Classic pick-up line by GOT star
FANS don’t ask Game of Thrones (GOT) star Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson for an autograph; they would rather look for something far more personal that requires him wrapping his monster-size arms around them and lifting them off the ground.
“It’s very common for people to ask me to pick them up when I do comic cons and all sorts of media opportunties, even several times in the street,” said Björnsson.
It’s hardly a surprise: Björnsson, who plays Ser Gregor Clegane on the popular HBO series, is 180kg of pure muscle and also owns the World’s Strongest Man title, having won the Arnold Sports Festival Strongman Classic earlier this year.
“I’ve had some requests so strange I simply cannot tell you, but the most common is people asking me to pick them up,” said the 29-year-old Icelander.
The Game of Thrones star, affectionately known as “The Mountain”, will be attending the FIBO Global Fitness Africa Festival presented by Dis-chem Pharmacies from October 26 to 28 at the Ticketpro Dome in Joburg.
The Saturday Star spoke to him about his acting and fitness career.
What does it feel like being the world’s strongest man?
It is everything I knew it would be and more, as it should, because I’ve been putting in a lot of work for many years to reach this goal.
How did you manage to land the role of Gregor Clegane?
They had seen me before and contacted me… I had not really thought about working as a professional actor, but I went in for an audition and they really liked me so I was hired. The rest is glorious history.
What do you love most about playing the role of Gregor?
The action scenes for sure, but it’s been great working with HBO within George RR Martin’s incredible world and with the other actors who are both very professional and a lot of fun.
How much fun is it to kill someone on-screen?
It was a different experience. As an actor, you have to be able to put yourself into the character since your job is literally making the character and the situation he is in believable.
What Game of Thrones character would be most fun to kill, and why?
I’m not saying it would be “fun”; maybe Ser Gregor Clegane would say it’s fun… of course, it would be his brother, Sandor Clegane, played by Rory Mccann.
What was the most challenging part of filming the nowfamous GOT fight scene with Pedro Pascal?
Pedro Pascal was fantastic as The Viper. It was gruelling work, going through the fight again and again in full armour in the sweltering heat in Croatia, but what a scene.
What kind of reactions do you get from GOT fans?
The fans have been very supportive and I am happy because we all have put a lot of effort into portraying the characters to make them larger than life.
What’s the heaviest, most ridiculous object that you have ever lifted?
Probably when I broke the 1 000-year-old record of Ormur Stórólfsson (600kg), walking with more or less a whole big tree (weighing 650kg) on my shoulders!