‘Vikings’ Star Travis Fimmel Has ‘No Idea’ Why He Became an Actor: ‘To Be Honest, It’s Not My Thing’
Known to Vikings fans as Ragnar Lothbrok, Travis Fimmel revealed that being an actor isn’t his “thing,” though he’s made it a successful career. Despite his many recent roles, Fimmel said he chose the wrong job, as he prefers to avoid being the center of attention in real life. Still, he’s found a way to give it his best.
Travis Fimmel was a model before he was an actor
Fimmel was born in Australia and made a name for himself in the United States through an iconic Calvin Klein ad campaign in the early 2000s. From there, he made his way into acting and became widely recognized for his roles on shows like the History Channel’s Vikings and HBO’s Raised by Wolves.
In one of Fimmel’s latest projects, he’s playing a cold case detective in a show called Black Snow, available on Stan. He said the role interested him because it was shot in parts of Australia he hadn’t seen (The Sydney Morning Herald).
Fimmel explained that he’s “intrigued” by his character’s flaws and issues but noted he doesn’t get as deep as others in his line of work. He said, “I’m not too much of a lofty actor like that to have a ‘way in.'”
Travis Fimmel has ‘no idea’ why he became an actor
Though Fimmel has found success in acting, he told the Sydney Morning Herald, “I have no idea why I became an actor.”
“To be honest,” he added, “it’s not my thing.”
He disclosed that his aversion to his craft comes from his personality. He explained, “I never sang and danced in front of my parents. I never wanted to be the only person talking in a room, and I still don’t.”
“In real life, I can’t stand anything being about me,” he shared and added, “I really chose the wrong career.”
Fimmel, who once said he’s also not fond of action scenes, offered, “English is my first language, but I really struggle with it.”
However, he enjoys “trying to be good at something” and believes, “Whatever you do, you’ve got to try your best, so I try to make up for it in that way …”
It helps that he’s also learned to entertain himself while he’s at it.
Travis Fimmel walked out of auditions
In an interview with GQ Australia, Fimmel confessed to walking out of casting auditions due to his nervousness. He said, “I hate it. Absolutely hate it. It’s very unrealistic. There’s people that like to get up and talk in front of people. I wasn’t the kid that enjoyed reading out loud in class.”
“I’ve walked out halfway through, embarrassed, plenty of times,” he admitted. “I put myself on videotape. I can’t remember the last job I got from actually auditioning.”
Fimmel called trying out for parts “horrible” and said he gets “nervous, sweaty, [and] embarrassed.”
However, he knows “uncomfortable” requirements will always be part of the job. “You just have to do it. But it doesn’t get easier,” he explained.
