“I was like, ‘Things are about to get real,'” Suter says.
“That was the first time I’d ever seen it from a cameraman.”
And his big-screen action sensibilities came through to the cast.
Sam Corlett goes berzerk as Leif Eriksson in Netflix’s ‘Vikings: Valhalla.'.BERNARD WALSH/NETFLIX
“You get thrown into the story a lot quicker,” says Frida Gustavsson, playing Freydis Eriksdotter.
“You get straight to the nitty gritty.
The scale of how we do things is just mind-blowing.”
Sam Corlett’s Leif Eriksson in ‘Vikings: Valhalla.'.BERNARD WALSH/NETFLIX
“I like to test my nerve,” Corlett says.
The character of Leif aligned with that ethos.
Leif’s own mission, once fulfilled, finds him marching alongside his people to war.
Frida Gustavsson as Freydis Eriksdotter in ‘Vikings: Valhalla.'.BERNARD WALSH/NETFLIX
Corlett welcomed the collaboration with Stuart in crafting this role.
It should also come as no surprise that Corlett was prepared to handle the action required of Leif.
He may have taken a couple hits, too, here and there.
Leo Suter as Harald Sigurdsson and Frida Gustavsoon as Freydis Eriksdotter in ‘Vikings: Valhalla.'.BERNARD WALSH/NETFLIX
“I gave someone a black eye.
I got a black eye from the same person,” he says.
“No one really complained on set.
Leo Suter as Harald Sigurdsson in ‘Vikings: Valhalla.'.BERNARD WALSH/NETFLIX
Everyone’s there to tell the story.”
The shield maiden
Freydis’ scar is more physical.
And she’s hunting the man who gave it to her.
Part of Gustavsson’s collaboration with Stuart involved fleshing out the character’s experience as a sexual assault survivor.
More specifically, what her life’s purpose will be once she finds justice.
“She’s there to get revenge and she does not care if she dies,” Gustavsson says.
“She wanted her warriors way out and to go to Valhalla proud.
I really enjoyed that part ‘cause it was the opening to Freydis’ spiritual awakening.”
Gustavsson calls Freydis a dream a role.
“She’s very physical.
She’s very demanding of her space,” the actress adds.
It’s a trait that plays into her relationship with brother Leif and lover Harald.
Gustavsson’s first scene with Suter for the entire production was Freydis’ love scene with Harald.
“No pressure,” she jokes.
But she ended up finding a true friend in Suter.
“We’re always side-eyeing each other a little bit.”
“I wanted to give some raw material.”
As for his body, well, all his shirtless scenes inValhallabear the fruits of his labors.
So, he had to improvise a bit to build muscle.
“It was lockdown.
There were no gyms open,” he recalls.
“I fortunately had a few dusty weights that had been sitting in a garage.
It was a collection of home items that we improvised to give a shot to replicate a gym.
[Gave] piggybacks to my sisters and brothers.
That was useful.”
Many Zooms with Stuart and his cast mates ensued.
A helpful element that emerged from this research was realizing the yin and yang that pulls inside Harald.
The character’s calmness compliments his hot head, according to Suter.
“There is a relentlessness to it, which is actually really thrilling.”
