Ameera Abid

JEDDAH: International stars from global hit series united at Comic Con Arabia in Jeddah over the weekend to meet their fans and talk about their work. 

The Arab News team had the opportunity to speak to some of the celebrities at the convention, including Georgia Hirst and Alexander Ludwig, who are known for playing characters Maiden Torvi and Bjorn Ironside in the historical drama series “Vikings.” 

Speaking about her visit, Hirst said that “everyone has been so welcoming and friendly.”

She added: “You kind of forget that people actually watch you…until you meet fans on this side of the world. It is a much more real experience to meet fans face-to-face than to talk to them on Instagram or over social media.”

Talking about her future roles, the actress said that she has been intentionally taking on roles that will show viewers her acting range. “You don’t want to be pigeonholed in just one role,” she said.

Ludwig, who was also a part of the wildly popular movie series “The Hunger Games,” said that he was stunned by the fact that “Vikings” was illegally streamed by 270 million people.

“I don’t care how you watch the show. It’s just so great to know…that we can reach people that don’t even have access to some of these platforms,” he said. “To be a part of a show that transcends borders is the dream.”

He said that the show is an even bigger hit internationally than it is in his own country.

The actor described his experience working on the show as akin to finding a family. “People say you meet your best friends in college,” Ludwig said. “‘Vikings’ was that college for me.”

The actor said that he has also been dabbling in country music. “Country music is what reminds me about the important things in life. Especially in my business, (where) you are surrounded by this glitz and glam…and the idea of what a celebrity is, this form of music reminds me why I am doing this and what kind of actor and person I want to be.” 

Luka Peros and Itizar Ituno, who portrayed the characters of Marseille and Raquel Murillo in the hit crime series “Money Heist,” were also in attendance. 

Ituno, who speaks Spanish, said that most of the time she could not communicate with her fans because she could not speak English. “However, it is obvious in their faces, all the feelings are shown in the way they approach me,” she said.

The Spanish actress added that she felt fortunate to work on a big project like “Money Heist.” 

Peros, for his part, joined the show when it was already globally hit. “A big accomplishment for me is to make a living as an actor. It is a very difficult job, and it is rewarding when we do get to work on our passion,” he said. 

Weapon master for “Games of Thrones” and professional armorer Tommy Dunne was also present at the event.

Dunne said it was a fortunate accident that he got into weapons designing for movies, and it all started with “Braveheart.”

“Making these weapons was also a feat of engineering for me because they had to work as well. So, when I make a weapon, I make it work…We make sure that it physically looks like it works, and it does,” he said.