‘Vikings’: Travis Fimmel and Alexander Ludwig Write Country Songs Together

As a star of History Channel’s Vikings, Alexander Ludwig has carved out an impressive acting career. However, he’s also a musician and he’s already released some well-reviewed country music. But as it turns out, he’s not the only lyrical star of Vikings. He revealed he’s written songs with co-star Travis Fimmel.

What did Ludwig have to say about his songs with Fimmel? And can fans expect a duet from the two anytime soon?

Alexander Ludwig’s journey into country music

After growing up outside Vancouver, Canada and receiving his first guitar at the age of 9, Ludwig was exploring his skills as a musician long before playing Bjorn Ironside on Vikings.

Ludwig said he’s a fan of country music because he feels the message is simpler than other genres. He said country songs remind him there’s beauty in having less.

“So many other forms of music speak to the attaining of things like the accumulation of wealth, cars and big houses, and there’s a place for that,” he explained in an interview with Metro. “But with country music it’s a reminder that the dream is already here — you don’t need a lot.”

“In my line of work I always relied on country music to remind me, ‘Dude, take a step back. I’ve got my health, I’ve got a car that takes me from A to B – we don’t need all this stuff,'” he shared.

He added, “It’s the highest form of story-telling the world.”

So, it seems like it was a natural choice for him.

Travis Fimmel writes songs — but will he sing?

Ludwig starred alongside Travis Fimmel, who played Vikings patriarch and warrior hero, Ragnar Lothbrok. But after their time on the show concluded, the two also worked together on Ludwig’s music. “I’ve literally written songs with [Fimmel],” Ludwig told Metro. “He’s a massive country fan.”

While Fimmel, who grew up on a farm in Australia, likes to ride horses and drink Bud Light, he’s apparently not an aspiring country music star. “Duet?” Ludwig asked. “God no.”

Alexander Ludwig counts Travis Fimmel among his best friends

As Ludwig told Metro, Fimmel is a good friend to him and his wife, Lauren Ludwig. “He was at my house in Georgia a couple of months ago and met my wife for the first time, and they ended up passed out on the floor,” he shared.

“He’s one of my best friends — he’s literally family. He’ll spend time with my fam in Vancouver when I’m not even there,” Ludwig revealed. He also shared that he’s visited Fimmel at his ranch outside Los Angeles.

And what he seems to appreciate most about his Vikings co-star is how genuine he is where others usually aren’t. He said, “[Fimmel] and I really bonded. He’s a real dude, he’s not typical Hollywood bulls**t. He’s just not that.”

“We love what we do but that’s it,” he explained. “There’s a lot of great people in this industry but there’s also an air of entitlement.”

So in the end, it seems like Ludwig found much more than a co-star in Fimmel — but a best friend and collaborator, too.