star’s hand, Wilson-Read adds, "It was an emotional week. Every time that you realize that it was maybe one of your last scenes with MyAnna or that in a week it would be your last scene with MyAnna, there’d be floods of tears."
Buring adds that she was also very tearful as the big farewell approached too, especially on her final day on set. "I remember we shot it and because I knew it was happening, I was maybe not blase about it, but you know, just quite pragmatic about it," she continues.
"And I got to my trailer, and they’d put in my character chair with my name on it, and that – I don't know why – but the image of Tissaia de Vries with a little quote on it, I couldn't stop, I just was bawling. And then I had to walk to the make-up room and saw all of you because the Aretuza gang were there and I just couldn't stop crying. It was really emotional."
Tissaia will certainly be missed in the series going forward, which also says goodbye to Henry Cavill's Geralt after this season. Read our farewell to that performance here as well.
If you're affected by anything discussed in this article, please visit https://www.samaritans.org/ or call 116123.
These interviews were completed prior to the SAG/AFTRA strikes.
