Vikings: 10 Mind-Blowing Facts You Didn't Know
9. Lagertha's A Trained Bodyguard
![Vikings Vikings](https://d2thvodm3xyo6j.cloudfront.net/media/2015/06/tumblr_n65eb6bSX31shdfkpo1_500-600x338.gif)
Katheryn Winnick, who portrays the gorgeous and fierce Lagertha on-screen is a real-life trained bodyguard and Tae Kwon Do instructor, with a third-degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do and a second-degree Black Belt in Karate.
The Canadian actress fell in love with acting when she trained Martial Arts to actors and actresses on film sets in Hollywood and decided to try her hand at it. Turns out she was as much a natural at acting as she was at kicking ass and taking names. She was soon cast in films like The It Factor and The Art of the Steal, did a cameo for House M.D and even snagged a recurring role on Bones before landing her epic role of Lagertha on History's Vikings.
Her history of Martial Arts, Tae Kwon Doe and Karate is what ultimately convinced Michael Hirst (the screenwriter and producer) to hire her for the role of fearless shield-maiden Lagertha, although Winnick does admit that fighting with a heavy shield is still a challenge despite her history with the fighting arts. Well it's not like we notice her struggling. Job well done, we say.