It’s been a few weeks since The Witcher and Justice League actor Henry Cavill introduced the world to his girlfriend, Natalie Viscuso. At the time, fans were eagerly weighing in on Cavill’s relationship with Viscuso, to the point where the Netflix actor had to politely ask his fans to stop trolling. That was May. This is June and now some offensive photos Viscuso took as a former reality star are rolling around the Internet.
Here’s what happened. The Internet is forever and someone recently found an old photo of Natalie Viscuso from her participation in a reality show in 2008. In the photo, which can be seen over at the Daily Mail, Natalie Viscuso can be seen in tribal attire. She has also covered her body in what the outlet believes to be Otjize, which is a brownish substance Namibians use as a screen for their bodies in the desert environment. In the image, the substance is painted up to her neck.
Natalie Viscuso is currently the Vice President of Television and Digital studios at Legendary Entertainment, but when she was just a teenager she had kicked off her career with a bit of reality work. The photos in question had been taken while Viscuso was filming for an MTV series which would have followed her credited appearance on My Super Sweet 16 in 2005. Speaking to Daily Mail, Viscuso apologized after the images rolled around and explained what had happened more than a decade ago when the pictures were taken.
Firstly, I'd like to say that I'm sorry if this image surfacing has caused any offense. It is a photo from 2008 for a TV show in Namibia. The tribe I was living with painted my skin as part of an initiation ceremony and an acceptance into their culture. Never in a million years did I think that this would be offensive, in fact, I felt honored that they would initiate me.
The images rolling around the Internet have sparked a bit of a debate online, with some people feeling Viscuso taking part in the initiation ceremony was offensive and others saying refusing would have been equally as offensive. A third faction even seemingly wants Henry Cavill removed from The Witcher for choosing to date Viscuso. For her own part, Natalie Viscuso herself went on to explain why she felt an apology was important, noting,
However, with the lessons that we are all learning in today's climate, it is important that I recognize that this is potentially hurtful. My deepest and most sincere apologies.
Some celebrity relationships fly under the radar while others are followed closely by fans. Henry Cavill dating Natalie Viscuso has captured the attention of his fanbase and now that these images are rolling around that’s unlikely to go away. I’d venture to guess this is probably the opposite of what Cavill was hoping for when he asked fans to stop trolling.
The good news for Henry Cavill -- and for fans who are more focused on the work and not the personal stuff -- is that The Witcher Season 2 is on the way, and soon. After more than a year of filming Season 2, we’ve gotten a first look at what’s coming next for Geralt and co. Natalie Viscuso was actually around when Henry Cavill was working on The Witcher Season 2, and reportedly stayed at his place in Berkshire. Their relationship was officially announced in April of this year.
