Heels arrived on Starz in 2021 as the first big TV gig for Stephen Amell following eight seasons of Arrow and for Alexander Ludwig after five seasons of Vikings. The show would ultimately only run for two seasons before being unceremoniously cancelled on a major cliffhanger in 2023, with uncertain fates for Jack and Ace after the elder Spade brother's serious injury. As it turns out, though, that Starz cancellation might not be the end of the road for Heels... if the stars have their way, anyway. Both actors recently shared almost exactly the same message with fans, and it's clear both are on board for a third season beyond the 2024 TV schedule.

The stars are active on the Heels front again with their show just weeks away from arriving on streaming for Netflix subscribers, and a big question is if the show could experience a surge of popularity like Suits did before it. Stephen Amell, who previously had a more cryptic message for fans hoping for Heels to be uncancelled, posted this on Instagram about the Netflix news:

Amell is on board to "make more" of the wrestling TV show, despite the fact that he is currently slated to star in NBC's Suits: LA series that received a straight-to-series order. While the earliest I can imagine the Suits spinoff being ready for premiere would be midseason 2025, Amell presumably will be busy with that gig for the foreseeable future.

Alexander Ludwig shared almost identical sentiments on his own Instagram page. He wrote:

Ludwig is also attached to a different project, although not an ongoing TV series like Amell. The Vikings alum was cast in the horror thriller Night Comes, which will be the feature film directing debut of former Magnum P.I. star Jay Hernandez. Still, he's clearly down to play Ace Spade again, given the chance.

But will there be a chance? It's certainly not unprecedented for a show or franchise to receive new life with a streaming boost. It happened in short order for NBC's Manifest on Netflix (and a spinoff could still happen), and Suits: LA likely wouldn't be in the works at all if the original series hadn't become such a hit both among Netflix subscribers and Peacock Premium subscribers. Netflix success for Heels could open doors for a third season.

As for the question of whether Suits: LA would be too time consuming for Amell to reprise his co-lead role as Jack Spade, showrunner Mike O'Malley (whose Extended Family was cancelled earlier this year) told this to EW:

Mike O'Malley seems to be banking on Suits: LA becoming a hit in that statement, although it is probably a safe bet that Amell will have more eyes on him on NBC than he did on The CW as the lead of Arrow or on Starz. Amell would also presumably be very busy if Heels is rescued and he's filming a wrestling drama while on hiatus from his legal drama, but it's clear that the drive is there.

For now, a lot undoubtedly depends on how many people are willing to stream Heels on Netflix. Both seasons will be available on the streamer starting on September 15; with only sixteen episodes of the whole series, a binge-watch at least wouldn't be as much of a time commitment as shows like Suits and Manifest were.

You can also find more of both Stephen Amell and Alexander Ludwig on Netflix, with all seasons of Arrow and of Vikings already available streaming.

Although 2021 has provided a wide assortment of different movies, whether they played in theaters or were streaming exclusives, there hasn’t been much from the sports genre outside of watching LeBron James play basketball with the Looney Tunes in Space Jam: A New Legacy. Luckily for fans of sports movies, along with the Zachary Levi-led American Underdog arriving in late December, there’s also National Champions coming out earlier in the month, and it boasts an impressive lineup of talented actors and some serious drama surrounding college football.

Hailing from STXfilms and Lionsgate, National Champions follows a star college quarterback named LeMarcus James, played by Homecoming’s Stephan James, and teammate Emmett Sunday, played by Vikings’ Alexander Ludwig, organizing a players strike so that all college athletes are fairly compensated. As seen in the trailer, Stefan lays out how he and his teammates don’t see a dime from the money these football games rake in, and the players who aren’t later drafted into the NFL will go without any compensation or medical insurance for the injuries they sustained while playing the sport. Meanwhile, their coach, James Lazer, played by J.K. Simmons, receives an annual salary of $5 million, and he’s just the tip of the iceberg of the notable figures in the NCAA who pull in millions of dollars while the players get nothing.

Needless to say that Stefan and Emmet organizing a strike causes a lot of problems, especially considering that it happens just days before a National Title game. The actors playing the individuals who stand to lose a lot from the collegiate athletics system being overturned include  Lil Rel Howery, Tim Blake Nelson, Andrew Bachelor, Jeffrey Donovan, David Koechner, Kristin Chenoweth, Timothy Olyphant and Uzo Aduba. Fortunately for Stefan and Emmett, many others join their boycott, which has the potential to not just change college football, but the entire collegiate athletics system too. 

While it may look like National Champions is based on a true story, rest assured that this is a fictional story, so there’ll be no turning to articles or books to learn how this college football conflict ends. Behind the scenes, Greenland’s Ric Roman Waugh directed off a script from 21 Bridges’ Adam Mervis, who wrote the original play the movie is based on. Since National Champions precedes American Underdog by a few weeks, this will be the first theatrically-released football-centric drama since 2015’s Woodlawn.

National Champions opens in theaters on December 10, the same day that 20th Century Studios’ West Side Story, Netflix’s Don’t Look Up and Amazon’s Being the Ricardos arrive. Learn what other movies are left to arrive this year with our 2021 release schedule, or look through the 2022 release schedule to map out what you’ll check out next year.

Spoilers below for the third episode of Starz's Heels, so be warned!

For its third outing, the wrestling-imbued cable drama Heels brought a legitimate wrestler into the mix with former WWE superstar and current AEW fave CM Punk as the blood-loving Ricky Rabies. As awesome as that appearance was, the biggest moment for the show's central story involved Alexander Ludwig's Ace Spade finally giving into the advice from Stephen Amell's Jack that he should just embrace the fan backlash and the screwjob by becoming a villain within the DWL. Now we've got both Spade brothers truly living up to the show's title.

When I had the pleasure of talking to both Stephen Amell and Alexander Ludwig ahead of Heels' premiere on Starz, I brought up the episode "Cheap Heat" and Amell's glorious mic skills in the ring, and asked both actors what makes it fun to play a villain. Here's how Amell answered:

Not everybody knows how to pull off wordy wrestling promos with memorable results, even within a company like the WWE, but Stephen Amell does a damned good job of it in Heels' third episode. It's reminiscent of classic superstar villains like Ravishing Rick Rude and the wordsmith Ric Flair, and is all the more impressive to watch "Jack Spade" go from being an asshole in the ring to being slightly less of one outside the ring. (Pay attention to your wife more, Jack!) It makes sense, given Amell's history with the WWE in particular, but still fun to watch it play out.

While Stephen Amell answered things more from a personal acting perspective, Alexander Ludwig spoke to both the psychological underpinning behind the joy of acting out villainy, while also speaking to how it relates to his character Ace. In his words:

Considering Ace was already living pretty loosely before his big heel turn, one can only expect the character will get into even more debauchery in upcoming episodes. I certainly hope Kelli Burgland's Crystal doesn't get caught up and twisted in his wheels as he spins out.

Heels airs on Starz on Sunday nights at 9:00 p.m. ET, and it's just one of many awesome new shows hitting the 2021 Fall TV season, so be sure to stay up to date!

Spoilers below for the series premiere of Heels, so be warned if you haven't yet watched!

With its first episode, Starz's Heels walked the difficult line of presenting the world of pro wrestling as a celebration of athleticism and as a source of personal drama, both in and out of the ring. The show's central conflict early on is between Stephen Amell's story-driven Jack Spade and Alexander Ludwig's emotionally impulsive Ace Spade, two brothers attempting to keep their family legacy, the Duffy Wrestling League, afloat after their father's death. And the best way to do that, at least according to Jack, is basically to change the fans' opinion about Ace...by cheating.

Yes, the big climax in Heels' series premiere, titled "Kayfabe," featured Jack using a submission move to legitimately hurt Ace's arm, thus forcing the referee to call the match early, leaving Ace to suffer through both the physical pain and also the indignity of crying over that pain while inside the squared circle. Since, as viewers saw, wrestling fans are not very quick to forgive an athlete's real-world tears, which was definitely in Jack's mind when he came up with this off-book plan.

While real life doesn't bleed into storylines from the WWE and other wrestling federations that often, it definitely happens. And arguably the most infamous example is the Montreal Screwjob at Survivor Series '97, in which WWE head honcho Vince McMahon and superstar Shawn Michaels double-crossed the soon-to-exit champion Bret Hart, who lost the match and the belt via his own Sharpshooter finishing move, even though he never actually submitted or tapped out. So when I had the chance to talk to Heels creator Michael Waldron about the show — as well as about his other show, Loki — I had to ask if Jack and Ace's match in the premiere was inspired by the Montreal Screwjob, and here's how he answered:

For many fans, the Montreal Screwjob (which was showcased in Season 2 of Vice's Dark Side of the Ring) marked perhaps the darkest corner-turn for Vince McMahon, whose career is certainly full of them, as he (allegedly) devised a hush-hush plan to shame the highly respected Bret Hart while also tarnishing his championship legacy. That's obviously a more devious situation than Jack and Ace's situation on Heels, but there's also another connection.

The reason why Vince McMahon decided to go against Bret Hart's wishes (to not lose the belt to Shawn Michaels during the match) was partially because Hart was leaving the WWE for the WCW, which didn't sit so well with McMahon. Similarly, Alexander Ludwig's Ace was being vetted by Chris Bauer's Wild Bill Hancock to potentially jump ship to a different wrestling promotion, and the thought of losing Ace is part of what drove Stephen Amell's Jack to bring a little real world animosity into their showdown in the premiere.

As Michael Waldron teased, Jack and Ace's big match in the premiere definitely isn't the only way Heels will be inspired by real-world pro wrestling moments from the WWE and beyond. Fans can already look forward to seeing former WWE superstar CM Punk popping up soon, though we'll have to wait and see what other iconic moments and persona will be referenced next. It's probably too soon to start hoping for Heels' take on Mick Foley's Mankind, but I'm hoping anyway.

Having won over a lot of critics with its early episodes, Heels will debut new episodes on Starz every Sunday night at 9:00 p.m. ET. So be sure to keep watching, and to stay up to date with all the other new shows hitting the 2021 Fall TV schedule.

Stephen Amell and Alexander Ludwig are no strangers to fight sequences, with their respective duties on Arrow and Vikings alone putting them through the wringer by way of physical exertion. But it's a different ballgame for their well-reviewed new show Heels, which isn't so much superhero fisticuffs as pro wrestling body slams. The drama stars Amell and Ludwig as brothers and co-headliners of a struggling local wrestling promotion in Duffy, Georgia, with Amell's Jack Spade also running things behind the scenes. And you can bet that living in this fictional world during the production impacted how the actors viewed the WWE and pro wrestling in general.

CinemaBlend spoke with Stephen Amell and Alexander Ludwig about the first handful of Heels' stress-inducing episodes, and I asked both of them if getting all bruised up on the new Starz series reflected how they viewed wrestling in general. Amell, who built up some legitimate cred in the WWE some years ago, gave his answer in the form of a challenge to any naysayers out there. In his words:

It was back in 2015 when Stephen Amell temporarily split his time between working on Arrow and building up a Green Arrow-infused rivalry with then-WWE superstar Cody Rhodes in his Stardust persona. (Rhodes later went on to join AEW and now serves as its Executive Vice President.) While Amell had to curb those particular interests in order to avoid career-altering injuries, he definitely had a blast during his WWE stint, which even peaked with a match at the annual SummerSlam pay-per-view event. So it's almost the best of both worlds that he was able to land another potentially longterm gig that combines both mentally emotional acting with physically daunting stunt work...and staying totally ripped without a shirt on.

That said, one can have the goal of wanting to be a pro wrestler while ALSO having a goal of "not wanting to be thrown down on my back and/or head for a dozen times a night." And Alexander Ludwig partly speaks to that idea with his answer, as he's thankful that he and his Heels co-stars only have to go into high-endurance mode for short bursts while filming, as opposed to the lengthy matches that take place on WWE's Monday Night Raw or AEW's Dynamite. Here's how Ludwig put it:

To Alexander Ludwig's point, my body just starts cramping automatically at the thought of headlining one of the WWE's hour-long Iron Man matches. Not that anyone would willingly hire me to do so, mind you, but possibly as a punishment. In any case, Ludwig and Amell's devotion to learning the craft of pro wrestling is on full display in Heels, which really digs into all the aspects of that particular world that are purposefully avoided in lieu of the electric performances. And mic skills are on another level from fight skills, but that's a different conversation.

Hailing from wrestling fanatics Michael Waldron (Loki) and Mike O'Malley (Survivor's Remorse), Heels will premiere on Starz on Sunday, August 15, at 9:00 p.m. ET. While waiting for the show to make its way down to the squared circle, be sure to keep track of everything else hitting the 2021 Fall TV schedule.

The upcoming Starz drama Heels stars real-life wrestling fan and occasional participant Stephen Amell as Jack Spade, who constantly butts heads — both in and out of the ring — with his brother Ace Spade (Vikings’ Alexander Ludwig) as the brothers try to keep their small-town wrestling promotion alive after their father’s death. It’s a classic battle of villainous “heels” vs. protagonist “faces” as the cable drama aims to offer a glimpse behind the masks and fanfare, to illuminate a side of independent wrestling that most of us don’t get to witness in action.

Stephen Amell’s first big TV project after starring for eight seasons on The CW's Arrow is one that's close to his heart, as Amell has been involved in various wrestling promotions over the years — including a WWE SummerSlam. So wrestling fans have high, off-the-top-turnbuckle hopes for the series, and they thankfully don’t have to wait much longer to see it. With Heels premiering very soon, let’s see what the critics are saying, starting with our own mini-review from CinemaBlend's Nick Venable, who thinks the new drama is a winner for all audiences, no matter how one feels about wrestling itself.

In its review of the Starz drama, Collider calls Heels an unabashed soap opera in the way it plants wrestling-esque plots into its domestic settings.

The A.V. Club also compared the series' storytelling mechanics to how things are handled in professional wrestling itself, by way of introducing seemingly stereotypical characters and then peeling back the layers of their lives to make everyone more rounded.

Entertainment Weekly gave Heels a B+, complimenting its slow-burn arc and the actors’ performances, but took issue with the writing for the show’s female characters, namely Jack’s business partner Willie (played by Mary McCormack) and his wife Staci (Alison Luff).

TV Line also points out that you don’t have to be a wrestling fan to enjoy Heels, much like Friday Night Lights wasn’t just enjoyed by high school football fans. While the review states there were missed opportunities to address unconscious bias with its BIPOC characters, the outlet still called Heels a “well-written love letter to independent wrestling.”

While there were certainly some smaller criticisms directed at Heels across the board, the overall consensus points to Heels being a new drama that's well worth anyone's time, regardless of how one feels about the shirtless and sweat-covered subject matter. By and large, Starz's foray into dramatized sports-entertainment is worth the price of admission, and a couple of beers in giant plastic cups.

Heels premieres on Starz on Sunday, August 15, with the first season consisting of eight hourlong episodes. Be sure to check out our Fall TV schedule to see what else is happening this month.

Both Stephen Amell and Alexander Ludwig are known for starring on popular TV shows, with both making their marks on TV with their roles on Arrow and Vikings, respectively. However, with both shows now at an end, the two have been working on a new Heels. The wrestling drama from Starz has been gaining public interest for a while now, with some waiting to get a first look at the show. Well, wait no longer, as the first official trailer has arrived, and it teases plenty of shirtless moments along with a lot of drama both inside and outside of the ring.

While the trailer is most of a teaser, it quickly establishes the characters of Jack (Stephen Amell) and Ace (Alexander Ludwig) Spade. Set in a small town, Heels centers on the relationship between the siblings and wrestlers. In the ring, one is known as “the face” or the hero, while the other serves as “the heel” or villain. The show will also focus on their war for their late father’s wrestling empire.

Heels marked the first project Stephen Amell signed on for following the final season of The CW’s Arrow. Amell, who is a die-hard wrestling fan, has shown a lot of enthusiasm for the new show since he was announced to have joined. In the month since, he’s shared a number of cool behind-the-scenes looks at the series, with one post even showing him in short shorts.

The show really has been a labor of love for Stephen Amell, as his posts have also shown just how much he’s been pushing his physical limits to play the role of Jack Spade. In addition, the actor actually tested positive for COVID-19 while filming and later injured his back while performing a stunt. Needless to say, the actor is giving his all to this show.

Aside from the physicality involved with the role, Stephen Amell has also been taking the time to build chemistry with on-screen brother Alexander Ludwig. The animosity between their two characters may be off the charts, but it seems that the actors actually have nothing but love for each other. One of Stephen Amell’s past social media posts showed the two enjoying dinner together. Heels may be an ensemble piece, but the performances of Stephen Amell and Alexander Luedwig are going to be crucial to its success. And if this footage is any indication, they could very well succeed in creating a relatable sibling rivalry.

This first trailer is definitely enough to set the stage for the new show, and get fans excited for what’s to come. Stephen Amell and Alexander Ludwig are capable actors, and it’s going to be fun to watch their intense relationship play out on screen.

Heels premieres Sunday August 15 on Starz.

For years, Stephen Amell was best known to TV audiences for wearing comic book-inspired costumes on The CW's Arrow, and though that gig did require him to don tights on a regular basis, he's going for a completely different aesthetic for his new show Heels. In it, Amell and Vikings vet Alexander Ludwig portray brothers who take control of an independent wrestling promotion after their father dies. And in Heels' first official images, both actors look perfectly on point making their way to the squared circle, though Ludwig's masterfully sparkly pants win the Internet for today.

If these are the kind of visuals that fans can expect to see from Stephen Amell and Alexander Ludwig on Heels – and what other kind would there be for a show focusing on small-town wrestling events? – then it's a must-watch for reasons that have nothing to do with the already interesting plot. Check out the new shots below, as shared by Heels' Twitter account, and try not to be jealous of Ludwig's supa-fancy pants.

I know what you're thinking: why doesn't Heels already have a full website with a branded shop where everyday citizens like us can order the same pants that Ludwig wears as his character Ace Spade? Apparently I also need to change my name to something a lot more amazing than Nick Venable to justify wearing those pants, such as Nick...Knife...bolt. Tricky Nicky Knifebolt. It's a work in progress.

For as much as I'm harping on the the sparkle magic covering Alexander Ludwig's legs, there is obviously a whole lot more to gnaw on in the two images above. To stick with the sheen-chested Ludwig at the moment, I am also all about that hair, which Stephen Amell could only dream of having. I think if someone did scientific research on it, the part to his left would exhibit perfect curvature. That exists, right? The pants told me to say it. The pants are my captain now.

To shift our sights to Stephen Amell, he's looking rightfully rugged as the elder brother Jack Spade, and his costume is much more representative of the family name. He's got smaller "spade" patches on the front of his vest, a big one on the back (complete with skull imagery and his name), at least one on his knee sleeves, and a big one on the back of his trunks. It would have probably been too much to have it right in the crotch area, since that would have it competing with Ludwig's pants for "most stare-at-able bottoms."

Considering how hyped up I already am for this show after only seeing two pictures – and not only because of bedazzled pants – I cannot wait until Starz unleashes a full trailer on potential audiences. Stephen Amell fans already know the actor has already done his wrestling homework as part of the WWE for several events some years back, though he couldn't continue down that path due to the threat of injury while working on Arrow. But after trading Oliver Queen's suits for Jack Spade's red undies, he's been able to embrace his sports-entertainment interests in earnest, and he's also been good about giving fans quick peeks at how enjoyably rough the training and filming have been.

Heels does not yet have a premiere date set on Starz, so we'll just have to bide our time by trying to design a floor pattern for my house that looks exactly like Alexander Ludwig's pants.

For the past several years, TV watchers have known Alexander Ludwig as the imposing Bjorn Ironside on History's Vikings. But all things must come to an end, as Vikings just concluded its run with a sixth season that wrapped up the stories of Bjorn, Ivar and the others. While Ludwig has since given his thoughts on the Bjorn’s ending, the actor is now focusing on the start of a new chapter in his personal life. The actor became engaged to girlfriend Lauren Dear last year, and it’s now been revealed that the two recently eloped.

Alexander Ludwig confirmed news of his marriage to Lauren Dear on Instagram. In his caption, he explained that the craziness of the past year is what helped influence the decision. As he put it, “life is too short”:

Despite being pleased with their decision, Ludwig and Dear naturally would have liked for their loved ones to have been involved in the major moment. With this, the two are planning an additional ceremony:

You can’t argue with Alexander Ludwig’s sentiments, as he and Lauren Dear certainly found a beautiful place to tie the knot. You can check out their wedding photo in his original post down below:

Experiencing something like 2020 does make you rethink certain things, and it sounds like Ludwig wasn’t waiting another second to make things official with his bride. It’s certainly a nice way to kick off the new year.

Things are really looking up for Alexander Ludwig both personally and professionally. With his work on Vikings now finished, he’s set to star in Starz’s Heels, a dramedy about the world of wrestling. The series will pair him with Arrow’s Stephen Amell, who will play Ludwig’s brother, with whom his character has a feud. But despite their characters’ feelings about each other, Ludwig and Amell appear to be getting along famously. Since becoming TV brothers, the two have spent some time together away from the set.

You can’t help but be happy for Alexander Ludwig as he enters this new phase of his life. Being a newlywed is a good feeling, and he and Lauren Dear appear to be very happy. Hopefully, great news like this sets the tone for a positive 2021.

And if you haven’t seen Alexander Ludwig’s work in Vikings or are looking to revisit the show, it’s available to stream on Hulu.

For many years now, Vikings has offered one big plot after another. This means many battles, much infighting between families and former friends, and deaths in every single season of the hit History series. If you’ve been keeping tabs on the show through much of its run, you likely realized the show was nearing its ultimate end. But with a Vikings spinoff Valhalla already on the way at Netflix, how did History’s long-running series say goodbye to characters like Bjorn, Ivar, Ubbe, Gunnhild and more? Who died? What happened during Vikings' Season 6 ending?

We’re about to get into spoilers for all of Season 6 of Vikings. This includes episodes that aired on the History earlier in 2020 as well as the final round of episodes that have already hit Amazon Prime Video before airing on History at a later date.

What Happened During The First Half Of Vikings Season 6?

Where to even begin when answering the question of what happened during the first half of Vikings Season 6? I suppose we’ll start with Ivar, who lost his leadership role to his half brother-Bjorn at the tail-end of Season 5. He later fled to Rus, where he crossed paths with a Prince there, Oleg, who was also highly ambitious. The two hatched a plan to take over Scandinavia and by the end of the season had sent raiding parties and then an army to attack the Norsemen. Meanwhile, Ivar was reunited with Hvitserk and also lusted after Prince Oleg’s wife, Katia, who reminded him of Freydis (and is indeed played by the same actress).

Meanwhile, a lot of frustrating things happened to Bjorn. First and foremost, he took over Kattegat and was almost immediately forced to fight yet another battle as Olaf was holding his ally King Harold hostage. Eventually, it turned out Olaf only wanted to unite all of the Kings of Norway into one role, and thought Bjorn would be a good fit for the job. Except King Harold plotted around him and was voted king instead, forcing Bjorn to flee.

As if things couldn’t get worse, Hali was killed by some outlaws… who just happened to be men Bjorn had released into the woods (instead of killing) who had worked under Ivar. His mother, Lagertha, came to Kattegat to tell Hali’s story and instead was killed by Hvitserk, who was drunk and out of his mind. Then, the Rus attacked Norway and Bjorn had to re-ally himself with King Harold and despite having a good plan, the Norsemen were outnumbered and a bunch of people died. Oh and Bjorn Lothbrok’s first wife Gunnhild lost her baby, a son, just after she’d committed to entering a plural marriage she wasn’t pumped about. You’d think that would be the end of all the strife, but in the final moments of Season 6, Bjorn was actually stabbed by Ivar, though there was a clip released after the season aired revealing that Season 6, Part 1 did not tell the end of Bjorn Lothbrok’s story.

Meanwhile, across the wide ocean, Ubbe and Torvi were settling in Iceland and hoping to encounter a brave new world that a mysterious traveler had once connected with, only to be swept away by the tides. Ubbe was also still looking into Floki’s disappearance at the end of Season 6, and those living in Iceland seem to be hiding something. Oh and Torvi had her baby, despite a birthing scare!

Next up, we’ll get into the second half of Season 6, which is on Amazon Prime now and will be heading to History in 2021. So if you don’t want to be spoiled, don’t say we didn’t warn you twice.

How Did Vikings Wrap Its Story During Its Season 6 Conclusion?

Surprise, Vikings hit Amazon in one fell streaming swoop rather than heading to History Channel first, which means we got a bunch of new episodes at once instead of having to wait weeks to find out what happened to our favorite characters. This means there's less time for speculation, but more time to dive into the good stuff. So, how did Season 6, Part 2 of Michael Hirst's Vikings conclude? With lots of people being taken to Valhalla, of course.

What Happened To Bjorn Lothbrok In Vikings Season 6?

As anticipated, Bjorn's story wrapped up early in the final set of episodes. After seemingly being killed by Ivar in the midseason finale, Alexander Ludwig's major character survived into the next episode. With some help from Gunnhild, he even mounted a horse and led his army to a charge on the battlefield, though he was mostly useless at that point. Still, showing up after news had broken that he had died made many of the Rus believe he was a ghost come back from the dead. It helped save the Vikings from Oleg's army and was Bjorn's final self-sacrificial act. He was later buried in a tomb fit for a king and celebrated by his wives.

Was Hvitserk Destined To Kill Ivar After All?

We know the prophecy came true about a son of Ragnar ultimately killing Lagertha and it was Hvitserk who did the deed. Heading into the second part of Season 6, Hvitserk had also had a telling conversation with Ivar about just embracing the worst parts of himself to achieve an end. Heading into the latter half of Season 6, things started to worsen. Hvitserk was given drugs by Prince Oleg and later asked Ivar if he wanted to have Hvtiserk killed, but Ivar declined. The two planned instead to help Prince Dir and proceeded to help Igor escape.

Later, Hvitserk headed with Ivar back to Kattegat where he met Idun, a goddess who "knew all about him" and gave him a renewed sense of purpose. He fought on the battlefield and was present when Ivar died, but he did not go to Valhalla himself. Instead, King Alfred spared Hvitserk. Ultimately, he ended up disconnecting from his religion and converting to Christianity instead, seemingly living out the rest of his days as a monk fittingly named Athelstan.

What Happened To Ivar The Boneless In Vikings' Final Season?

After Bjorn's death, Ivar's storyline was the largest plotline to still play out. In the latter half of Season 6, he helped Igor to escape Oleg's clutches and said goodbye to Katia --who was carrying his child -- in Rus. He then convinced Hvitserk to return to him with Kattegat, where King Harold was sitting on the throne. After remembering what his father Ragnar Lothbrok had told him, Ivar convinced King Harold and the other Vikings to attack Wessex, the last stronghold in England.

Ivar seems convinced of his destiny and that King Harold will not stand in his way in the end. However, that's not how the story played out. Instead, Ivar and King Harold took on the English army. Instead of trying to make a deal, this time King Alfred remained steadfast. King Harold was killed during the battle, but he went out fighting. Hvitserk had warned Ivar he was in danger of breaking some bones as his eyes had turned blue. The prediction was right, and ultimately led Ivar to a gruesome end. He died a Viking through and through, however.

What Happened To Bjorn's Wives Gunnhild And Ingrid?

Following the death of Bjorn, Kattegat was without a ruler. Gunnhild decided an election would be held for a new ruler, but Ingrid also decided to run. Meanwhile. King Harold had been let go and returns to Kattegat to interrupt the election. It became clear he still had aspirations to rule Kattegat and was aided in these efforts by Erik the Red. Meanwhile, this left Gunnhild and Ingrid with similar choices to maintain status in Kattegat: one of them must marry King Harold, a choice that Gunnhild found particularly strenuous.

Gunnhild ultimately visited Bjorn's tomb, as Ingrid had earlier in Season 6, and she made the choice to end her life and join Bjorn in Valhalla. After so many stressors from losing her husband and her baby to losing her status, it seemed she had had enough of the Vikings life. So, she left her clothing behind and swam out into the open water, never to return. Ingrid, chose to join with King Harold and have Bjorn's child, which she was carrying, but after King Harold chose to attack King Alfred, Ingrid was left to rule jointly with Erik, and she took advantage of him in more ways than one. Ultimately, it was Ingrid who succeeded where others did not. She fought her way to power by pushing around Gunnhild and blinding Erik until she was the leader of Kattegat. I can't say I was particularly happy to see her succeed while other fan-favorite characters perished, but I suppose it was a fitting end.

How Did The Iceland Storyline Wrap? Did Ubbe, Torvi And Family Find Their Happy Ending?

The good news? Ubbe, Torvi and family did reach Iceland, to much merriment. But Ubbe was not satisfied with Iceland and wanted to find a "new land." After meeting the explorer Othere, he and a small group of Vikings decided to travel even further in search of the land Othere had previously glimpsed. Unfortunately, on the way, a storm arose and washed little Asa out to sea. They reached Greenland, which led to more death in a short skirmish and also led Ubbe, Torvi, Othere and others to hurriedly leave Kjetill and his family behind. After days and days of lack of food and water, Othere's story of a green and promising land proved true.

The remaining Vikings on the journey disembarked in North America. There, they met a group of Native Americans and Floki, who was not murdered as many had guessed during the course of Season 6. Instead, he had apparently left civilization behind and landed in the same spot as Ubbe and his crew. It was a great reunion for the Vikings, but it was short-lived, as one of the group killed one of the Native Americans and reparations were required. Ubbe took on the task of killing the murderous Viking himself. The show closed with him reminiscing with Floki on the beach. It was as close as fans could get to a happy ending. After all of the tumult Ubbe and Torvi had gone through, they seemingly had decided to turn over a new leaf in this new world and attempt a different way of living.

What Happened to Ivar's Captors Oleg And Katia (Who Is Not Freydis)?

Katia and Ivar deepened their connection in the palace and, as it turned out, Katia was not the fan of her husband Oleg she pretended. They, along with Hvitserk, helped Igor to escape Oleg's clutches and reunite with Prince Dir. Oleg, of course, was very unhappy with this, but his forces were also overwhelmed. When Ivar, Igor, Prince Dir and Hvitserk returned with his (now former) wife Katia, Oleg asked for forgiveness. Choosing to help Igor, Ivar offered to shoot Oleg with a bow and arrow and put him out of his misery. Yet, harkening back to the scene when Oleg asked Igor to kill an army leader asking for mercy, Igor took Oleg down himself.

Ivar, still in love with Katia, asked her what she wanted to do. She let him down gently. At first, Ivar seemed fine with it, but later Katia also admitted that she was carrying Ivar's child. She ended up being the catalyst for Hvitserk and Ivar to return to Kattegat, though she did say that even if she didn't want Ivar around over the long haul she would tell their child who his father was.

Did Anything Else Notable Happen With Prince Dir, Floki, Kjetill, Erik Etc?

Yes! Of course, notable things outside of the main characters did happen. After helping Igor take back his claim to the throne, Prince Dir and his men ultimately celebrated. Meanwhile, Kjetill accompanied Ubbe and some of the other Icelanders in search of the land Othere had promised. It was in a place called Greenland that Kjetill went mad after a whale washed ashore. The other Vikings left Kjetill and his wife and escaped back to the boats. Kjetill was able to become King of Greenland, but it would be a lonely and isolated kingship. On a happy note, Floki was found to be alive, safe and sound, and even told Ubbe he still sees Ragnar in his dreams -- asking him to build boats from time to time, harkening back to earlier in the series.

Meanwhile, as noted prior, Erik, Bjorn's recent righthand man, also saw his demise in Kattegat as Ingrid made moves to take over. The two were in a bit of a cat and mouse game after King Harold had left Erik ultimately in charge. Ingrid first blinded Erik and when he sought his revenge by asking a servant to kill her, another servant double-crossed Erik and stabbed him with a pitchfork, leaving Ingrid to rule alone. Speaking of King Harold, like Bjorn he did not die in the early battle against Oleg's army. Unlike Bjorn, he lived on to fight the English, though he felt his time was near. He ended up getting stabbed in the foggy woods mid-battle, though he took down the Englishman who stabbed him. For me, this was one of the most compelling ends for any character left in Season 6.

At the end of the day, it was a sound conclusion for the long-running cabler and I can't wait to see where the spinoff takes us next. Meanwhile, I have to ask, what did you think of the way Vikings final wrapped its final set of episodes and said goodbye to those who were left?

This poll is no longer available.

Spoilers for Season 6B, the final episodes of Vikings, can be found throughout this article. Though, if you’ve been watching at all, the idea that Bjorn was approaching his end on the series should not be particularly surprising.

We’ve reached the end of the epic saga, the ten-part conclusion to Vikings that Michael Hirst crafted in his head, put to page, and has now reached Amazon Prime before it will ultimately air for viewers on its original home, History. One of the major plotlines that needed to be resolved in Season 6B was: What was Bjorn’s final fate? That question is answered rather quickly in the final episodes, and Vikings actor Alexander Ludwig has shared his feelings related to his character heading to Valhalla on the long-running show.

The actor, who has been a part of the Vikings family for much of its run, recently said goodbye to Bjorn Ironside at the beginning of Season 6B. When last we saw Bjorn, he had seemingly been stabbed fatally by Ivar. In fact, most of the Rus believed he was dead. However, earlier this year, footage from the season showed Bjorn up and about on the battlefield, seemingly after the moment at the end of Season 6A.

What ended up happening was that Bjorn Lothbrok was dragged off the battlefield along with King Harold after his grievous injury. Then, thanks to some help from Gunnhild, he willed himself to get back into his armor and back on a horse--showing up for just long enough in the battle to spook many of the men on Ivar’s side. He was mortally injured when he did this and was later given an epic burial, but his sacrifice helped to turn the tide in the battle and save his people. It was a huge episode for the series and a fitting sendoff for the character, in my opinion, though Alexander Ludwig is a little bit more modest about Bjorn’s final fate on the series, noting,

Still, obviously, when your name has been called on a series like Vikings, there are a lot of feelings involved. Over the years, we’ve seen many characters die in unusual and often gruesome ways. Lagertha’s death at the hands of Hvitserk was particularly notable in the first half of Season 6 and as we barrel nearer and nearer the show’s final moments fans have to say goodbye to even more notable characters. In his interview with Entertainment Tonight, Alexander Ludwig frankly discusses how hard it was to say goodbye.

His words echo the words that Kathryn Winnick said about her character’s death earlier in 2020. She also called her ending on Vikings “bittersweet,” revealing that she was pretty pumped with the big funeral Michael Hirst had written for Lagertha. Her son went out similarly on the series, but as I said prior he wouldn’t be the last.

If you haven’t started watching Season 6B of Vikings yet, you can catch all of the final episodes to your heart’s content on Amazon Prime. The episodes will hit History at a later date in the winter/spring TV schedule.

It’s hard to believe we are just a few days away from History’s Vikings dropping its final episodes, this time on Amazon before its cable run. Season 6, Part 1 aired nearly a year ago, with the final episode coming in February of this year, which feels really long ago now. At the time, creator Michael Hirst and co. envisioned the final season as a two-parter with 20 episodes, and that’s what we’ll be getting, albeit some time later. Although the creator is now promising the deaths of some of our “favorite characters.”

Ahead of the release of the final episodes on December 30, Michael Hirst touched base with Gamespot about the show’s final season. Of course, he was asked about the emotional impact of the finale and what deaths to expect in the final episodes. Unfortunately, though unsurprisingly, it looks like we’ll be losing more than just one big character as the show concludes.

I mean, if you’ve been keeping tabs on Vikings at all through its cable run and its historical shift to Amazon for its final season, you should know deaths are a fact of life for the characters and it’s no surprise more of those deaths are coming. In fact -- and spoilers-- it really seemed as if Part 1 of Season 6 closed with the death of Alexander Ludwig’s Bjorn character. It was only some months later that fans were privy to some clips from the upcoming closer that showed he will still be alive in the new episodes… at least for a little while.

Meanwhile, there’s a lot that still needs to be resolved and typically on Vikings that means death is imminent. For example, we know that Hvitserk and Ivar are in some ways foils for one another and Hvitserk believes they are tied, for better or for worse. Ivar has also been secretly operating behind Oleg’s back, so that won’t end well for one of them. At some point, the friction between Ubbe and Othere/Kjetill over whatever happened to Floki is going to need to come to a head, as well.

Oh yeah, and things probably won’t end well for both Queen Gunnhild and Bjorn’s new wife Ingrid. Death is always imminent on this show, and should be doubly so as it approaches its end. After all, Vikings should not fear death. Michael Hirst went on to tell the outlet the “conclusion” of the series was really important and he wanted to make sure the way the show went out did each of the major characters justice.

Hopefully, this will mean peace for characters from Torvi to Bjorn, whether in this life or the next. We’ll find out soon enough. Vikings will hit Amazon on December 30 as part of that streaming services’s December lineup. This time, we won’t have to speculate from week to week. In fact, we’ll be able to binge-watch to our heart’s content. Then, of course, a spinoff is on the way!

Alexander Ludwig’s time as Bjorn Ironside on the History Channel series Vikings is coming to a close later this year, but those of you looking to keep following along with Ludwig’s future endeavors are in luck. It’s been revealed that the actor will be teaming up with Game of Thrones’ Alfie Allen for a Netflix thriller called Night Teeth.

In case this is the first you are hearing of this upcoming Netflix movie, Night Teeth is about a young chauffeur who picks up two mysterious women for a night of partying across Los Angeles. However, things become complicated when the chauffeur not only leads who these ladies really are, but crosses paths with a “dangerous underworld lurking in the shadows,” forcing him to fight for survival.

While no character details about who Alexander Ludwig is playing in Night Teeth were provided by Deadline, he joins an already-stacked cast. Along with Alfie Allen, who starred in nearly the entirety of Game of Thrones as Theon Greyjoy, the lineup includes Bumblebee’s Jorge Lendeborg Jr. as the chauffeur, Mad Men’s Bryan Batt, Knives Out’s Marlene Forte, Insatiable’s Debby Ryan, Bright’s Lucy Fry and Looking’s Raúl Castillo.

Night Teeth marks Alexander Ludwig’s first foray into the Netflix world, although depending on how the movie’s received, maybe the streaming platform will want to recruit him for more of its original features. As for behind-the-scenes talent on this particular project, I See You’s Adam Randall is directing and Brent Dillon wrote the script. Unique Features’ Vincent Gatewood, and Ben Pugh and Charlie Morrison from 42, are all producing, while Bob Shaye and Erica Steinberg will serve as executive producers.

Before joining Vikings in its second season, Alexander Ludwig had already assembled a handful of notable credits, including The Dead Zone TV series, The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising, Grown Ups 2, Race to Witch Mountain and The Hunger Games. However, scoring the role of Bjorn Ironside (who was initially played by Nathan O’Toole) that’s catapulted him to wider fame. The series is expected to premiere the second half of its sixth and final season later this year.

Along with Vikings, Alexander Ludwig’s also appeared recently in Midway and Bad Boys for Life, as well as starred in the 2017 series Swerve. It’s also worth noting that Night Teeth is far from the only project he has coming up. Recon and Swing are his immediate next two movies, and it was announced nearly a full year ago that he’s joining Arrow star Stephen Amell on the upcoming Starz pro wrestling series Heels.

Keep checking back with CinemaBlend for more major updates concerning Night Teeth, but in the meantime, check out what movies and TV shows are heading to Netflix next month, as well as learn what movies are supposed to come out later this year with our 2020 release schedule.

Alexander Ludwig joined Vikings back in Season 2, when the History series made one of its many time-jumps. It led Ludwig to take over the role of Bjorn, as the character went from being a kid in Season 1 to a young man in Season 2. As fans wait for Season 6’s final half, Ludwig has shared that he had no idea Vikings would be so popular.

Vikings has not been Alexander Ludwig’s only acting job over the years, of course. He has gone on to star in several films, including Will Smith and Martin Lawrence’s recent blockbuster Bad Boys for Life. Ludwig called working on the movie a “dream” compared to Vikings, since committing to the History series required some professional sacrifice.

Asked if it has been “tricky” to work around his Vikings schedule to do a movie like Bad Boys for Life, Alexander Ludwig shared his surprise over Vikings' success with THR:

Yes, Vikings went from having ten episodes a year to 20, thanks to the ever-growing fanbase's interest! Alexander Ludwig himself acknowledged the historically-inspired series’ mega-popularity for the change. Vikings was among the most-pirated series in 2017 and 2019, and its placement on Netflix has only helped it gain recognition. The latter year marked an especially important milestone and a display of just how popular it has become.

In 2019, Vikings was the fourth most-pirated TV show, overtaking cult favorites like Arrow and Supernatural. While exciting, the larger episode count per season was a move that clearly impacted the cast’s ability to take on other roles. Despite that, Alexander Ludwig does not sound upset in the least, expressing his gratitude for being on the show.

As Alexander Ludwig points out, Vikings went from being a 10-episode-per-year series like Game of Thrones – yes, I am comparing them in that way, if not others – to one that put out twice the installments in Season 4. The History series’ sixth and final season has accordingly been split into two ten-episode halves, with Part 1 finishing earlier this year with a jaw-dropping cliffhanger involving Ludwig’s Bjorn.

Spoilers for the finale of Season 6’s first half are discussed below.

In the Season 6A finale, it seemed that Bjorn had been mortally wounded on the battlefield while fighting the Rus, who invaded Scandinavia with the assistance of Bjorn’s brothers. Fans are currently waiting to learn the outcome, as Vikings’ creator has offered some speculation-inducing teases regarding it. If Alexander Ludwig’s Bjorn dies early in Season 6, it would truly be a game-changer. And not only for the show itself.

If Bjorn dies early, that means Alexander Ludwig likely didn't have to star in the second half of Season 6 in its entirety, a similar situation to the early and lethal exit shared by one of his co-stars, Katheryn Winnick. Bjorn’s mom, Lagertha, did not even make it the Season 6 midseason finale. Now fans are waiting with bated breath to see if Bjorn will join her in Valhalla.

If Alexander Ludwig’s Bjorn was killed off early, you would think it might have helped clear his schedule a bit sooner than anticipated, allowing for his role in Bad Boys for Life.

Vikings is set to return for the final half of its last season at some point on History Channel. It was while filming Season 6 that Vikings’ creator realized that the story was complete, which is what sparked his decision to end the popular series. A premiere date is still pending.

As for Alexander Ludwig, his career is moving forward in exciting ways. He is set to star opposite Arrow’s Stephen Amell in the upcoming Starz drama, Heels. Until then, check out this spring’s premieres to keep yourself entertained.

Well, this is a good sign! Arrow’s Stephen Amell and Vikings’ Alexander Ludwig are in full-blown bonding mode. The actors are set to play brothers in the upcoming Starz drama Heels. It centers on two brothers deeply embroiled in the world of pro wrestling. Amell signed on for the show ahead of Arrow’s series finale.

Stephen Amell and Alexander Ludwig have taken to social media to chronicle their bonding. Interestingly, both actors are coming off of long-term series ahead of doing Heels. Amell with Arrow and Ludwig with Vikings, which has yet to air its series finale. Was that part of what made them bond so quickly? Maybe.

The actors are certainly doing their part to make their chemistry as brothers as authentic as possible. Not getting along would definitely be a setback. Of course, they are both skilled actors, so they could probably make either scenario work. In Heels, they will play brothers that have some tension in their lives. More on that in a minute, first this Instagram picture:

Stephen Amell and Alexander Ludwig shared the same image from their dinner on social media. The one above is from Amell’s Instagram, which featured a beyond charming emoji caption. Ludwig’s caption said, “Uhoh,” with two people wrestling emoji. He looks a lot happier hanging out with Amell than he has had to look playing Bjorn on Vikings. Tragedy and brotherly feuds will do that to a guy!

Back to Heels. The Starz drama will feature Stephen Amell and Alexander Ludwig playing two brothers with a lot going on. Following their father’s death, they take over the family’s wrestling promotion. Amell will play Jack, who plays the “heel,” aka the villain in the ring. Ludwig will play the “ace,” aka the more heroic figure.

The out-of-the-ring dynamic between the brothers on Heels has so far read as troubled. Clearly, Stephen Amell and Alexander Ludwig’s dynamic is anything but. A good sign for the behind-the-scenes development of Heels. Fans excited for the series’ launch will be thrilled to know that they have eight hour-long episodes to look forward to.

It is going to be a physically intense series for both actors. Stephen Amell has already confirmed that he will be wearing a speedo for Heels. Since he is playing a wrestler, their barely-there attire is part of the action, so do not overthink it. Come to think of it, considering that Alexander Ludwig is also playing a wrestler, he will probably have to wear one too.

The things that actors do for their art! It never ceases to amaze. The good news is that Stephen Amell seems to be starting a great friendship with Alexander Ludwig. A not entirely surprising development when thinking about his close bond with The Flash’s Grant Gustin and Supernatural’s Jared Padalecki. “Good friends are hard to find,” but Amell seems to be managing it.

Heels does not have a premiere date yet on Starz. While you wait for the wrestling drama to get one, stay entertained with this winter and spring’s premieres. You can watch Stephen Amell in Arrow on Netflix. It is streaming along with new 2020 content.

Alert: Spoilers for the fate of a huge character in the midseason/winter finale of Vikings Season 6 are discussed below. Proceed carefully!

A deadly twist that seemed like a pretty open and shut case just got blown wide open thanks to what Vikings’ creator, and its star, both had to say about it. The History series completed the first half of its final season, and the midseason finale left off with a shocker. Bjorn was impaled by a sword shown to be wielded by Ivar.

The implication was that Bjorn had been killed off only a couple of episodes after his mother, Lagertha. It was a shocking twist made all the more feasible considering how Season 6 has unfolded so far. While Bjorn’s wound appeared mortal, Alexander Ludwig indicated that Bjorn's fate is still very much a Vikings cliffhanger. When asked whether or not Bjorn was really dead, Ludwig told ET:

Alexander Ludwig’s response suggests that Bjorn might be alive, but I find it hard to believe that Bjorn could have possibly survived being run through with a sword. It was very similar to the wound that took down Lagertha’s boyfriend, Heahmund, last season. Michael Hirst added to the open ended nature of the midseason finale twist, saying:

They may be alive, but are they hanging by a thread? Bjorn collapsed, and his eyes appeared to glaze over. He could have been hovering near death when Vikings left off in Season 6, only to not escape it. Harald looked to have sustained severe blood loss, as his face had turned gray. Speaking about Bjorn’s fate, Michael Hirst gave a more dire response to GameSpot, saying:

Vikings’ creator indicated that he knew Bjorn would die in Season 6. Is he dead in the midseason finale? Maybe not yet. However, that does not mean he will somehow survive his seemingly mortal wound. It seems that Vikings may be saving Bjorn’s fate for when Season 6 returns for its second and final half. On Bjorn, Hirst said:

Am I to take from this that Bjorn will actually die when Season 6 resumes? It sounds like Michael Hirst wants to isolate Bjorn’s death for a profound hour like the one Vikings gave Lagertha earlier this season. Bjorn is an original character that fans are deeply invested in, so it makes sense to spotlight him as his light dims.

Based on all of this, I do not think that Bjorn will survive, but that he'll have just a brief reprieve until Vikings returns. A question I have now relates to how Vikings seemed to skip around a bit during the finale, because Oleg, Ivar, and Hvitserk were shown celebrating their victory.

If Bjorn is somehow alive at that point, I do not get why Ivar, especially, would be celebrating. He would still have things to do where Bjorn is concerned. Ivar acted confident that Bjorn was dead. Perhaps Vikings will be going the metaphysical route with Bjorn transitioning to Valhalla in Season 6, Episode 11. The show sort of went that route during Lagertha’s funeral.

Whatever happens, Vikings has my curiosity piqued. I could see one or both of Bjorn’s wives coming to be at his side before he dies, which would give that storyline a bit of closure after taking such a dramatic and seemingly story-yielding twist. Vikings was just starting to explore the trio’s plural marriage.

Death in the world of Vikings can be abrupt, so speculation about his survival does not mean that Bjorn won't eventually die. If Bjorn manages to somehow recover, he should go from being known as “Bjorn Ironside” to “Bjorn Iron-gut.” Surviving that wound would definitely warrant a title change, in my opinion! Speaking of which, do you think Bjorn is going to survive? Vote in the poll below!

This poll is no longer available.

Find out what happens to Bjorn when Vikings returns for the second half of its final season. A premiere date for Season 6B has not been announced by History, so stay tuned. While you wait for the drama to return, you can check out this winter and spring’s premieres.

In Bad Boys For Life, we got the long-awaited return of Will Smith’s Mike Lowrey and Martin Lawrence’s Marcus Burnett, but we also got some fresh new faces to the franchise in the form of the AMMO Squad. Among the team’s members is Dorn, a tech expert in the body of a bodybuilder played by Vikings’ Alexander Ludwig. The actor, best known for playing Björn “Ironside” Lothbrok on Vikings, wanted to put on a lot of muscle for the role, so Alexander Ludwig used The Rock’s workout to get jacked, courtesy of Dwayne Johnson himself:

Vikings is arguably Alexander Ludwig’s breakout role, but he has been acting since he was very young and one of the films he starred in was Disney’s Race to Witch Mountain. That 2009 film starred a teenage Alexander Ludwig, AnnaSophia Robb, Carla Gugino and yes, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, long before he was the biggest movie star on the planet. So, Alexander Ludwig knew exactly who he could reach out to for help to get jacked for Bad Boys For Life.

As Alexander Ludwig told Variety, The Rock seems like he knows a thing or two about working out. Dwayne Johnson has built a career thanks to charisma and his physique and attaining and maintaining that physique is something he works very hard at. And if you’re going to emulate someone, might as well emulate the best. Fortunately for Alexander Ludwig, he had an in with Dwayne Johnson thanks to Race to Witch Mountain.

Alexander Ludwig emailed The Rock and despite the fact that he hasn’t seen or worked with The Rock in a decade-and-a-half, the superstar actually responded, not with just a few tips, but with an entire workout plan. He may not be a formally educated or certified personal trainer, but the proof is in the pudding and you could certainly do worse than having The Rock programming your workouts.

The Rock gave Alexander Ludwig a workout plan to maximize his gains and help the actor get as big as possible as fast as possible for Bad Boys For Life. It’s an incredibly kind gesture from The Rock and really reflects well on him. As busy as he is, he still took the time to help out a younger actor who he hasn’t seen in years for one of his biggest parts yet. Paying it forward, you love to see it.

Alexander Ludwig followed The Rock’s workout plan for the entire shoot and the results speak for themselves onscreen. It was critical to the young actor that he be as big as possible for the role in Bad Boys For Life and that’s why he reached out to The Rock. Speaking about the paradoxical role of Dorn, Alexander Ludwig explained:

In Bad Boys For Life, Alexander Ludwig’s Dorn is AMMO’s tech expert, the Oracle to Mike and Marcus’ Batman and Robin. His computer skills and personality stand in stark contrast to his physical appearance. Dorn is not the diminutive, bespectacled tech geek you see in so many other action films. Dorn is a giant who you would expect to be out in the field cracking heads. But this giant is a gentle one.

There’s a reason Dorn is the way he is that you find out in the film, but that dichotomy is what makes him a fun character and that’s why Alexander Ludwig wanted to be as jacked as possible for the role. Fortunately, he knew just the guy to ask for help.

Bad Boys For Life is now playing. Check out our 2020 release schedule to keep track of all this year’s biggest movies.

Vikings fans are familiar with Alexander Ludwig for his role as Bjorn Ironside, the son of the series’ original protagonists, Ragnar Lothbrok and Lagertha. Ever since that Season 2 time-jump, Ludwig has played the older version of Bjorn on the History channel TV series. While Season 6 is still unfolding, the show is ending, and Ludwig is continuing to pursue his film career with a role in Bad Boys for Life.

In the much-anticipated third installment in the popular Bad Boys franchise, Alexander Ludwig plays Dorn. How is it different to do a TV show compared to a blockbuster movie like Bad Boys for Life? Alexander Ludwig weighed in and revealed some significant differences, telling Collider:

Wow. Alexander Ludwig revealed that Vikings only called production twice, and it took a hurricane to stop it one of those times. And I thought Bjorn initially getting left out of that major scene in the latest Vikings episode was brutal! Television sounds intense, but Ludwig credits it with being a “master class” for acting.

It was clearly rough to film Vikings. Thus, I have an even more heightened appreciation for its cast and crew. Despite the conditions, Alexander Ludwig seems appreciative of what Vikings taught him. The rush and pressure to get things done was just one of the differences between doing Vikings and Bad Boys for Life. Ludwig continued, saying:

I am guessing there was not a lot of improvising while filming Vikings. Is that because of the tight production schedule? Based on what Alexander Ludwig is saying, there was not a lot of time to go with the flow. The strict schedule and weather conditions, among other things, made it tricky. Not a lot of time to focus on fan theories.

On the set of Vikings, there was not a lot of ability for Alexander Ludwig to try different takes on the King of Kattegat. When it came to Bad Boys for Life, there was more freedom for things to naturally unfurl. That does not mean everything improvised made the final cut, though. Ludwig said:

The extra time to let the scenes come together proved to be a dream for Alexander Ludwig. Time is not an element that Vikings gave him a lot of. Hence, Ludwig’s gratitude for having the ability to explore. Interestingly, Ludwig shares that only 10% of improv actually makes it into the final cut.

Alexander Ludwig clearly appreciates what his experience on Vikings and Bad Boys for Life gave to him. While he continues to pursue feature film work, he has more TV in his future. The actor has signed on to co-star with Arrow’s Stephen Amell in the upcoming wrestling drama, Heels.

Bad Boys for Life is now in theaters! New episodes of Vikings air Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on History. The historical drama has been one of the shows airing new this winter.

Major spoilers for Episode 3 of Vikings Season 6, entitled “All the Prisoners,” are discussed below!

While Bjorn was declared King of Kattegat last season, Season 6 has seen the start of his reign. So far, Bjorn’s time as King has not resulted in the best decisions, and it all started in the premiere. He exiled Ivar’s murderous band of followers after branding them. In Vikings’ latest game-changing episode, Bjorn's son was murdered by the leader of the men he exiled.

Then there was the King Harald issue. Bjorn decided to leave his throne in Kattegat to go rescue his on-again-off-again ally. The rescue attempt ended up failing in spectacular fashion. So, Bjorn is pretty much 0 for 2 in Season 6. Speaking about Bjorn's decision to go save Harald in the premiere and before disaster struck, Vikings’ Alexander Ludwig told TV Guide:

I think his decision with regards to Harald also relates to his ruling with Ivar’s followers, with both decisions being made in the premiere. Vikings has wasted no time in showing the outcome of Bjorn’s decisions. Bjorn’s heart may have been in the right place, but his idealism has now led to tragic consequences. And, not only for him and his family, either.

In the second episode of Vikings Season 6, his decision to show mercy to the merciless ended up leading to the group going free and committing atrocities against villagers. Lagertha is currently in the village and readying to fight the bandits again, in what may be her next big battle.

Bjorn’s wife, Gunnhild, is presently on her way to Lagertha’s after having an incredibly violent nightmare that foretold of what happened. Meanwhile, Bjorn is still away from Kattegat following that Harald rescue attempt. One thing is certain. The twists and turns have not stopped coming on Vikings.

Despite some not-so-great decisions as of late, Vikings gave Bjorn a massive promotion in its latest episode. After failing to rescue Harald, Bjorn met with Harald’s captor, King Olaf, who announced his desire to elect Bjorn the King of Norway! Bjorn lives to rule another day. Teasing the journey of Ragnar’s son in Season 6, Alexander Ludwig said:

It sounds like Bjorn’s mistakes will not be lost on him. Vikings has set up quite a storyline for when Bjorn comes back. Assuming his election as the King of Norway succeeds, he will return to Kattegat more powerful than he left it, even though this is a development that was not part of his initial plan.

Will Bjorn get back in time to deal with the bandits himself? Or, will Lagertha have been successful in killing them by the time he returns? Vikings’ timelines make it a bit tricky to predict. He still has to make the journey home from Harald’s kingdom. That is, if he does not make a few pit stops on his way home.

Obviously, Bjorn never anticipated how his verdict would play out. Will Bjorn grow colder as a ruler? Or will he remain idealistic in his pursuit of doing what he thinks is right? Lagertha feels that Bjorn is “destined” to rule Kattegat, according to Katheryn Winnick. The question is if he can maintain his people’s support to continue doing so.

Find out how Bjorn’s rule continues when new episodes of Vikings air Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on History. The historical drama’s Season 6 return is part of this winter's premieres.

As any super-involved Vikings viewer knows, there are a lot of fan theories about the series. Given the deep mythos that Vikings possesses, that is not where the potential for fan theories ends. Could Floki actually be a god, specifically the god of mischief? Alexander Ludwig, who plays Bjorn, agrees it is possible!

Alexander Ludwig was giving his thoughts on Vikings fan theories when he arrived at one that he seemed to agree is entirely possible. That brings us to none other than Floki, whose current whereabouts remain a mystery after the cave he was in collapsed. If you believe Floki is still somehow alive, there could be a reason. Is he a god?

The fan theory goes that Floki is actually the god of mischief, aka Loki. As you can tell from his name, Floki’s is only a letter off from that. A nod to his true origins? Asked if he thinks there is any truth to the Vikings theory, Alexander Ludwig told TV Guide:

Interesting! If this Vikings fan theory is correct, it would explain a lot. I am confused about if Floki knows he is Loki or not. Floki does believe in the gods fervently, which is what led to his spelunking expedition to find them. If he knows he is one, why did he need to go looking?

Vikings’ Floki has historical ties. However, he has remained at the core of the show’s spiritual realm with respect to the Vikings’ beliefs. If Floki is actually Loki, it is interesting that he was searching for the gods when the cave collapsed. Could the big Vikings twist be that Floki brought a god into it with his own presence?

Either way, Alexander Ludwig is definitely on-board with this Vikings theory and he points to the show for some evidence that supports it. The Floki scene in question occurred during the Season 4 episode entitled “Yol,” and Ludwig explained its significance, saying:

Alexander Ludwig makes an excellent point in referencing that Vikings scene. You cannot help but wonder if this one could be true after considering it. The Seer was killed off last season. However, he returned in the Season 6 premiere. Before the Seer met his demise at Ivar’s hand, the Seer met with various characters. Sometimes he offered them bad news about their futures.

After getting their “reading,” the person would then lick the Seer’s hand. In the Vikings scene that Alexander Ludwig referenced, the Seer licked Floki’s. Did the Seer know Floki’s real identity as Loki and show his reverence for him by licking his hand instead? It seems to fit the situation.

If Floki is unaware of being a god, it would explain his constant frustration with the world around him. The mystery of if Floki is a god has been momentarily overshadowed by his status among the living. Vikings’ creator has given an update about where that storyline is headed, and it involves Ubbe searching for answers.

He has had to temporarily forego his mission to find Floki while Bjorn set out to rescue Harald. Bjorn left Ubbe in charge of Kattegat in his stead. After the way Vikings’ latest episode played out, Ubbe may be ruling Kattegat for a while. A development that means the wait for answers about Floki will wear on in the meantime.

Find out what happens next in the Floki mystery when new episodes of Vikings air Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on History. The historical drama’s return is part of this winter's premieres.

Finally! Vikings fans have been waiting for a trailer and premiere date for Vikings Season 6, the final season on the History Channel. Today, it was revealed that Vikings Season 6 will start with a two-hour back-to-back episode premiere on Wednesday, December 4 at 9 p.m. Vikings Season 6 will have 20 episodes airing in two parts; the first 10 episodes will air every Wednesday night starting December 4, and the final 10 episodes will air at some point in 2020. Let's hope they don't hold the final episodes until the very end of 2020.

Check out the official Vikings Season 6 trailer:

Bjorn vs. Ivar. According to History's synopsis for Vikings Season 6, after years of turmoil and tragedy, the series reaches its biggest climax yet with the Vikings traveling to never-before-seen locations thousands of miles from Kattegat. They'll meet vicious rivals worthy of their strategic combat and finally face the consequences of Ragnar’s death. The Seer’s visions come to fruition as the final season answers important life-altering questions while making it clear, the war is far from over.

Here's a nice bonus: Lagertha herself -- aka series regular actress Katheryn Winnick -- is making her directorial debut with Vikings Season 6. Speaking of Winnick, the actress also shared what looked like a major Season 6 spoiler a few months ago, so check that out or beware of such spoilers out there.

Showrunner Michael Hirst issued a statement with the final trailer:

Bjorn actor Alexander Ludwig recently teased Season 6 would be coming soon, saying "it's a banger." He is a major player in the trailer, along with Alex Høgh's Ivar.

There's a fan theory that Travis Fimmel could return as Ragnar for the final season, so we'll have to see about that. What about Rollo? Vikings showrunner Michael Hirst gave CinemaBlend a very intriguing "yes and no" answer to Rollo's return, saying it will be a huge surprise. Whatever happens, we know Rollo's big paternity bombshell last season won't be able to break the powerful bond between Bjorn and Lagertha.

As for Ivar, he made a hasty exit after his defeat in Vikings Season 5, but the battle is clearly not over. Michael Hirst recently talked about Ivar escaping from Kattegat via the back of a wagon. Turns out, he did not know where he was headed at the time, but Hirst explained Ivar's Season 6 journey to TV Guide:

The showrunner also teased a "very different side of Ivar" coming out right at the start of Vikings Season 6:

Vikings Season 6 begins Wednesday, December 4 at 9 p.m. on the History Channel. Here's more of what we know so far about the final season.

Vikings will wrap after its upcoming sixth season on History, but that doesn't mean the whole cast will be gone from the small screen. Alexander Ludwig, who plays Bjorn on the History drama, has already landed a new gig, and it will take him face-to-face with an Arrow-verse superhero vet. Ludwig joins Arrow's Stephen Amell for the upcoming Starz drama Heels. With Arrow ending as well, Heels guarantees that these long-running TV stars won't be gone from TV for too long. So, what's in store?

Alexander Ludwig is on board Heels as the co-lead opposite Stephen Amell, and they'll be playing brothers who also happen to be rivals. Their family owns a wrestling promotion, and brothers Ace (Ludwig) and Jack (Amell) battle over the legacy of their father, who has died. The show takes place in a Georgia community known as Duffy and follows the stories of men and women alike immersed in the world of professional wrestling in a small town.

Heels sounds like it should involve a fair amount of action for the two brothers, so it bodes well that the men who played Bjorn Ironside on Vikings and the Green Arrow on Arrow know how to handle themselves in stunt sequences, even if Alexander Ludwig hasn't always been able to do the stunt sequences he wants. Hey, Stephen Amell even has wrestling experience! Something tells me this isn't just going to be the Starz version of GLOW.

Both Ace and Jack play their parts in the ring, with Alexander Ludwig's ace as the good guy and Stephen Amell's Jack as the bad guy, or "heel." As such, Deadline reports that Ludwig as Ace is beloved and a town idol, but he has to deal with "insecurities and demons" in real life. Charismatic and handsome, he's also arrogant and perhaps even a danger to himself. And it certainly sounds like his brother won't be the most supportive person in his life. Are Ace and Jack the hero and the "heel" in life as well as the ring?

Heels will run for eight episodes of an hour each on Starz, with -- somewhat oddly enough -- Yes, Dear's Mike O'Malley on board as showrunner. Michael Waldron, who has also been attached to Disney+'s Loki series, wrote Heels.

There are no details at this point about when Heels will debut on Starz, but it may be a while off. The good news is that Stephen Amell will be back on the airwaves within the month for the final season of Arrow on The CW, and Alexander Ludwig's promised not so long ago that the final season of Vikings is "coming soon." His casting on Heels may be a sign that Bjorn -- or at least, Bjorn of an age that Ludwig can believably play him -- may not be involved in the spinoff series in the works to follow the end of Vikings.

Only time will tell. At least Alexander Ludwig and Stephen Amell look somewhat similar enough that it shouldn't take too huge a jump to the conclusion that their characters are brothers. I do wonder if Amell or Ludwig will play their character at a different age from their own. Amell is currently 38-years-old, while Ludwig is only 27. They could be brothers with a sizable age differences, or Heels could take some liberties. We'll have to wait and see.

Alexander Ludwig is teasing Vikings Season 6 in a big way! The actor, who plays Bjorn on the History series, hints that the sixth season is “coming soon” and that it is a “banger.” Let the anticipation continue to mount!

Fans of the History series are currently awaiting a premiere date for Vikings’ final season. “Coming soon” is not an exact date, but it is a promising timeframe. Check out Alexander Ludwig’s full post below replete with a picture of him and co-star Katheryn Winnick:

The Vikings star teased Season 6 on Instagram. He is not the first of the Vikings cast to do so. The “banger” portion of Alexander Ludwig’s post sounds like something fans will want to behold. Now, if viewers could only get to see a full-blown trailer for the sixth season!

They have gotten a teaser trailer, which offered a surprising level of insight into Vikings’ final chapter. Adding to the anticipation is the sneak peek that Alexander Ludwig’s co-star, Katheryn Winnick (Lagertha), shared for Season 6. It did not offer the best omen for Ludwig’s Bjorn going forward. We know that a “he” will die. The question is which “he” it will be.

There are many men to choose from. Alexander Ludwig’s Bjorn ended Season 5 on a pretty seismic note. He was crowned King of Kattegat in the finale. Will he stay that way for long? Could the “he” that dies for everyone be Bjorn? It would explain why Lagertha is speaking and seeming to address her fellow denizens. Presumably at a memorial of some sort.

Still, what if Alexander Ludwig means the positive side of the term’s meaning? Bjorn dying right as he finally got his hands on power would be a bummer, not necessarily a “banger.” Unless you are an Ivar fan that wants to see the character head back from Rus to get the throne of Kattegat back.

As someone who did not enjoy his reign of terror, this Vikings viewer is ready to see Bjorn rule for a while. Speaking of Bjorn, it seems like his children may be getting attention from their grandmother in Season 6. Katheryn Winnick teased Lagertha redefining “who she is now as a grandmother.”

Bjorn and his new wife were talking about adding to the family, so there may be more grandchildren for Lagertha to enjoy. In related news, fans will also find out what leads to the fate of a Vikings fan-favorite in Season 6. It is a destiny that the actor seemed to recently confirm. Of course, longtime fans have known that twist was probably coming for a while.

One thing I will be curious to find out is if Lagertha confirms or clarifies who Bjorn’s biological father is in Season 6. Last season, Rollo made the bombshell assertion (even though hints existed) that he is Bjorn’s bio-dad, and not his famous brother, Ragnar. Does Vikings’ sixth season contain the answer? It is “coming soon,” so stay tuned.

History has not announced a premiere date for Vikings’ sixth and final season. Hopefully, “soon” is super soon. You can currently catch Seasons 1 through 5 of Vikings on Amazon Prime Video. For non-Vikings content, check out summer’s selection of premieres.

Former Vikings co-stars Travis Fimmel and Alexander Ludwig recently shared a very interesting reunion. They went flying together, joining Bradley Friesen for a wowzers helicopter trip that involved a lot of enviable sightseeing. What's more, recent Vikings addition Kristy Dinsmore also joined the fun.

In the trip's video, provided by Bradley Friesen, Travis Fimmel is donning a Ragnar-style beard that will draw up some memories with fans. Fimmel and Alexander Ludwig looked extremely excited to go on this mini-adventure together, too. They both took a picture with the pilot’s dog, dressed in Vikings attire. Cute!

The video features some fantastic shots of beautiful scenery that aren't so unfamiliar to Vikings, where snow and ice and the bitter cold have sometimes made life hectic for the characters. Seeing Alexander Ludwig in the wintery environment brings back memories of Bjorn’s fight with that bear. You know the one. See if you agree by watching the video below:

One of the great parts of the video occurs at the 7:19 mark. There, Travis Fimmel is laying on his back with his hands on the ice/glass, and when the camera turns vertical, it looks like he is scaling a wall of ice. Nice! If Alexander Ludwig was the one behind the camera capturing that, maybe he could do some similarly clever work on Vikings in Season 6?

As for actual Vikings intel, there is some interesting trivia in the video. Travis Fimmel, originally from Australia, gets called out for Ragnar’s accent being such a significant departure from his real accent. Fimmel offered some insight into the process of developing how Ragnar sounded, sharing that the particular brogue he used to play Ragnar was purposefully meant to sound unlike any other accent. Many fans will undoubtedly agree he accomplished that feat.

Alexander Ludwig was effusive in his excitement and appreciation of getting to go on the trip, and not just in the video above. The actor also took to Instagram to share his gratitude along with gorgeous highlight reel. Check it out below!

Apparently, the sightseeing expedition was all part of a pre-existing meet-up between the two former co-stars. Travis Fimmel indicated he'd been hanging out with Alexander Ludwig for a few days, and the former kindly praised Ludwig's family. 

It is neat that they still stay in contact. Given how presumably intense a show Vikings is to film, that environment seems like it would be primed to forge deep connections between co-stars. Even when one of those co-stars gets killed off to the dismay of everyone.

Speaking of, Travis Fimmel left Vikings when Ragnar was killed off in Season 4. So it has been a while since viewers last saw Alexander Ludwig and Fimmel share the screen outside of reruns. This video is an exciting way to have them in front of the camera together again.

In the Season 5 finale, Bjorn recalled a significant moment that he'd shared with his dad. Hopefully, Ragnar will put in another appearance before the show ends with its sixth and final season. Travis Fimmel and Alexander Ludwig created a super-believable connection as family members on Vikings, and it deserves a few more moments before the series has concluded.

Alternately, fans would probably love to see the two actors put their high-chemistry relationship to good use on another project outside of Vikings. It would be great to see them share the screen for a different kind of story at some point in the future.

As for Vikings, a premiere date for the series’ sixth and final season has not gotten set yet. Whenever it happens, it will do so on History. Having bid a temporary goodbye to Vikings, fans can get pumped by lots of other new shows while waiting for the series' return.

On top of watching television shows unfold, there is another thing about the viewing experience that many fans enjoy. That would be creating fan theories about how a series' plots will unfold. When discussing fan theories, Vikings' Alexander Ludwig, who plays Bjorn, weighed in with his thoughts on them. Ludwig said:

Alexander Ludwig shared his fan theory thoughts with ET, before weighing in on some of Vikings' best. What he shared is some pretty significant praise! To suggest they could potentially influence shows is another intriguing point. It certainly makes sense. If a fan were to hit on a correct theory, well before a big reveal takes place on-screen, it could be a game-changer.

Whether shows take a correct theory so seriously that they change a plot's outcome is an exciting thing to contemplate. In the Season 5B premiere of Vikings, fans, including this one, finally got the answer to a long-circulating theory. That theory involved Rollo and Bjorn being biological father and son. In the midseason opener, Rollo confronted Lagertha and his believed-to-be-nephew with his assertion.

Clive Standen revealed that the revelation regarding Bjorn's paternity had been a long time in the making. He also pointed out that observant Vikings fans were likely to notice the signals. So, could fans be right about other things? There is another fan theory that involves Rollo and the paternity of another of his nephews.

A few months ago, Reddit user LordTryhard suggested that Rollo also fathered Ivar. They point out the purposeful physical resemblance between the characters as furthered by casting, among other reasons, including Rollo's motivation to back Ivar.

That mystery may have already been resolved with the Bjorn reveal. If the Ivar/Rollo theory turns out to be true, Rollo never showed the amount of affection he did for Lagertha to Aslaug. So, we will all just have to wait and see if this comes to fruition. One secret maybe-son may be all Vikings needs.

Following up on his co-star's fan theory comments, Alex Høgh Andersen, who plays Ivar the Boneless on the History series, weighed in. He went a step further in his praise for fan theories. Andersen said:

Given the rise of fan fiction and theories being covered by online pubs, fans are not backing down from sharing about their favorite shows. With so many eyes on a TV show, fans are bound to hit on something in the mind's eye of a series' creator. Whether Vikings ends up bringing more fan theories to fruition will be fun to find out.

The show has no absolute limits to where it can go, and fans are understandably anxious surrounding the fate of Lagertha. Whether she can survive the second half of Season 5 certainly has this viewer on edge.

See what else Vikings' creator Michael Hirst has up his sleeve when the second half of the season continues. New episodes of Vikings Season 5B air Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on History. The show is among many returning this fall and during the midseason.

Pulling off the mesmerizing stunts that comprise Vikings' jaw-dropping scenes requires a capable stunt team. And as you may expect, no one has more appreciation for them than Vikings' own Alexander Ludwig. That said, he would love to portray Bjorn's scariest moments himself now and then. At Vikings' 2018 San Diego Comic-Con panel, Ludwig opened up about one of the stunts he really wanted to tackle, and fans are likely to recall the scene in question. Ludwig said:

The scene Alexander Ludwig is describing turned out be one of Vikings' most memorable Bjorn-related dream sequences. In it, Torvi experienced a nightmare in which she took a seemingly fatal shot at Bjorn. Despite it turning out that he was unscathed, it was still a hair-raising sequence. Ragnar Lothbrok's eldest son tends to be involved in those kinds of scenes. Remember, he did have a pretty scary altercation with a bear. Thankfully, Bjorn lived to continue giving the audience more shocking moments.

Ludwig's comments are a crucial reminder that even if a scene turns out to be a fake-out, it is still a very real challenge for Vikings' stunt team. As many actors have commented on in the past, stunts are usually reserved for the stunt team. It is nice to hear them heralded by someone who knows first-hand what goes into making the magic happen. Stunt teams are pivotal in making Vikings, and similar swashbuckling entertainment feel real.

Falling into the water from a serious height is one thing. When it comes to those super intense fight sequences, Alexander Ludwig tends to be in the thick of it. At the SDCC panel, which CinemaBlend's Jessica Rawden attended, the actor shared some behind-the-scenes insight into filming those chilling battle scenes. Like Alex Høgh Andersen's revelation regarding Ivar's braces, looks can be deceiving. As it turns out, there are physical consequences to filming the rigorous action scenes for the actors. Ludwig said:

Vikings' battle sequences are among television's best thanks to their gritty, up-close-and-personal nature. You can practically feel the mud flying off the battlefield and the connection swords make when they clash with an opponent's.

The choreography is not scared to venture away the kind of lighter violence many are used to on TV, oftentimes going for heart-racing tension as the ugly side of fighting to survive is brought into rigorous focus. Whether it is a bloody battlefield or facing down a bear, Bjorn "Ironside" Ragnarsson has seen it all. Find out where Vikings takes him next when the series returns.

The second half of Vikings' fifth season, otherwise known as Season 5B, premieres November 28 on History. For new television shows to watch while you wait for the return of Vikings, check out CinemaBlend's guide to TV's summer premieres. For more about Vikings, check out the show's official site.

We seem to be living in the golden age of cinematic bear attacks. First we saw Leonardo Dicaprio’s Hugh Glass get viciously mauled by a grizzly in The Revenant, and then on the small screen, in Vikings, we saw Bjorn Ironside take one on. Whoever said actors have it easy clearly doesn't know what they're talking about. According to the actor involved, the Vikings bear attack sequence could have gone horribly wrong incredibly quickly.

Speaking with Zap2It, Vikings actor Alexander Ludwig recently spoke out about the bear attack scene, and how the crew used incredibly low-tech methods of keeping the vicious animal in check:

That’s about as sketchy as it gets when it comes to working with a wild animal. They literally tricked a grizzly bear into thinking they had confined it within an electric fence, when they most certainly had not. If the bear at any point figured out that the wire they had strung up had no electric current running through it, there really wouldn’t have been much that the cast and crew could have done to prevent it from attacking Alexander Ludwig.

Filming this scene is actually much more dangerous than the attack from The Revenant. Unlike the recent blockbuster, which used stunt performers and some of the most technologically advanced CGI we have ever seen, Vikings actually utilized a real grizzly that could have easily killed the actor.

If you feel as though you have seen that bear before, you’re right. Alexander Ludwig would go on to praise the bear’s professionalism, which makes sense considering the animal has a long entertainment industry resume extending as far back as one of Will Ferrell’s best movies:

If it’s good enough to take on Ron Burgundy and the San Diego news team, then it’s good enough to do battle with a Viking. We’ve heard of films and TV shows going to some insane lengths to nail awesome sequences, but this story most definitely takes the cake.

I can think of no place more fun than a movie set, particularly for a young actor. There’s just something amazing about going from what we know of everyday life and into a completely different universe. What helps guide the experience is a talented director, and on the set of The Hunger Games Amandla Stenberg, Alexander Ludwig and Isabelle Fuhrman were happy to have Gary Ross.

A few weeks ago I was given the chance to sit down with the three actors, who play the tributes known as Rue, Clove and Cato, with a few other journalists to talk about their time making the film. Check out the interview below in which they talk about on-set pranks, fooling around with Jennifer Lawrence, and the rigorous training process.

Had all of you read the book before the film?

Alexander Ludwig: There's a book?! [laughs] Definitely. Absolutely. We were all huge, huge fans of the book.

Did you have favorite characters?

Isabelle Fuhrman: Yes, definitely. My favorites were Katniss and Rue. They're just so relatable and lovable.

How then, was it, wanting to kill them?

Fuhrman: [laughs] Well, I always say that you have to love your characters. That meant re-reading the book and learning to love a character that's really a bad character. From there, it was discovering who she was and what made her so terrible and so mentally disturbed. From there, it was just doing a lot of character work.

Alexander, this is a very different role for you compared to Race to Witch Mountain. You're the bad guy instead of the good guy. What kind of training did you have to go through for the action side of things?

Ludwig: You're right, absolutely. When I got offered the role of Cato, I jumped on the opportunity. I've never really had a chance to play a bad guy and that's always been something that I've really, really wanted to do. It's about experiencing that dark side of a person. Cato is a really, really twisted individual. We worked really hard, just physically. I wanted Cato to have as big a presence physically as a mental one in the movie. There was a lot of fight training that I had to go through. I worked with a Navy SEAL to bulk up. Tons of hand-to-hand combat.

Fuhrmann: We worked a lot together as far as training goes. He was sword and I was knife, so when we were doing knife training and sword training, it was kind of the same except for the different sizes.

Ludwig: Then we'd practice on Amandla. [laughs]

How good did you get at knife-throwing?

Fuhrmann: I'm actually really, really good at it.

Ludwig: Wow! Don't be modest or anything. [laughs]

Fuhrmann: No, it was interesting because there were a lot more physics involved than I expected originally and I don't have a good arm. It was kind of throwing a tennis ball and gradually moving up to throwing an actual weighted knife at a target board. I felt I did good. I know how to still do it.

Ludwig: She really did do an exceptional job. She worked very, very hard.

Fuhrmann: And he did an amazing job with those swords. It was just crazy.

Amandla, you have some of the most beautiful and poignant emotional scenes in the movie.

Amandla Stenberg: Yeah, and it was kind of a solemn day on set that particular day. Jennifer [Lawrence] is extremely funny. Every time we'd finish a take she'd go, "That was cheery! I loved that!" Then everyone would start laughing. She kind of kept it light.

Were there pranks on set?

Stenberg: There were indeed pranks.

Ludwig: You have no idea.

Fuhrmann: [motions to Stenberg] This one? Watch out.

Ludwig: She is a prankster. I remember one day I was doing a fight scene on-set and was practicing with some of the guys. In North Carolina, during the time we were filming it was just so, so hot. It was disgusting. It was like you just walked out of a shower of sweat. It was gross. I had my shirt off when we were doing the fight training and had no clothes. I had to run back to my trailer to go get my clothes and, as I did, all my clothes were gone. I couldn't find them anywhere, but I do find this little note with a gang symbol for Amandla and Jacqy [Emerson], who plays Foxface. I was just like, "Oh my god!" I have no clothes and I'm in my boxers now just trying to find all my clothes. I find some of them in the fridge and some of them in the microwave. It's one of the many, many things that Amandla did to ruin my life on-set.

Fuhrmann: He had me text him directions. He wasn't working for a three-day weekend when they were just doing scenes with Jenn and Josh. He called me and said, "My phone's about to die! I need directions to get from Nashville to Scottsdale, Arizona. I'm like, "Okay," and I type them out. My thumbs are killing me and then he goes, "Alright, but I still need directions from Scottsdale, Arizona to Little Rock, Arkansas and then to Boulder, Colorado." I go, "You're not going to make it back in time!" and he's like, "We're gonna fly back." I think, alright, seems implausible, but whatever, I'll just send it to him.

Ludwig: [laughs] She just kept typing out the directions! It was really sick and funny.

Fuhrmann: It was not funny for me!

Ludwig: I got this huge essay of directions.

Fuhrmann: You and Mark were probably like, [mimicking his voice] "She seriously did it, dude! She seriously did! So sick!"

Amandla, you spend some time up in trees. Did you climb them yourself or did they put you up there or was it all fake ones down on the ground?

Stenberg: I spent some time in both real trees and in the trees in the soundstage. I had a custom-made harness so that I wouldn't fall over. It was really, really fun, actually. There was this one time that Jenn and I were in the tree doing a scene and it was kind of difficult to stay up because you kind of slide down gradually. I found a little space in the tree where I could sit and wouldn't slide down. It was just a little hole in the tree. I was sitting and then they're about to call action and I start sliding down. I yell out, really loudly so that everyone can hear, "Wait, I can't find my butthole!" [laughs] Then Jenn proceeded to make fun of me for the rest of the shoot.

It sounds like it's kind of amazing that any work got done with the three of you together on set.

Ludwig: We were very professional when it came down to shooting and doing the work. Off-set, though, when we had time off, we were just having the best time. It was probably the best summer I ever had.

Have you had much interaction with fans yet?

Fuhrmann: Mostly through Twitter and, of course, my friends. All my friends read the book and they're trying to get information out of me. I'm like, "I can't tell you!"

Ludwig: We had this one fan -- or a few of them -- that, for some reason, knew exactly where all of us were going to be at every single time of the day. I'd be going to the airport and he'd be there. It got to the point that we'd know each other on a first-name basis, "Oh hey! What's up man? You found me again! What's up? Should I call the police?" [laughs] Other than that, all the fans have just been so supportive. I remember when we were shooting a Vanity Fair photo spread and I look and see a little head pop up by a tree. There's three teenage girls who have snuck past security and made it into the forest. There's little things like that, but mostly it's just flattering to have so much support.

Fuhrmann: My mom's more scared about it than I am, probably. She's always very nervous about me going to walk with my friends by myself now. She's like, "Be careful! You never know!" and I'm like, "I'm fine. I'm fine." I can throw knives now.

A number of reporter this morning started the day by joking about how we would all fare in the Hunger Games. Did you ever do that with one another on-set?

Fuhrmann: We did! We all agreed that one of the stunt people, who played one of the stunt tributes from District 10 and who trained all of us, Jeremy [Marinas], would be the winner.

What's the biggest thing that each of you learned about yourselves doing a movie like this?

Ludwig: Speaking for myself here, it take a lot of effort to find that playing a villain note. That's a mindset that you really have to work on. It's not something that just comes easy. Playing good guys is something that just feels much more natural to me. I guess I'd like to think of myself as a bit of a good person.

Fuhrmann: You don't have a mean bone in your body.

Ludwig: It definitely takes a lot of work. Lots of research and really creating a backstory, especially if you're playing a villain, is very, very important so that you have something to go off of.

Fuhrmann: Going off that, I learned a lot about my craft. A lot of the psychology aspect of it, being a bad character, but one with completely different motivation than anyone that I'd ever played before. Just trying to figure out who she was and where she came from. What kind of circumstances that she overcame that caused her to be so disturbed.

Stenberg: I think I would say the same thing, just learning about acting. Also, Jenn became a really great mentor to me and was someone that I could lean on. If I had a different idea of the scene from Gary [Ross] or anyone else, she would kind of explain it to me until it was crystal clear. I also really learned about Rue and how, in her big scene, even though she's extremely scared, she's also trying to be brave for Katniss because she wants Katniss to go on and win the games. That became something that I really understood and I really got into the scene after that.

So you played the character assuming from the beginning that there was no way she would survive the game?

Stenberg: No, I'm saying that when she does expire and as she is expiring, she realizes that she has to be brave for Katniss because, otherwise, Katniss is going to lose hope.

It sounds like there was a lot of fun to be had on-set but, at the same time, a lot was accomplished. What did Gary Ross to do help out that atmosphere?

Fuhrmann: He made us all very comfortable on-set. He talked to us a lot about our characters. He had a really great discussion with me before we started rehearsing. He was always there whenever we had questions or had anything we wanted to add or ask. One of the things that was really interesting is that, when we were filming the cornucopia, he would talk to us as if he was our character to get facial expressions out of us. It was so interesting what expressions we came up with when he was like, "That's your knife. You want the knives. Go for the knives! Go for the knives!" He had a megaphone and there was a giant speaker in the middle of the cornucopia. He would just be projecting outward so that everyone could hear him.

Ludwig: At the end of the day, I think everyone was just so passionate about their craft that, when Gary says, "Action!", everyone is just in that mode. All that laughter and friendliness that we have off-set blends into our passion and we go all-out. I think that everyone knew, going in, that there's a reason that we all got chosen for this. We have to do the fans justice and this amazing book justice.

You mentioned building your own backstories. Is that something that they suggest you do?

Fuhrmann: I think that was something that I just did for the audition. When you read the book, it's written through Katniss' eyes and you really get to know Katniss. You understand certain other characters and parts of them. I was developing and figuring out Clove's psyche and where she game from. I wrote a one and a half page backstory. Then I talked to Gary and kind of revised it to make her a little more interesting. At the same time, I had to realize that the fans are going to be watching this and they have to be happy with it and with what I do and what everyone else does on-set. I'm really anxious to see how it's received.

Did you have a favorite detail from your created backstory?

Fuhrmann: I think I made it that Clove had a really terrible relationship with her parents that pressured her into being in these games. She wants to show them up and get home and say, "I did it and I didn't need any of your help." That was my main point for her wanting to win so badly.

Woody Harrelson has been confirmed to play Haymitch-- hooray!-- and nearly all of the cast is in place, but there are still a few pieces left to fall into place before The Hunger Games can truly begin. We've seen endless casting announcements for tributes in the games who don't even have names, but now we've finally got news about two biggies-- Cato and Clove, the District 2 tributes who are some of the deadliest foes faced in the game by our heroes, Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson). According to THR Alexander Ludwig will play Cato, while Isabelle Fuhrman steps in as Clobe.

Both are experienced child actors-- Ludwig had lead roles in kid films The Seeker: The Dark is Rising and Race to Witch Mountain, though he's now a fairly grown-up 19; Fuhrman played the unforgettable lead character Esther in Orphan, which means she's done more than her fair share of mature acting. They'll have some of the biggest parts for tributes apart from Katniss, Peeta and Rue, which explains why they have far more acting experience than many of their co-stars.

As I feel like I've said countless times throughout this endless casting process, The Hunger Games starts shooting soon in time to meet its March 21, 2012 release date. There are two major adult roles left to be cast: President Snow, the head of the country of Panem and the central villain of the three books, and Cinna, Katniss's stylist and confidant. With Stanley Tucci and Harrelson both now set in their roles, I'm all the more curious about who will be put in either of these key parts.