Irish actor Gabriel Byrne has been cast in upcoming Irish co-produced mini-series ‘Vikings,’ which will shoot in Co Wicklow this summer.
Byrne will return to Irish shores to play Earl Haraldson, a political leader whose position is threatened by young descendant of the gods, Ragnor Lothbrok, who is attempting to become King of the Vikings.
English actor George Blagden (Wrath of the Titans) has also been confirmed to play Athelstan, an Anglo-Saxon monk captured by Ragnar during a raid in England.
The series will chart the destructible behaviour of the powerful Norsemen who raided their way through Europe in medieval times.
Acclaimed writer and period drama specialist Michael Hirst (Elizabeth/The Tudors) created the ‘Vikings’ series, which will be aired on the History Channel as the broadcaster’s first ever scripted series.
The 10-part series will be filmed in Ashford Studios in Ballyhenry in Co Wicklow, with production starting in July.
As exclusively revealed on IFTN earlier this month, Swedish director Johan Renck will direct the first three episodes, while O’Sullivan of Wicklow-based World 2000 Entertainment will co-produce with Toronto-based Take 5 Productions. Both production companies previously worked on ‘The Tudors’ together. Hirst will act as executive producer.
All post-production facilities will take place in Canada. The History Channel will broadcast the series domestically, with MGM distributing the series globally.
Dublin-born Byrne most recently portrayed Dr. Paul Weston in HBO drama ‘In Treatment’, which had three successful seasons and won the Crumlin-native a Golden Globe for Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Byrne will be next seen in film noir ‘I, Anna’, a thriller based around a femme fatale and the detective she falls in love with.
‘Vikings’ will air on the History Channel in 2013.
