# Peter Franzén

Peter Vilhelm Franzén (born 14 August 1971) is a Finnish actor, author, screenwriter, and director. He is best known for his role as King Harald Fairhair in Vikings (2016–2020).

## Personal life

Franzén was born in Keminmaa, north Finland. Franzén has described his childhood as difficult due to his violent and alcoholic stepfather. Later, Franzén's relationship to his abusive stepfather was a major focal point in his semi-autobiographical novel, Above Dark Waters. He met his actress wife Irina Björklund while studying in Theatre Academy of Finland. In 1999 the couple moved to Los Angeles, where they lived until 2013, after which they moved to France. They have a son, born in September 2007.

## Career

As an actor, Franzén has appeared in over 50 films and TV series. For his role in Dog Nail Clipper, Franzén was awarded a Jussi Award for Best Actor as well as earning praise from film critic Jay Weissberg from Variety magazine who called the actor "one of the most talented and versatile thesps in Finland".
In his career he has appeared in Finnish, Estonian, German, English, Swedish, and Hungarian speaking roles. In 2015, Franzén was cast as King Harald Fairhair from the fourth season of Vikings. Franzén has also been cast in Amazon Prime Video's The Wheel of Time TV series.

## Filmography
### Films

| Year | Film | Role | Director | Notes |
| 1994 | Kissan kuolema – Death of a Cat | Saku | Raimo O. Niemi | |
| 1996 | Tie naisen sydämeen | Kauko | Pekka Parikka | |
| 1998 | A Summer by the River | Kottarainen | Markku Pölönen | Won — Jussi Award for best supporting actor |
| 1998 | Trains'n'Roses | Lako's lover | Peter Lichtefeld | |
| 1999 | Ambush | Lieutenant Eero Perkola | Olli Saarela | Nominated — Best Actor in Jussi Awards Won — Best Actor in Rouen Nordic Film Festival |
| 1999 | Rikos ja rakkaus | Jussi Rosenström | Pekka Milonoff | |
| 2000 | Badding | Ossi Mäki | Markku Pölönen | Franzén's second collaboration with Markku Pölönen |
| 2000 | Bad Luck Love | Reino | Olli Saarela | |
| 2001 | Drakarna över Helsingfors | Sammy Ceder | Peter Lindholm | |
| 2001 | Jewel of the Sahara | Young François Renoir | Ariel Vromen | Short |
| 2001 | Rollo and the Spirit of the Woods | Lakeija | Olli Saarela | |
| 2001 | On the Road to Emmaus | Mankka-Arvi | Markku Pölönen | Nominated — Best Supporting Actor in Jussi Awards |
| 2002 | Names in Marble | Sulo Kallio | Elmo Nüganen | |
| 2002 | Lovers & Leavers | Marko | Aku Louhimies | |
| 2003 | At Point Blank | Juha | Peter Lindmark | |
| 2003 | Bad Boys | Otto Takkunen | Aleksi Mäkelä | Franzén's first collaboration with Jasper Pääkkönen |
| 2004 | Dog Nail Clipper | Mertsi | Markku Pölönen | Won — Jussi Award for best actor |
| 2004 | Honey Baby | Waiter | Mika Kaurismäki | |
| 2004 | Hotet | Magnus | Kjell Sundvall | |
| 2004 | Popular Music | Voice-over | Reza Bagher | |
| 2004 | Täna öösel me ei maga | Harri | Ilmar Taska | |
| 2006 | Babas bilar | Pekka Kukka | Rafael Edholm | |
| 2006 | Matti: Hell Is for Heroes | Nick Nevada | Aleksi Mäkelä | Franzén's second collaboration with Aleksi Mäkelä |
| 2006 | Mystery of the Wolf | Antero Venesmaa | Raimo O. Niemi | |
| 2007 | The Matriarch | Laszlo | Markku Pölönen | |
| 2008 | Cleaner | Bronson | Renny Harlin | |
| 2008 | Three Wise Men | Santa Claus | Mika Kaurismäki | Franzén's second collaboration with Mika Kaurismäki |
| 2009 | Hellsinki | Krisu | Aleksi Mäkelä | Won — Jussi Award for best supporting actor |
| 2009 | Ralliraita | Suko | Markku Pölönen | |
| 2010 | Priest of Evil | Timo Harjunpää | Olli Saarela | Nominated — Best Actor in Jussi Awards |
| 2010 | Princess | Saastamoinen | Arto Halonen | |
| 2011 | Body of Water | Elias | Joona Tena | |
| 2012 | Road North | Pertti Paakku | Mika Kaurismäki | Nominated — Best Supporting Actor in Jussi Awards |
| 2012 | The Path of the Righteous Men | Taisto Raappana | Anders Engström | |
| 2012 | Purge | Hans Pekk | Antti Jokinen | |
| 2013 | Open Up to Me | Sami | Simo Halinen | Nominated — Best Actor in Jussi Awards |
| 2013 | Heart of a Lion | Teppo | Dome Karukoski | |
| 2013 | Above Dark Waters | Kake | Peter Franzén | Directorial debut |
| 2015 | The Gunman | Reiniger | Pierre Morel | |
| 2015 | Lapland Odyssey 2 | Jorma | Teppo Airaksinen | |
| 2015 | Homecoming | Tomi | Mika Kaurismäki | |
| 2015 | Johan Falk 15: Blood Diamonds | Milo | Peter Lindmark | Straight to DVD |
| 2015 | Johan Falk 17: The End | Milo | Richard Holm | Straight to DVD |
| 2016 | The Mine | Raimo | Aleksi Salmenperä | |
| 2018 | Ashes in the Snow | General Komarov | Marius A. Markevicius | |
| 2020 | Meander | Adam | Mathieu Turi [fr] |
| 2021 | Omerta 6/12 | | Aku Louhimies | |
| 2021 | Tale of the Sleeping Giants | Narrator | Marko Röhr | |
| 2023 | Boudica: The Queen of War | Wolfgar | |
| 2023 | The Abyss | Tage Vibenius | Richard Holm | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1996 | Maigret | Leo Liikanen | 1 episode Franzén's first collaboration with Irina Björklund |
| 1999 | The Wild Thornberrys | Guard (voice) | Episode: "On the Right Track" |
| 2001 | V.I.P. | Nazi | Episode: "Val's Big Bang" |
| 2003 | Irtiottoja | | |
| 2003 | Madventures | Himself | Episode: "U.S.A. – California" |
| 2004 | CSI: Miami | Ivan Radu | Episode: "Legal" |
| 2006 | Studio Impossible | Various characters | |
| 2007–2012 | Karjalan kunnailla | Jake Rosenius | |
| 2009 | True Blood | Hrolf | Episode: "Never Let Me Go" |
| 2016 | Beck – Gunvald | Risto Kangas | 1 episode |
| 2016–2020 | Vikings | King Harald Fairhair | Main role (seasons 4–6) |
| 2021 | Love, Death & Robots | Snow | Episode: "Snow in the Desert" |
| 2021 | The Wheel of Time | Stepin | 3 episodes |
| 2022, 2024 | Helsinki Syndrome | Elias Karo | 14 episodes |
| 2024 | Twilight of the Gods | Glaumar (voice) | 2 episodes |
| 2024–2025 | Conflict | Captain Rami Ohrankämmen | Miniseries; 6 episodes |

### Video Games

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2023 | Alan Wake II | Ilmo Koskela/Jaakko Koskela | Voice and likeness |

## Writing

In 2010 Franzén published a partly autobiographical novel Tumman veden päällä (Above Dark Waters).
In 2013 Franzén wrote Samoilla silmillä, a sequel to Tumman veden päällä.
In 2017 Tammi published Särkyneen pyörän karjatila, third book by Franzén.

## Directing

In 2013 Franzén directed the film "Above Dark Waters", based on novel he had written in 2010. In 2020, he directed and narrated a viking-themed short movie called "Age of Vikings: Fated" which was shot in Old Swedish.

## Singing

In 2021 Franzén sang the song Þat Mælti Mín Móðir (My Mother Told Me), that was performed by the Swedish band Hindarfjäll. The song first appeared in the TV-series Vikings where it was sung by Harald Fairhair (portrayed by Peter Franzén). Here Franzén reprises his performance, singing the song in the Old Norse language.

## Awards and honours

In 2013 Franzén was awarded the Pro Finlandia Medal of the Order of the Lion of Finland.