Back to brutal ninth-century England we go! In series two, Uhtred is beginning his voyage north to avenge the death of Earl Ragnar and to recapture his ancestral lands at Bebbanburg – but he becomes caught up in a rescue mission with an old enemy. Meanwhile, King Alfred is still on a mission to unite the kingdoms of England.
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Expect more deaths, betrayals and ruthless political manoeuvring.
Meet the cast of series two of The Last Kingdom:
Alexander Dreymon as Uhtred of Bebbanburg
Alexander Dreymon stars as Uhtred, our conflicted protagonist. Born of Saxon nobility but raised a Dane when his father is defeated in battle, he turns out to be a natural warrior and leader. He is driven by an urgent need to reclaim his homeland in Bebbanburg, Northumbria, and is partly based on Uhtred the Bold, from the 11th century.
The actor himself has also starred in BBC2 special Christopher and His Kind alongside Doctor Who’s Matt Smith, and in American Horror Story: Coven as Luke Ramsey.
Tobias Santelmann as Ragnar the Younger
Ragnar the Younger is the son of Earl Ragnar, the Danish warlord who adopted Uhtred after capturing him in battle as a boy and initially keeping him as a slave. Despite a sometimes combative relationship with his brother Uhtred, Ragnar can also be fiercely loyal and fair.
Tobias Santelmann is Norwegian-Scandinavian, with starring roles in Norway’s Acquitted and The Heavy Water War. He’s also been in Eyewitness, Rhesus and Leave Me Alone, and in the International Oscar-nominated film Kon-Tiki.
Emily Cox as Brida
Like Uhtred, Brida was also taken as a slave by Earl Ragnar. They later had a relationship, but Brida miscarried their child – and left alongside Ragnar the Younger. She is fierce, and unlike Uhtred she is completely opposed to Alfred – instead embracing her adopted Danish heritage.
Austrian actress Emily Cox recently played Claudia in Homeland, and has also been in TV series Jerks as well as long-running German drama Tatort.
Ian Hart as Beocca
Beocca is a Saxon priest who has seen Uhtred grow from boy to man, having initially re-baptised him after his name was changed from Osbert. He’s a disciple of Alfred’s cause who meets Uhtred again as an adult, and is still hopeful of curing his pagan beliefs.
If you expect Ian Hurt to start unwrapping a turban any second now, revealing at grotesque face on the back of his head, that’s because he played the Voldermort-possessed Professor Quirrell in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. He’s also been in Boardwalk Empire, The Bridge, No Surrender and The Hound of the Baskervilles.
David Dawson as King Alfred
Alfred is the King of the West Saxons, with huge ambitions: he wants to unite the kingdoms of England. With a pious approach he is committed to the spread of Christianity and has a strained and mistrusting with the pagan Uhtred, who in turn has his suspicions about Alfred and his cause. In series one, we saw him try to conquer the lands of the north and take on the Danes.
You might recognise David Dawson from Ripper Street, where he played Fred Best. He’s also been in Banished, Peaky Blinders, The Hollow Crown and Luther. Hi stage roles earned him a Best Newcomer nomination at the 2008 Olivier Awards.
Eva Birthistle as Hild
Hild was a nun who was captured by the Danes, raped and prostituted. She was rescued by Uhtred and became his companion and lover.
Irish actress Eva Birthistle has been in Five Daughters, Waking the Dead, The Psychopath Next Door, Nightwatching, The Last Enemy and Ashes to Ashes.
Simon Kunz as Odda the Elder
Odda the Elder is a brutal and politically astute ealdorman who even kills his own son for treason. He fights alongside Alfred and shares the King’s suspicions about Uhtred.
If Simon Kunz looks familiar, that’s probably because you’ve seen him in everything from Four Weddings & A Funeral to Golden Eye to The Parent Trap – to say nothing of his roles in Captain America: The First Avenger, Alan Patridge: Alpha Papa, and Walking with the Enemy.
Mark Rowley as Finan
Every hero needs a sidekick, and Finan is a fierce Irish warrior sworn to Uhtred. He’ll be appearing for the first time in series two.
Mark Rowley played Stephen Banks in Home Fires, and also starred as Piers in Young Dracula and Jamie McAllister in River City.
Harry McEntire as Aethelwold
Aethelwold survived series one and is back for series two. The character is based on the real-life Aethelwold, the younger son of Aethelred King of Wessex. He is Alfred’s oldest nephew who would have been king if he hadn’t been too young, so – having missed out on the throne – the petulant and rebellious Aethelwold holds a grudge against Alfred.
Having found success on the stage in Billy Liar, Titus Andronicus, Winterlong, Macbeth and Spring Awakening, he has also been in TV series including Episodes, Prisoners Wives and Eric & Ernie.
Peri Baumeister as Gisela
Gisela is the sister of Danish King Guthred of Northumbria.
German actress Peri Baumeister has found success in her native country, with roles on stage in Lars von Trier’s Dogville and Manderlay as well as the comedy Unsere Zeit ist Jetzt and TV series Die Chefin.
Toby Regbo as Aethelred
Confusingly, we’ve already had an Aethelred in this series, because apparently “Aethelred” was the “Tom” or “John” or “Ben” of the age. That one was played by Alec Newman at the beginning of the series and named Alfred as his successor. This one is from Mercia, but marries Princess Aethelflaed of Wessex.
You may recognise Toby Regbo from the sci-fi drama Mr Nobody and King Francis II from the TV series Reign. On stage he won critical acclaim in Tusk Tusk.
Ole Christoffer Ertvaag as Sven
Remember Sven from series one? He was the son of Ragnar’s shipbuilder who tried to harm the Earl’s daughter Thyra. He was blinded in one eye, but later took Thyra with the help of his father Kjartan.
Better known in Norway, Ole Christoffer Ertvaag has been in The Saboteurs, Unge lovende and The Man Who Loved Yngve.
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