Vikings: Valhalla star Frida Gustavsson has revealed that her very first acting audition was not a conventional one.
While others may start off with indie or small-budget movies, the actress's first audition was in fact for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The pressure was definitely on.
Gustavsson, who has found fame playing Freydís Eiríksdóttir on the Vikings spin-off, had previously been a model despite always having had a curiosity for acting.
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When she finally decided to leave her career of modelling behind in favour of trying her hand at performing, the first audition she landed was for the sequels to the Star Wars franchise for none other role than the one of Rey.
Speaking on the Collider Ladies Night podcast, Gustavsson revealed how her then modelling agent at IMG Models got her the opportunity.
She said: "I had a modelling agent who was amazing at IMG Models, and she knew that I was kind of on the way out and I think she wanted to help me facilitate the bridge.
"And, of course, the first audition she comes up with is Star Wars."
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Despite the pressure of such a high-profile audition, the model-turned-actress added that although it had been an "incredible" experience, she was still glad the role had been passed over to Daisy Ridley.
She said: "I think I did a decent enough job, but I was not prepared to do something of that scale and I'm incredibly glad that I didn't end up getting it now because I would have absolutely tanked it.
"But it's double, you know? In a way, I was like, wow, it's incredible to get to read text of that quality and to work at that level, or to try to work at that level so soon.
"But also, it's quite interesting when you approach it totally green and totally fresh, and you don't really realise how big it is to get to do something like that and who the people on the other side of the self-tape are."
Vikings seasons 1-6 are streaming via Amazon Prime Video. Vikings: Valhalla season 1 is streaming on Netflix.
20th Century Fox Vikings Seasons 1-5
20th Century Fox Vikings - Season 1
20th Century Fox Vikings - Season 2
20th Century Fox Vikings - Season 3
20th Century Fox Vikings - Season 4
