Travis Fimmel has turned heads for nearly two decades. However, it wasn’t until his performance as the electric Ragnar Lothbrok in History’s “Vikings” that Fimmel exploded into the mainstream. His Ragnar was a study in contrasts: equal parts barbarian and intellectual; lover and fighter; explorer and farmer. In that sense, Travis Fimmel is a man whose journey has been full of twists and turns.
Along with the hit historical fiction show about looting and exploration, Fimmel starred in a live-action film adaptation of the video game “Warcraft” and a quirky indie romantic comedy called “Maggie’s Plan,” written and directed by Rebecca Miller. He also played the boss of a gang of thieves in 1972’s “Finding Steve McQueen,” and one of the few human survivors of Earth’s destruction in “Raised by Wolves.”
Travis Fimmel is a protagonist who chooses to live a simple life despite his growing money and fame. He is a successful actor who doesn’t think much about the profession he has chosen. He went from being a clean-faced underwear model to specializing in scarred and gaunt characters with scruffy beards and inscrutable expressions. It’s unclear how much of that is acting versus how much is Travis Fimmel, as the actor himself is secretive and enigmatic.
But despite the success we all know of him, Travis Fimmel is notoriously not just about being an actor. Just look through his interviews to understand why despite the good roles he had on screen, he didn’t get as many projects beyond Vikings.
“I never wanted to be an actor, ever. I still don’t.”
Despite his nonchalance about the “job” of being an actor, the fact that he has worked with an acting coach for two decades shows in his performances. Like it or not, he seems committed to being the best actor he can be. In that same interview, he is later asked if he has had to fight for any roles.
“For my first job, I auditioned like 13 times. You come back, you’re writing letters. It happens all the time. It’s not a very easy industry to be a part of.”
Given that struggle and commitment to craft, one has to wonder if maybe part of Travis Fimmel likes being an actor, at least a little bit. It makes sense that the actor’s career has never taken off that much, if according to the actor himself, he hates performing live. Perhaps some of these reasons left him out of one of the most important roles of the moment: being the protagonist of House of the Dragon (when the rumors indicated that he was possibly one of the chosen ones).
