Destiny is all. If you’ve spent any time with Uhtred of Bebbanburg, you know that line isn’t just a catchphrase; it’s a whole mood. Back when the show first dropped on BBC Two before the Netflix takeover, the cast of the last kingdom season 1 had a massive mountain to climb. Game of Thrones was still the undisputed king of the genre, and everyone was looking for "the next big thing." But while Thrones was busy with dragons and ice zombies, The Last Kingdom felt grittier, dirtier, and somehow more human. It wasn't just about the swords. It was about the weird, friction-filled chemistry between a bunch of Saxon zealots and the Danes who just wanted to feast and fight.
Honestly, looking back at that first roster of actors is wild. Most of them were relatively unknown outside of British theater circles or niche TV roles. You had Alexander Dreymon, this guy who looked more like a model than a grizzled 9th-century warrior, stepping into the mud. Critics weren't sure if he could carry the weight of Bernard Cornwell’s legendary novels. But he did. And he wasn't alone. The ensemble was a masterclass in casting people who looked like they actually belonged in the rain and the muck of Alfred’s Wessex.
The Uhtred Problem: How Alexander Dreymon Nailed the Duality
Uhtred is a nightmare to cast. Think about it. He’s a Saxon by birth but a Dane by soul. He’s arrogant, impulsive, and frequently kind of a jerk to the people he’s supposed to be helping. If the actor plays him too "heroic," the character loses his edge. If he’s too aggressive, the audience hates him. Dreymon found this strange, electric middle ground. In those early episodes of season 1, you see him grappling with the trauma of seeing his family slaughtered while simultaneously falling in love with the Viking lifestyle.
The accent was the big thing. People still debate Uhtred’s accent. It’s this rhythmic, almost melodic cadence that doesn't quite sound like anyone else in the show. That was intentional. It represents his displacement—a man caught between two cultures, belonging to neither.
But Uhtred is only as good as the people he’s arguing with.
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David Dawson and the Genius of King Alfred
If Uhtred is the brawn (and the ego), David Dawson’s Alfred is the brain. Usually, in these types of shows, the king is either a warrior-hero or a sniveling coward. Alfred was neither. He was sickly, obsessed with religion, and deeply manipulative. Dawson played him with this terrifying stillness.
There’s a specific scene early on where Alfred is questioning Uhtred. You have this massive, shirtless warrior standing over a small, pale man who is clutching a cross and drinking gruel. On paper, the warrior wins. On screen, Dawson’s Alfred absolutely dominates the room. He made "pious" feel threatening. The dynamic between Dreymon and Dawson became the emotional spine of the entire series. It was a relationship built on mutual respect and absolute, visceral hatred. They needed each other, but they hated that they needed each other. That’s top-tier television.
The Danes: More Than Just Raiders
The show would have failed if the "villains" were just one-dimensional savages. Season 1 gave us Ubba and Earl Ragnar.
Rune Temte as Ubba was a revelation. He was terrifying because he was unpredictable. One minute he’s laughing, the next he’s disemboweling someone because the omens in the dirt told him to. Then you had Tobias Santelmann as Ragnar the Younger. He brought a sense of brotherhood that made Uhtred’s loyalty to the Danes actually believable. You understood why Uhtred wanted to stay with them. They were louder, funnier, and seemed to have a lot more fun than the Saxons sitting in damp churches praying for their sins.
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And we have to talk about Brida. Emily Cox brought a feral energy to that role that was frankly jarring in the best way. In a world where women were often treated as chess pieces, Brida was a wolf. Her chemistry with Dreymon in those early episodes established the high stakes—her heartbreak at Uhtred's "betrayal" of their Viking roots fueled the plot for literal seasons.
Supporting Players Who Stole the Scenes
- Ian Hart as Father Beocca: Beocca is the heart of the show. Hart played him not as a boring priest, but as a feisty, loyal father figure who wasn't afraid to slap Uhtred upside the head.
- Charlie Murphy as Queen Iseult: The "Shadow Queen." Her presence introduced a mystical, almost ethereal element to the show that contrasted with the cold realism of Alfred’s court.
- Adrian Bower as Leofric: The original "Arseling." His bromance with Uhtred provided the much-needed levity. When they were forced to fight each other, it felt like a genuine tragedy.
Why the Season 1 Casting Strategy Worked
Most shows today over-index on star power. They’ll cast a big name to draw people in, and the rest of the budget goes to CGI. The Last Kingdom did the opposite. They spent the money on period-accurate sets and found actors who could handle the physical demands of shield-wall choreography.
The casting directors, including Kelly Valentine Hendry, looked for faces that felt "period." There’s a specific look to the cast of the last kingdom season 1—they don't look like they just stepped out of a hair salon. They look tired. Their skin looks weathered. This commitment to authenticity is why the show grew by word of mouth. People felt like they were watching history, even if it was a highly dramatized version of it.
The Legacy of the First Shield Wall
The success of the first season’s cast paved the way for the show's move to Netflix and its eventual five-season run plus a movie. But those first eight episodes are special. They had a smaller budget and a tighter focus. It was a story about a boy who lost everything and the weird, complicated people who helped him find a version of himself.
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You can see the influence of this casting in later hits. Shows now look for that "Last Kingdom" vibe—that mix of grit and genuine character chemistry.
How to Appreciate Season 1 Today
If you're going back for a rewatch, or if you're jumping in for the first time, pay attention to the background. Notice how the Saxon characters are always slightly stiff, constrained by their robes and their rules. Then look at the Danes—their movements are fluid, their clothes are practical. The actors use their bodies to tell the story of their cultures before they even open their mouths.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Creators:
- Look for chemistry over fame: When watching or casting a project, notice how the "foil" characters (like Alfred to Uhtred) define the lead. Without a strong antagonist or moral opposite, a protagonist falls flat.
- Study the "Physicality" of Acting: Watch how Alexander Dreymon changes his stance when he's with Danes versus when he's in a Saxon hall. It's a masterclass in non-verbal storytelling.
- Support the Source: If the cast sparked your interest, dive into Bernard Cornwell’s The Saxon Stories. The show is great, but the internal monologues in the books give even more depth to the characters you see on screen.
- Revisit the Pilot: Often, the first episode of a series holds all the thematic clues for the ending. In The Last Kingdom, the seeds of the series finale are planted in the very first interactions between Uhtred and Father Beocca.
The cast of the last kingdom season 1 didn't just play roles; they built a world that felt lived-in and dangerous. They made us care about 9th-century land disputes and shield walls. That's no small feat. It remains one of the best examples of how the right group of actors can turn a historical drama into an obsession.