FORTITUDE comes to Blu-ray™ and DVD from 1^st June 2015

INTERVIEW WITH SOFIE GRABOL

Acclaimed Danish actress Sofie Gråbøl has worked extensively in the theatre in Denmark, appearing in productions of A Winter’s Tale, Macbeth and Ghosts, to name just a few. Gråbøl shot to international fame following the global success of BAFTA-winning crime drama The Killing, in which she played Detective Sarah Lund. She has also appeared in a raft of Danish films and, most recently, she starred in the National Theatre’s production of James III: The True Mirror. In Fortitude, Gråbøl plays Governor Hildur Odegard.

Can you describe your character and how she fits into the story? I play Hildur Odegard, who is the governor of Fortitude. She is married to Eric, a policeman. She has high ambitions for Fortitude, and also for herself.

And what is Fortitude? It’s an isolated community of people, who are deeply dependent on each other.

What was it that appealed to you about the series? Michael Gambon in The Singing Detective made a huge impression on me when I was young, and I admire Stanley Tucci greatly. The possibility of working with these fantastic actors was just amazing, they are truly great. Plus, I haven’t played many characters in power, and the role of Governor Odegard immediately appealed to me. The mind of a power-seeking person was an interesting one to work with.

Is Hildur as trustworthy as she first appears? Good question! I think she is a person who wants to do good. Can we put it like that?

We occasionally see glimpses of Hildur’s more vulnerable side. Did you enjoy playing that aspect of her character? Because of the great responsibility Odegard carries as a governor, she has to maintain a façade, which becomes harder for her along the way because she is under pressure from so many directions. She has to keep not only herself but the whole community together.

Did you enjoy filming in Iceland? I have always wanted to go to Iceland and it was just as breathtakingly beautiful as I had imagined. We don’t really have cold winters in Denmark, and we don’t have any dramatic nature, so this was a very exotic place to be while still feeling at home as a Scandinavian.

Fortitude has attracted a stellar cast. What was the atmosphere like on set? Did you have fun during filming? The cast was just the most lovely group of actors, and there was a true ensemble feeling throughout the shoot. When we shot in Iceland we really had time to get to know each other, going for walks, eating together. The food was so good, Icelandic lamb and reindeer steak is fantastic, and Michael Gambon told stories that made everyone roll with laughter. We all just had the best time together.

There are quite a lot of gruesome events in the series. Did anything on set make you squeamish? The special effects were so well done that it was truly scary sometimes. There was a dead body so realistic that I was relieved to see the actor it was modelled on alive the next day.

How have things changed for you since the global success of The Killing? The success of The Killing in the UK has surprised and amazed me. It is a project that means a lot to me and to see it being received so well outside Denmark has made me so proud and grateful. And it has brought me so many great new opportunities; I wouldn’t be in Fortitude had it not been for The Killing.

Finally, why should Sky Atlantic viewers tune in to Fortitude? Viewers can look forward to a complex thriller that plays out in a spectacular setting. I was often taken by complete surprise by the twists and turns of the story and I’m sure the audience will be too  

FORTITUDE: THE COMPLETE FIRST SERIES, the incredible brand new dark drama series, released on Blu-ray™ and DVD on 1^st June 2015