Historical drama doesn't get any better than The Last Kingdom, which is why the name Uhtred has become very popular online. The show has been dubbed Britain's Game Of Thrones and Uhtred, its Jon Snow. The show, which is set in the 9th century, has been appreciated by many fans as the best expression of Bernard Cornwell's novels on King Alfred the Great.
Alexander Dreymon, who portrays Uhtred, has also become the face of the show. His career on the big screens only started in 2010, but his stellar performance in The Last Kingdom has catapulted him onto the public scene in a big way. The main problem here is that most fans don't know much about his life away from the show.
Updated on December 15th, 2021 by Kayleigh Banks: Although some fans might have been disappointed to hear that The Last Kingdom was going to end after season 5, they may be delighted to know that Uhtred's story is far from over. A couple of months ago, Netflix announced that Alexander Dreymon will be reprising his role as the Dane Slayer in a two-hour movie, entitled Seven Kings Must Die that they aim to release by 2023.
However, since there is going to be some time before season 5 even airs, some Last Kingdom fans might want to watch some of Dreymon's other projects or learn what he did to get himself prepared for the role.
Dreymon Is Fluent In French, English, And German
The Last Kingdom has not used multiple languages, but Dreymon would still be the show's best hero if they did. He is fluent in German (which is his mother tongue), French, which he picked up from his time in Paris, and English.
In an interview with The Guardian, Dreymon spoke about why he was able to speak so many languages, saying "when I was growing up my family moved around a lot, and I've never belonged to a specific country. It was really hard because I'd [...] have to make new friends or I'd have to sit in class for months without speaking the language." However, as he grew older, he came to "welcome the possibility of discovering new cultures and languages." Dreymon's passion for language will certainly help him in the future if he is to continue acting.
Dreymon Performs Most Of His Stunts Himself
With The Last Kingdom containing some of the best fight scenes on TV, it shouldn't surprise fans that Dreymon performs most of his own stunts. In an interview with Muscle & Fitness, Dreymon said "I've learned so much from my stunt double, Tamás Katrics, and our stunt coordinator, Levente Laezsák, who does natural sportsmanship."
"You feel a connection with the animal that goes way beyond anything I imagined - you can influence its behavior by controlling your own energy. That's one of my favorite parts of the show." Finding this out not only adds to the authenticity of the shots and action sequences but also shows how Dreymon is determined to make sure that his portrayal of Uhtred is as authentic as possible.
Dreymon Has A Martial Arts Background
Uhtred is a versatile character, which is why the producers needed an equally versatile and talented actor to fit into the role. Martial arts is one of the main hobbies Dreymon picked along the way during his adventurous upbringing (via Muscle and Fitness).
He doesn't exactly have a black belt, but he is still a well-trained Martial arts expert, which is why his action scenes are so entertaining. He didn't just make the perfect warrior; he also advises the cast during production to make the show more interesting.
Dreymon's Early Career
Despite his perfect childhood and determination, Dreymon had a hard time landing major roles when he graduated from Drama school. He appeared in a couple of plays in France and the UK, but nothing big came until 2010 when he starred as Alexandre in the 2010 French film Ni Reprise ni échangée.
2011 came with Dreymon's debut on the big screens when he got the role of Casper in the BBC's Christopher and His Kind. In 2011, he also appeared on a couple of other films, including Resistance and Who's Watching Who.
Dreymon's Awkward Encounter
Alexander Dreymon likes his private life and rarely gets caught up in awkward moments. However, there was one when he was still a student at the University Of Arts. In the Evening Standard, Dreymon revealed that he had gone streaking with his friends.
"I was with a mate of mine and we were playing frisbee outside St Paul's Cathedral and it landed in a fountain," Dreymon told them. "I said I would race him across the street naked to get it," which they then did. However, a problem soon arose - they could hear police sirens approaching, which meant that Dreymon had to hide in a bush. He doesn't have any other brushes with the law, though.
Dreymon's Other Roles Outside The Last Kingdom
Before becoming Uhtred in The Last Kingdom, Dreymon played Luke Ramsey in the third season of American Horror Story: Coven. His time in The American Horror Story helped him prepare for a more demanding role. He also played Jeremiah in the 2014 vampire film Blood Ransom.
Since joining the cast of The Last Kingdom, he has appeared in films such as Guys Reading Poems, Heartlock, and the 2020 film Horizon Line. His time in The Last Kingdom has, however, been the most significant time in his career.
Dreymon's Love Life
Unlike Uhtred, who has always been lucky in the romance department, not much is known about Dreymon's love life. In 2012, there were rumors that he had been dating Skyfall and Hercules actor, Tonia Sotiropoulou.
However, their relationship is believed to have ended before Uhtred took up his role in The Last Kingdom. There was also speculation that he was dating Eliza Butterworth (who plays Lady Aelswith) but Butterworth seems to be in a relationship with someone else. With his Instagram not showing any hints either, there's a possibility that Dreymon is single or likes to keep his love life private.
How Dreymon Feels About Being A Celebrity
Dreymon hasn't said much about the dream role he wants to play in life, but it is obvious he enjoys being Uhtred in The Last Kingdom and all the publicity that comes with it. It is definitely the role that will shape the rest of his career, and his whole life seems to have prepared him for it.
He confessed in an interview with The Carousel that he doesn't like it when people point and call him out in public because of his role. He once denied being Uhtred when people claimed to have seen him on TV while he was on the tube.
Dreymon And Emily Cox Instantly Clicked When They Met
Uhtred has had many great relationships on The Last Kingdom, but one friendship that had a special place in the fans' hearts was Uhtred and Brida's. Although Brida considers herself to be Uhtred's enemy now, there was a time that they considered each other "soulmates." There may have been on opposite sides of the war but fans always appreciated that they would come rushing to the other's aid. They also bounce off of each other and gel quite well.
But what about off-screen? In an interview with Entertainment Focus, Dreymon revealed that he and Emily Cox were instantly able to capture Brida and Uhtred's bond as soon as they met. "We really hit it off the moment we met," he revealed. "We actually did the screen test together before we were cast for the show and there wasn't much work to do. She's such a lovely [person] and a brilliant actor."
Dreymon Almost Broke A Colleague's Nose On Set Of The Last Kingdom
While Dreymon has revealed several times in interviews that he participates in his own stunts, there have also been a few instances where some have gone wrong. This certainly proved to be the case for Dreymon when he was filming season 1 of The Last Kingdom as he revealed to Express that he almost broke the nose of one of his colleagues.
"During that sequence [the one at the end of season 1], I did kick somebody in the face and almost broke his nose and that was one of the worst moments," he had said. "Your heart is pounding and your adrenaline is shooting and you're just hoping they're okay." Luckily, the man was okay and didn't have any serious injuries when Dreymon checked up on him.
Why Dreymon Was Drawn To Uhtred
Considering that many people auditioned for the role of Uhtred, including Erik actor Christian Hillborg (via Express), there had to be a reason as to why everyone was drawn to the role. For Dreymon, the actor revealed that he was mainly drawn to the part because of Uhtred's complexity.
"He's not perfect. He's charming, but he's got flaws," he revealed to The Guardian. "I like his cheekiness and the fact that he gets himself in messed up situations. He's impulsive, and that's fun to play - even when he's faced with a life or death situation." Fans would certainly agree that Uhtred was quite reckless when they first met him in season 1 as he hardly thought about the consequences of his actions. However, since taking on an advisor-like role for Edward and becoming a protector for their family, he has matured and become one of The Last Kingdom's best Dane leaders.
How Dreymon Prepared For The Role
There are many ways that actors prepare themselves for their roles. While some individuals prefer to do 'method acting,' Dreymon decided to use the books as his source of inspiration (via Entertainment Focus).
"For me, the research is really an essential part of character building and one of my favorite parts," he revealed. "It quite hard to find the right sources material but in here it had all been written by Bernard. That gave me the base for my character and I lived in his shoes as much as possible before the shoot." While Dreymon might not look exactly like his book counterpart physically, he certainly has captured his essence.
His Favorite Character On The Last Kingdom
There have been plenty of iconic characters on The Last Kingdom that have had a lasting impact on fans (ranging from Finan to Alfred) so it's not at all surprising that everyone would have different favorites. Even Dreymon had revealed he had a few favorites of his own.
During an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Dreymon informed the fans that he did love Leofric, he had a special place in his heart for Beocca since he was a great father figure and "quite funny."