‘Vikings: Valhalla’ Cast: Meet the Characters From the Vikings Sequel
Vikings may have ended its six-season run in 2020, but Netflix is picking up the mantle of that hit show with the new spinoff Vikings: Valhalla. The eight-episode series, which dropped Feb. 25, is set in the early 1000s, more than 100 years after the end of its predecessor. It’s a period when tensions were mounting between the pagan Vikings and those who’d converted to Christianity, as well as between the Vikings and the English.
Like Vikings, elements of Vikings: Valhalla’s storylines are inspired by actual historical events. A number of the show’s characters are also drawn from history, including legendary explorer Leif Eriksson and Nordic prince Harald Sigurdsson. Here’s who’s who in Vikings: Valhalla’s ensemble cast.
Sam Corlett plays Leif Eriksson in ‘Vikings: Valhalla’
Most viewers will be familiar with the name Leif Eriksson. He’s the Viking explorer who’s believed to have been the first European to visit North America, where he established the short-lived colony of Vinland. Played by Sam Corlett in Vikings: Valhalla, he’s the son of Erik the Red and his tight-knit family have strong pagan beliefs. The thoughtful and quiet Leif grew up in Greenland, on the edges of the known world. In the show, he’s something of an outsider in the Viking world.
Frida Gustavsson plays Leif’s sister Freydis Eriksdotter
Frida Gustavsson (who The Witcher fans will recognize as Geralt’s mother) plays Leif’s sister Freydis Eriksdotter. Like her brother, she’s an outsider in Kattegat. But unlike her more reserved brother, Freydis is fiery and headstrong. She also has a fierce belief in the old gods, which inspires those who are committed to paganism over Christianity.
The ‘Vikings: Valhalla’ cast also includes Leo Suter
Sanditon alum Leo Suter plays Harald Sigurdsson, another character drawn from history. A member of the Viking nobility, Harald is a Christian and one of the last remaining Viking berserkers. The ambitious and charismatic prince’s goal is to become the King of Norway, but to do that, he’ll need to unite both the pagan Vikings and those who’ve turned toward Christianity.
Bradley Freegard as King Canute
The real King Canute was a powerful figure in the late 10th and early 11th centuries, ultimately ruling over England, Denmark, and Norway. In Vikings: Valhalla, he’s a wise, savvy, and ruthless leader played by Bradley Freegard. His ambitions will eventually end up shaping the course of history and make him one of the most-remembered people of the age.
Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson as Olaf Haraldsson
Harald might want to be King of Norway, but he has some competition in the form of his older brother Olaf Haraldsson (Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson), who is next in line for the throne. Olaf is a devout Christian. He’s also ambitious and a force to be reckoned with.
Laura Berlin as Emma of Normandy
The real Emma of Normandy was a descendant of Rollo, a Viking who was the first ruler of Normandy. The historical Rollo inspired the Vikings character of the same name played by Clive Standen. In Vikings: Valhalla, Laura Berlin plays Emma. The wife of English King Athelred II, Emma is a savvy leader – and one of the richest women in Europe.
Other ‘Vikings: Valhalla’ cast and characters
Other key characters in Vikings: Valhalla include Earl Godwin, chief counselor to Emma’s husband Aethelred. Though he doesn’t come from a powerful family, he’s cunning and knows how to make powerful allies. He’s played by David Oakes.
Louis Davison plays Aethelred’s son (and Emma’s stepson) Prince Edmund. Bosco Hogan plays his father.
Jarl Kåre is a mysterious Christian zealot who threatens the old pagan ways. He’s played by Asbjørn Krogh Nissen.
Caroline Henderson plays Jarl Haakon, the ruler of Kattegat. Though she herself is a pagan, she’s a tolerant leader who’s kept the city open to people of all faiths. She ends up becoming a mentor to Freydis.
Aelfgifu of Northampton (Pollyanna McIntosh) is King Canute’s wife and the Queen of Denmark. The calculating and ambitious queen comes from Mercia. She wants to promote the interests of her homeland at her husband’s court.
Finally, Soren Pilmark plays King Sweyn Forkbeard, King Canute’s father. He’s far less diplomatic than his son and won’t hesitate to punish traitors who threaten his family’s hold on power.
Vikings: Valhalla is now streaming on Netflix.
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