Alexander Skarsgård Describes His Northman Workout & Prep

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Alexander Skarsgård recalls his exciting journey to get in shape for the revenge epic The Northman. The True Blood star signed onto Robert Eggers' brutal, violent Viking film several years ago as the Prince Amleth of Scandinavian legend, who seeks to avenge his murdered father and rescue his mother from the clutches of his uncle. It is Eggers's third film following The Witch and The Lighthouse, both intricate and strange period horror films made with careful attention to detail, and the first time Skarsgård and the director have worked on a project together.

Promotion for the film, including interviews with various cast members, has hammered home its period-faithful production design and Eggers' obsessive filmmaking style that put actors into the thick of the Icelandic elements. Skarsgård himself recounted the grueling work on set, from battles atop mountains to being bound and dragged through the mud. For such a demanding, months-long filming schedule, the cast had to mentally and physically prepare to stand a chance at capturing the director's particular vision.

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Speaking to Empire about the film, Skarsgård details the intensive workout and diet regimen he had to undertake to prepare for the role of Amleth. First, he clarifies that he rarely trains or diets for his roles, only ever doing so for Tarzan and now The Northman. Regency Enterprises spoiled him with a top-of-the-line trainer and nutritionist and stated that his first day of training was the real beginning of his pre-production on the project. To achieve the bearlike posture of Amleth's «Bjorn Ulfur» during the berserker raid at the beginning of the film, Skarsgård had to put on weight. Read