4/10/2014 Viking Family: An Interview with Clive Standen and Katheryn Winnick

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VIKING FAMILY: AN INTERVIEW WITH CLIVE STANDEN AND KATHERYN WINNICK

Good casting can make a poor show better and it can make a good show even greater. In the case of the History Channel’s Vikings, it is thelatter.

The outstanding and thrilling performances from the cast of Vikings takes the series to a higher level. Vikings follows the Viking RagnarLodbrok, his brother Rollo, his wife Lagertha, and his fellow Viking warriors as they sail to the west discovering new lands, people, andtreasures to plunder.

Created by Michael Hirst (The Tudors), the show’s first season was met with great acclaim. Now as the show enters its second season, Iwas able to speak with actors Clive Standen, who plays Rollo Lodbrok, and Katheryn Winnick, who plays Lagertha Lodbrok, and ask themabout their experiences while acting on the hit series.

Rollo Lodbrok

Rollo Lodbrok is impulsive, wild, care-free and compulsive character. He is a great warrior who yearns for the same recognition that hisbrother Ragnar receives. The relationship between the brothers is unstable, as Ragnar can never be fully certain of his brother’s loyalty.

Clive Standen is best known for his portrayal of Sir Gawain in the Starz original series Camelot alongside Joseph Fiennes and Eva Green,and for his starring role in the BBC America series Robin Hood. He previously appeared in the award-winning sci-fi BBC series Doctor

Who and the drama Operation Barras. He recently starred in Vertigo Films’ Hammer of the Gods.

Clive is a classically trained actor who finds period dramas to be the most thrilling of work. He loves the process of researching a character,reading the history books, and getting a chance to go into the past. He also loves the physical aspects of period dramas, especially Vikings,where he gets the chance to use swords and fight just as the Vikings did.

When I asked Clive what has been one of the most challenging moments of acting for him, he answered that Rollo’s character arc andevolution has been a challenge for him. Rollo changes so much from the first season into the second season where Rollo used to beformidable on the battlefield, a volcano erupting. But in the second season he is older and less able to fight as he used to. Clive said that ishas been difficult to get into a new mindset for his character.

Lagertha Lodbrok

Lagertha is the first wife of Ragnar Lothbrok. She is a strong shield-maiden and a mother. She does not hesitate to fight and accompaniesRagnor on some of his most dangerous voyages. She is a force to be reckoned with.

Katheryn Winnick is a Canadian-born actress who has appeared opposite Charlie Sheen in A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan

III and alongside Al Pachino, Christopher Walken and Alan Arkin in Stand Up Guys. She’ll be seen opposite Kurt Russell and Matt Dillon inthe upcoming comedyThe Art of the Steal. She was most recently nominated for a 2014 Canadian Screen Award for her performance inVikings.

I asked Katheryn to tell me about her process as gets into character to play Lagertha on the set of Vikings. She said that her process is like aritual for her. Often times she will be up at 5:30am and have to go on a long drive to the day’s location. Then she enters hair and makeup.When she enters wardrobe it can often take over 25 minutes to get sewn into her costume. For Katheryn this is all a transformation process

4/10/2014 Viking Family: An Interview with Clive Standen and Katheryn Winnick

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in which she looses herself and becomes her character. When she gets onto the set and sees the sheep running around, sees the otheractors in costume, and sees the huge production design, this is when she feels like she truly is in the Viking world.

Both actors described the family-like atmosphere on set and said that beyond acting on a fantastically written show, they are grateful to bepart of a team where they feel strong connections with their cast and crew mates. Most days end with the cast and crew gathering at a localpub and drinking a Guiness, laughing about the day’s adventures.

Check out the second season of Vikings on the History Channel now.