Katheryn Winnick's Norse code

SINGAPORE — The Vikings are coming … and they’ve never looked better. In fact, the only thing that came across as tenaciously candid is the title. But Vikings is a new drama and, notably, one that is based on the legendary life of Viking ruler and hero Ragnar Lothbrok, played by Australian actor and former Calvin Klein underwear model Travis Fimmel.

Ragnar’s wife, the famous warrior Lagertha, is played by Canadian Katheryn Winnick. And speaking to TODAY over the phone from the Vikings set in Ireland, the film and television actress known for her roles in Bones and Love And Other Drugs said she was learning a lot from inhabiting a character from a relatively obscure era in history.

“With the Viking time period, there’s very little information out there and not many people know a lot about it,” she said, starting with the stereotypes she felt the ancient race had to endure. “People thought they were barbaric with horns coming out of their helmets. That’s so not the case.” (The horned helmet stereotype originated from the costumes used in the Wagnerian operas, Der Ring Des Nibelungen in the 1870s).

Winnick continued: “They were very smart and very strong warriors, and very strategic in how they dealt with their shield walls and how they approached different battles,” adding how their progressive civilised culture, even their use of fire and approach to making certain weapons, captured her interest.

“And if they had some gold, instead of holding on to it like we do, they believed that if they buried it, it would be in their heaven, Valhalla, so everything had a purpose and meaning.”

She also pointed out that the show is based on extensive research, aimed at relating the story as authentically as possible, and setting it apart from that other “period” show the Vikings might remind viewers of.

“I think it’s very different from Game Of Thrones, in the sense that it’s not a fantasy. It is epic and it is grand and it is rich, so those are similar qualities,” Winnick said. “I’ve only seen a little bit of Game Of Thrones and I’m a big fan of what I’ve seen, so I think its fans, hopefully, will like Vikings as well.

“But I think the characters are very different, since they are based on real Vikings, and there’s a lot of historical accuracy and there’s a lot of culture that people want to know more about. We’re not getting into any major CGI work or fantasy. But we’re both shooting in Ireland, so that’s good!”

To be sure, this Canadian-Irish historical drama television series has been especially personal for the 35-year-old, who is also a martial arts enthusiast and loves doing her own stunts. “There’s Viking in all of us in one way or another, especially (if you’re from) Europe. I was born in Canada, but my parents were born in Ukraine,” she explained, pointing out the country’s strong Viking influence, as well as how they were some of the first navigators, who coincidentally discovered Canada. “So it’s really interesting to see the history.”

We could take a Viking-sized liking to that.

Catch Vikings, premiering Sept 29 at 10pm on HISTORY (StarHub TV Ch 401).

Katheryn Winnick gets to channel the Viking in her