Freya Allan, the young star who charmed audiences as Ciri (Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon)—Geralt of Rivia’s ward and the princess of Cintra—in Netflix’s The Witcher, recently shared a story about her career trajectory.
After spending three seasons immersed in a world of magic and monsters, Allan yearned for something normal (like a simple drama with everyday conversations). Little did she know, her next role would be anything but.
The actress’ next role took her into a very different world. She ended up in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, which is set in a chaotic, post-apocalyptic world with lots of action and strange events.
Planet of the Apes was Not Something Freya Allan Had Ever Imagined
During an interview at Entertainment Weekly‘s video studio at Comic-Con 2024, Freya Allan described arriving in Australia, expecting something normal. Instead, she found herself in a setting with people acting like apes and making unusual noises. It was a big shift from what she had hoped for. The 22-year-old said:
I actually left The Witcher,” Allan recalled, “everyone was like, ‘What do you want to do next?’ and I was like, ‘Something really normal, you know, just people around a table having a chat.
The Oxford native continued:
Cut to: I’ve flown out to Australia, I’m walking down into this dungeon and there are a bunch of humans running around making crazy noises, and I’ve got Owen [Teague] coming up to me greeting me like [an ape],” Allan continued. “I’m like, ‘Yeah, yeah, of course. I said I wanted something normal, and now I’m in something where there’s humans being chimpanzees.’
The difference between Allan’s two roles is huge. In The Witcher, she was in a magical world full of fantasy. But in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, she finds herself in a world where apes are in charge and humans are just a small part of the story.
Freya Allan Would Love to Play an Ape Now
Although Freya Allan was initially relieved to play a human character and thought the ape costumes looked silly, her view changed after spending time with her co-stars. She was impressed by their dedication and performances.
“I remember thinking, ‘I’m glad I’m a human, they look ridiculous!’” she said in the same interview. But after hearing their stories and watching them work, she grew to appreciate their effort. “I would love to be an extra ape, maybe one day,” the star added.
In Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Allan’s character, Mae, goes through a major change. At first, she has strong biases against the apes, but gradually learns to understand and respect them. Allan is excited to explore how Mae’s journey continues, especially how she’ll explain her new feelings to her own people in a sequel.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes will be released on Hulu on August 2, 2024.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Freya Allan leave The Witcher?
The article does not say Allan left the role due to any conflict; after three seasons playing Ciri in a fantasy world of magic and monsters, she simply wanted her next project to feel more normal, like a grounded drama with people talking around a table. Instead, she landed in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, a post-apocalyptic setting far removed from that expectation.
What surprised Freya Allan when she arrived on the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes set?
Allan expected a normal shoot but instead arrived in Australia and walked into a dungeon set filled with actors in ape costumes making animal-like noises and movements. She recalled Owen Teague greeting her in character as an ape, which she found jarring after specifically asking for something ordinary following The Witcher.
Who does Freya Allan play in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, and what is her character’s arc?
Allan plays Mae, a human who initially holds strong biases against the ruling apes in the film’s post-apocalyptic world. According to the article, Mae gradually learns to understand and respect the apes as the story progresses, and Allan says she is interested in exploring how Mae explains that change of heart to her own people going forward.
