Thousands queue in Temple Bar for Vikings casting

The streets of Temple Bar were teeming this afternoon with thousands of bearded men and long-haired women, anxiously waiting to have their photo taken for the chance to appear in the upcoming season of the hit TV series, Vikings.

The seemingly never-ending queue, which snaked from Filmbase on Curved Street through the cobbled streets of Temple Bar, began to form at 9am, as men and women of all ages and nationalities arrived to attend the open extras casting for the Irish-Canadian production, which is filmed in Wicklow.

Sean Douglas Kennedy and Niall Birch, both students in creative digital media at the Institute of Technology, Blanchardstown , say they decided to sign up to get experience for their course.

0 of 4

The two young men, who had already been queuing for more than two hours in the unseasonally chilly spring conditions, say they’ve been working on their beards in preparation for the casting.

“I’m a big fan of the TV show so once I heard they were having open casting I jumped at the chance,” Birch says, proudly stroking his beard.

Further down the line, two red-haired women in fur coats stand huddled together seeking refuge from the heavy raindrops that are beginning to fall.

The two, Aoife Banks and Vivienne O'Brien, are students at the National College of Art and Design, and with their flowing locks and creative outfits they look just the part.

“It’s a good opportunity to be an extra and we’re both ginger so we figured it would be fitting,” Banks says.

“I only realised when I was on the bus in that I look very warrior princess today.”

Nearby, we hear an almighty roar, and see a group of bearded men emerge from the crowd.

‘Take a chance’

Enok Groven, a Norwegian fashion model who usually works in Paris and Milan, says he decided to "take a chance in life" and jump on the ferry to Ireland. En route he met Oliver Jones, who feeds sharks for a living at Blackpool sea life centre, and Callum Bignall, a stonemason from London.

Groven explains he has plenty of experience working in the Viking world.

"I had a normal job in Norway before . . . well actually it was a really cool job. I was the manager in one of the world's largest Viking shops. I wore Viking clothes for a living, I was basically living as a Viking."

Tom Thurston, who also took the ferry through the night to attend the extras casting and has covered his face with red paint/blood, says most of his costume came from home.

“They are clothes from my re-enactment battles,” he says, showing me his traditional Nordic outfit, complemented with a fox fur stole draped over his shoulders. “I’ve even got a chainmail back home.”

Inside the Filmbase studio, Stephen Kirk, extras coordinator for Vikings, is busy directing groups of budding extras through the building.

He says he’s seen large crowds at previous castings but this seems to be the busiest day yet.

“We’re looking for male, female, long-haired, short-haired, shaved head, punk hair styles, sporty types,” Kirk says.

“You don’t have to have done it before, everyone’s got a first time for everything.”

Kirk says the show is looking to recruit 8,000 extras for the upcoming series, which will film from April to December 2015.

He also says that casting agents are specifically interested in people who are skilled in trades such as fishing, metalwork and carpentry.

“There are certain advantages to [having] done it before, if you have crossbow training or if you have a specific skill like weaving or crafting.

“We want people from all ethnic backgrounds, it’s completely open.”

Extras casting for Vikings will continue on Wednesday, April 1st at Filmbase in Temple Bar and Tuesday, April 7th at the Grand Hotel on Abbey Street in Wicklow town. Open casting is restricted to adults.