“In the second season, it pretty much starts off right behind episode nine from season one, so there’s not much of a time jump. And Lagertha at the end of season one has a lot to deal with, you know, with her miscarriage, has to deal with her daughter Gyda dying, having to deal with a plague, and dealing with losing most of her people,” said Katheryn Winnick (“The Art of the Steal”), female lead of the TV show “Vikings,” in a conference call interview with the Clarion and other university newspapers last week.
Winnick plays Lagertha Lothbrok, a powerful shieldmaiden who is forced to endure death and destruction around every turn—even from her husband. The acclaimed History Channel show, which is set to premiere its second season Feb. 27, follows a group of Vikings who are all based on Norse legends from over a thousand years ago. Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel, “The Baytown Outlaws”), husband of Lagertha, has recently become an earl and is faced with the imminent betrayal of his brother, Rollo (Clive Standen, “Hammer of the Gods”); in addition, Ragnar must face the consequences of his infidelity from the first season.
“Brother’s War,” the first episode of season two, finds Ragnar and Rollo facing off against each other in battle, one that could have easily been avoided had Rollo quelled his pride and Ragnar been less selfish.
Upon Ragnar’s return home, he divulges to Lagertha the truth of his infidelity—which is only amplified when the woman whom with he cheated, Princess Aslaug (Alyssa Sutherland, “The Devil Wears Prada”), turns up on his doorstep, stomach swollen from pregnancy. Ragnar must choose between Lagertha and Aslaug, in addition to deciding if he will ever forgive Rollo for his betrayal, while Lagertha must decide if her pride can continue in such a negative environment. Season two has already had a promising start, pushing its characters to their limits in a mere 45 minutes.
Winnick, who is very impassioned about her role and the history of Lagertha, promises even more intense sequences.
“Her identity is tested in the second season. Her sense of self is something that I struggled with, because in the first season, she was very much Ragnar’s wife and partner-in-crime…. Now the fact that, where does she go from here, should she choose to stay with him … or does she decide to leave and follow her own path?” said Winnick.
In addition to providing a captivating acting presence, Winnick is also very skilled at presenting shieldmaiden Lagertha, doing her own stunts and constantly training. She was initially cast only a week before filming began, so prep time was not in excess, but for the second season, Lagertha will probably be doing even more skilled weaponry and stunts.
“I am a third degree black belt in taekwondo and a second degree black belt in karate … I had never really done martial arts for movies or anything before, so I had the physical training of it, but picking up a sword and shield was all very new to me.… This season, it was a little different, because now I had the time to learn and try different weapons, and how to get used to the sword and the shield, as well as horseback riding, which is a lot of fun as well,” said Winnick.
Whether it is shooting on location in Ireland or just going with the cast and crew for a post-work pint, Winnick revealed how close of a bond the group has together. Some of them have moved to Dublin, as she has, while others constantly travel for filming; yet the group stays in contact, especially during filming as they sit in their heating tents and play games until the Irish rain dissipates enough for shooting to once again commence.
“Vikings” prides itself on being one of the most historically accurate TV shows at present, with hours and hours of research going into each episode and season, as well as a historian working with Michael Hirst, the writer and director of the show.
“You can go into different departments, go into the costume department, where they are all making your costumes, handstitched and leather and carved, and you can talk to them in terms of what material did they use to dye the clothes, or how did they dye them, and how do they make the clothes. So you learn a little bit more of the lifestyle as you spend time on set.… Even for new castmates getting into the show, you will have a great learning curve and a quick Vikings 101 while you are there,” said Winnick.
Another interesting aspect of Hirst’s directing was his choice to use a variety of generally unknown actors, who he thought could live in the role. Winnick, as well as some of the others, have stepped up to the plate and really encompassed the truth of the Norse legends. The characters of “Vikings” are so vast and complex that it is always exciting to see what is going to happen next. The second season very well looks as if it could beat out season one in voracity and intensity. The new season promises to break new territory in the show, so only time will tell where their ship sails next.
“So there’s a lot of trust that I have in [Hirst], and how he portrays Lagertha and her character because he really knows her and has a lot invested in her, and knowing that he will portray her the right way. So, I don’t know what’s going to happen next, but I’m excited to find out,” said Winnick.
