Of Myths and Monsters - A Conversation with Kristofer Hivju

Revisiting a conversation with the beloved wildling about his journey through 'Game of Thrones,' 'The Witcher,' and the monsters that shaped his career

Kristofer Hivju. Photo by Kai Simon Fredriksen

You might know him as the wildling Tormund Giantsbane in Game of Thrones, or perhaps the unorthodox detective Steinar in the Swedish crime drama Beck. Norwegian actor Kristofer Hivju has brought his particular brand of Nordic intensity to numerous international roles, and he’s not slowing down. It was recently announced that Hivju will star alongside Tom Holland and Niamh Algar in The Iris Affair, a new international thriller from Neil Cross, the celebrated creator of Luther.

This exciting news sent me back into my archives to an in-depth conversation I had with Hivju back in 2021. As he prepares for this major new project, his insights into his craft, his approach to iconic characters, and his career on the international stage feel more relevant than ever.

The original interview was a personal milestone for me—my first face-to-face in an age of video meetings, conducted at Oslo’s Ekeberg Café. I was particularly interested in exploring his work in fantasy and science fiction, from Game of Thrones and The Witcher to the hilarious and bloody Cocaine Bear. Revisiting that conversation now offers a fascinating look at the foundations of an actor continually making his mark.

Viking Inspiration

Born into an acting dynasty—his parents and grandmother were both in the business—one might assume Kristofer was destined for the stage. But he explains that for the longest time, his passion was elsewhere. “I just wanted to start playing music,” he says, “so it was a coincidence that I discovered I had a talent for acting... it wasn’t something I wanted to do until I was around 17, I guess.”

His interest in Nordic stories began with an early role as a farm boy in Stiklestadspelet, a traditional Norwegian play about the life of King Olav Haraldsson. While other kids had cartoons, Hivju found his superheroes in the Icelandic sagas. He carried these tales into adulthood, where they became a driving force in his work and formed a foundation for characters like Tormund Giantsbane.

Kristofer Hivju. Photo by Kai Simon Fredriksen

But after embodying so many characters in that vein, is he looking to move away from the Viking-like narratives? Hivju admits he’s reached a “saturation point.” “It’s going to be a while before I can play something like that again,” he says, but quickly adds, “I’ve had a lot of fun doing so!”

His passion for Norse culture hasn’t lessened, however. As he made a name for himself internationally, he began to lament what he sees as Norwegians’ lack of pride in their own Viking history compared to their neighbors.

Says Kristofer: “In Iceland, for example, you will often hear stuff like, ‘We are the REAL Vikings!’ But here in Norway, at some point, it became something we didn’t want to talk about anymore, something politically incorrect, like we didn’t want to identify with ‘those barbarians.’”

He sees this cultural pride roar back to life in grassroots movements, especially when official support for the arts is threatened. He elaborates:

“In Norway, when institutions close down and state funding no longer goes into backing our culture, the whole country explodes! Then they make plays about our cultural heritage and icons like Haraldsson, Tryggvason, and Fairhair, telling tales about our cultural heritage. Those are the tales people want to tell when no one controls anything... Then they gather in every community, in every little town, and on every hill and mountain top to compose, create, and play! That tells us something about Norway.”