‘The Last Kingdom’ Star Alexander Dreymon Relates to Uhtred: ‘I Always Feel Like the Foreigner’
Nothing quite speaks to viewers more than a period drama. Shows like the Outlander, Vikings, and The Last Kingdom have a certain appeal to fans who can’t seem to get enough of them. The Last Kingdom is currently streaming its fifth season and features a talented cast. One actor, Alexander Dreymon, plays the fan-favorite Uhtred, who is torn between two factions. The actor recently revealed he can relate to his character, saying, “I always feel like the foreigner.”
Alexander Dreymon relates to Uhtred
Uhtred had a rough childhood, having been taken away from his ancestral home at such a young age. Being sold to slavery also didn’t help the situation, but the silver lining came when he won the favor of Earl Ragnar. This, however, doesn’t make things easier for him as we see him battling with decisions relating to his birth home and where he was raised.
Dreymon, who has held on to the role of Uhtred since 2015, recently spoke to Muscle and Fitness about the role and how he manages to stay in shape to portray the character. When asked why he likes his character, Dreymon said, “I relate to him because I grew up in so many different places, and I always feel like the foreigner, and I think it’s the same for him. He always has to battle to prove himself.”
Dreymon’s real name is Alexander Doetsch. The star was born in Germany but grew up in France, Switzerland, and the United States. He studied in Paris and trained to be an actor at the Drama Center London.
Will there be another season of ‘The Last Kingdom’?
The Last Kingdom began shooting in November 2014, with the first season airing on October 10, 2015. The series moved to Netflix in its third season, which aired in November 2018. It took a brief hiatus airing the fourth season on April 26, 2020, after which a long hiatus followed. The fifth season started airing on March 9, 2022.
This season is scheduled as the show’s last, but that’s not to say that it will be the last time fans will see their favorite cast. According to National World, Netflix has commissioned a two-hour movie titled The Seven Kings Must Die to act as the sequel to the drama. The showrunners have described the movie as a “standalone” epilogue to the popular show.
‘The Last Kingdom’ is a major hit
The Last Kingdom is based on Bernard Cornwell’s series of novels called The Saxon Stories. The beloved series follows the lead, a boy born Osbert but later named Uhtred after his elder brother with the same name (Uhtred), his father, and other noblemen are killed by the Danes.
Uhtred is captured alongside a girl named Brida and is taken to work for Earl Ragnar. The Earl grows fond of Uhtred and adopts him raising him as Uhtred Ragnarsson. Time passes, and one night before the Earl’s daughter is to be married, fellow Danes attack them and burn Ragnar to death.
Brida and Uhtred survive and flee the home. Uhtred vows to avenge Ragnar’s death and hopes to reclaim his birthright from his uncle, who is determined to keep it to himself. Throughout the series, Uhtred comes face to face with the choice of betraying the kingdom of his ancestors or those who raised him. His allegiance is constantly tested as he continues in his quest for justice.
The series stars Dreymon as Uhtred, Emily Cox as the Saxon Brida, and David Dawson as King Alfred. Tobias Santelmann appears as Ragnar the Younger while Rune Temte plays Ubba. Other cast members include Julia Bache-Wiig, Mark Rowley, Peri Baumeister, and David Schofield.
