Vikings: Valhalla is a deep dive into history that doesn't skimp on the characters or violence, focusing on some of the most legendary figures from the end of the Viking Age. Season 1 focused on the beginning of the end of that period in history while finding ways to humanize historical figures like Leif Eriksson, his sister Freydis, and the eventual King of Norway, Harald. Season 2 delves further into the challenges facing each of them, including the lengths they have to travel and the hardships they have to experience before they reach their destinies.
Ahead of the Jan. 12 premiere of Vikings: Valhalla's second season on Netflix, Sam Corlett (Leif), Frida Gustavsson (Freydis), and Leo Suter (Harald) sat down with CBR to discuss the unexpected directions their characters took this season. They dove into how the harrowing events they're forced to contend with in Season 2 help push them toward the iconic historical figures they're fated to become.
CBR: Sam, Leif has a real rough go of it this season. What was it like diving into the harsher direction for a character who, last season, was more or less defined by basically being the coolest Viking?
Sam Corlett: Yeah, he has a bit of a rough season. That's the show, though. I think he has to hit rock bottom in order to, you know, go up and find his purpose. I think with the help of Mariam and Harald, he certainly discovers that. It's kind of like the tools that he acquires to become the man that he's meant to be and the one that he's known for in the history books.
Frida, Freydis finds herself in a unique position this season. Her character is really spinning a lot of plates this year. What was it like balancing all of these different elements to the character?
Frida Gustavsson: I mean, when we finished Season 1, I was just so thankful. I mean, Freydis is the most incredible character I've ever read, and then to be able to play her is just such a huge gift. I didn't know that we could take it further. Like, how much bigger can we go than beheading people and drinking people's blood? You know, what else can we do?
Then our Showrunner Jeb Stuart [and the producers and writers] come up with these incredible storylines, and there was so much to expand on. Yeah, the season was tough. It was very tough to play. It's an emotional, physical roller coaster. It is a times kind of hard, but at the same time, I'm really proud of the work that we did this season. It's an exciting journey.
Leo, there are these moments with Harald -- he's always going through this "one step forward, two steps back" process. As someone who had to really dive into the character, do you ever wish he could just step back and relax, or is that drive inherent to him something that you really love about the character?
Leo Suter: Yeah, well, I think that that's what's remarkable about him. That's what's inspiring for me playing this person is, as you say, that drive and the commitment to a destiny that he's so sure about. In terms of sort of the hardships... They're very fun to do, like the big fight scene, where he gets beat up. That whole sequence was wonderful to do because you get very close to the actors who you're working with by nature of the fact that you've got to be very precise with your punches; otherwise, you might certainly hate each other.
I think Harald's drive is something that's really inspiring. One of the cool things that happens this season is he realizes that, actually, he's on this journey to become a king. He's a prince, but he's got to become a king. One of those skills is getting the most out of the people around you. Over the course of this season, during his boat trip, he's going to have to rely upon every crew member to pull their weight. That realization is a huge turning point for him as a character, to evolve into the Harald Sigurdsson he will become.
What would you all say surprised you the most this season?
Corlett: I think that foreign wisdom and knowledge was gonna be a key to open Leif's heart again -- that was certainly a surprise.
Suter: I think for me how early on there is a bold move... As an actor, you feel settled in a landscape that you have early on in the first episode, and then to send these characters out where we're sending them, to outside the Viking world -- we have to say goodbyes, which are emotional, and go to places that we never thought we could.
Gustavsson: Yeah, I think for me, I was really surprised and really intrigued and happy when I got to see the kind of emotional development for Freydis this season. She's incredibly stern and focused, and she's almost radicalized. It was really wonderful for me to see... Freydis grow into this mentor for this young girl when she, just not that long ago, was the person being mentored by the wonderful Jarl Haakon. That was wonderful.
Vikings: Valhalla returns to Netflix on Jan. 12.