VIKINGS INTERVIEW! Katheryn Winnick on Ragnar, The Seer & What’s coming in S4!

Katheryn Winnick kicks ass as a Viking shield-maiden, former wife of Ragnar Lothbrok and now it appears as a leader in her own right. We recently had a few moments to speak with the actor regarding the second half of season four.

Lagertha’s Journey

Katheryn teases us for what to expect for Lagertha this season and her dream for the Vikings. She admits her character has gone through a lot of different challenges in trying to garner the respect of her people as a leader, her recent miscarriage and an exceedingly short marriage. Her major conflict this season centers around Kattegat not being ruled by the correct leader, which is currently Queen Aslaug.  “I think for [Lagertha], her dream was obviously to expand two different territories and also make Kattegat one of the largest trading centers. She saw the potential of it. It’s a personal motivation. Her heart is in the right place in wanting to do good for her Viking people.”

Lagertha and Ragnar’s relationship

Now that her former husband, Ragnar (Travis Fimmel), has returned, the dynamics are much changed. Katheryn believes the two will always share a kinship and an incredibly strong bond which is not a weakness but a common “strength in vulnerability.” “Here is somebody that she shared her childhood with, her formidable years with. They have been through so much. They made children together. And to see him now after so many years, especially after the time jump and still have love for him, she realizes she is in a different place. Yet they will always be together, if not in this world, maybe in Valhalla in the future.”

The two share some beautiful scenes together this season. Ragnar was there for her after the miscarriage and they share a beautiful moment upon his return. Katheryn describes her experience shooting that reunion scene with Travis. “It was certainly a very intense scene because I, as Katheryn, hadn’t worked with Travis in a long time. It’s great to get reunited again and be face-to-face and working together. Of course, you really don’t fully know how it’s going to be until you shoot it, especially when you have such a gifted actor like Travis. At the end of the day, when you are in the moment, emotions arise and it is what it is.”

Katheryn also revealed the kiss in their reunion was not planned. “That was a very passionate scene in the sense that there was so much more outside that the words could not express.  Everything is really between the lines and they shared a beautiful kiss together and I thought that was really sweet. It’s one of those things that we added in.”

The Seer

I personally, was very curious about the Seer and his role moving forward. It seemed like there was something truly ominous building with him and as it turns out, that thought was right on target. When asked about the Seer, Katheryn was circumspect and honest about the Viking shaman. “The Seer is the Seer. You never know necessarily what’s going to come out of his mouth. He’s the modern-day psychic. It’s interesting to see him in a different light, especially with Lagertha, She has a really strong scene where he gives her some devastating news that literally changes her, for not only the rest of the season but the rest of her life. It’s really a big moment. In every choice that I make as an actress, it is in the back of my mind. I think it’s something the audience wouldn’t necessarily expect.”

Lagertha and Aslaug showdown

After Aslaug’s (Alyssa Sutherland) deplorable behavior earlier this season, we felt there must be a day of reckoning coming between the two women. Katheryn affirmed our hopes. “Yes, there is definitely a big, epic scene where Lagertha and Aslaug come face-to-face. It’s pretty epic, it’s juicy and it’s memorable. I wish I could actually give away more but it was a great scene to shoot. Lagertha felt she needed to take control back. She feels that she is doing the right thing by reclaiming [Kattegat].”

Stay tuned for part two of our interview with Katheryn Winnick regarding Bjorn, Astrid and more epic fights coming our way. Follow along with us this season as we live tweet most every episode and more!

Need more Vikings? Check out our earlier interviews with Morgane Polanski, Dianne Doan and Alexander Ludwig. Click here for all our Vikings Coverage!