
Game of Thrones significantly boosted the fame of many actors, such as Kit Harington, Emilia Clarke, and Pedro Pascal. Among them was Icelandic actor Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, who portrayed the intimidating Gregor “the Mountain” Clegane. Given the attention that the show brought him, he maximized his newfound notoriety. Although his acting background was limited, being 6’9″ meant he stood out and he had an innate ability to draw interest, such as when he broke a 1,000-year-old Viking record by hauling a 1,433-pound log for five steps at the World’s Strongest Viking competition in Norway.