Tobias Santelmann

Norwegian actor Tobias Santelmann rose from supporting roles in his native country's film and television productions to featured characters in English-language projects like "Hercules" (2014) and "The Last Kingdom" (BBC America, 2015- ).

Born August 8, 1980 in Freiburg, Germany, Santelmann moved with his family at Norway at the age of one year and grew up in the far southern municipality of Lindesnes until his teenaged years, when the family relocated to Oslo. He trained as an actor with the Oslo National Academy of Dramatic Arts, from which he graduated in 2006, and began performing in classical and modern drama with Olso's Norwegian Theatre.

Santelmann made his theatrical film debut in "Varg Veum: Skriften pa veggen" ("The Writing on the Wall," 2010), a feature based on the long running mystery TV and film series about private investigator Varg Veum. Roles on television preceded his turn as Norwegian explorer Knut Haugland in "Kon-Tiki" (2012), a drama based on the ocean journey from Peru to Polynesia undertaken by Thor Heyerdahl.

The international success of the film led to more significant roles in major Norwegian films, including "Jeg er din" ("I Am Yours," 2013), which was selected as the country's entry for Best Foreign Film at the 86th Academy Awards, and his English-language debut in Brett Ratner's "Hercules," playing the villainous warlord Rhesus opposite Dwayne Johnson's mythical hero.

Santelmann's ascent to stardom in America continued its upward path in 2015 with appearances on "Homeland" (Showtime, 2011- ) and a remake of "Point Break" (2015), as well as a starring role on "The Last Kingdom" as Viking prince Ragnar the Younger.