Showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich on The Witcher's tough women

In adapting the darkly fantastical world of Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher Saga novels—which also inspired the popular video game series—showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich is at the helm of a complex history of mythology and monsters. It’s no small task, but Schmidt Hissrich has previously showcased her knack for genre adaptation with her work on Netflix’s Daredevil, The Defenders, and The Umbrella Academy, just to name a few. In its first season, The Witcher pulls from some of Sapkowski’s earlier stories, providing Schmidt Hissrich with a rich narrative that boldly sets it apart from other entries in the fantasy genre. We sat down with the showrunner to talk about the art of adaptation and what she drew from the books, including a wicked sense of humor and a wealth of independent female characters that were inspired by the “tough-ass women” of Sapkowski’s home country.