Herbert Nordrum was quite satisfied to simply be a working actor, but now he’s poised to be a global superstar. Ahead of his turn in the latest adaptation of Sense and Sensibility, we meet Nordrum in the fields of Oslo to chat childhood stage disasters, career-defining roles, and quirky obsessions
Herbert Nordrum cannot remember his first audition. “I’ve done so many over the years,” he laughs, admitting that the process still makes him nervous despite having gone through it “thousands of times”. “I tend to black them out. I’m not a great auditioner.” Given the Norwegian actor’s recent ascent, this is difficult to believe. When I reach him in early June, he is in Lisbon filming The Man Who Stole Portugal, an adaptation of the bestselling heist novel, and juggling a slate of projects that suggests any remaining spare time may soon be in short supply.
Nordrum’s acting career began at a young age, though not all that successfully. “My parents put me in all sorts of stuff; they knew I needed something. I was very, very active,” he laughs, as he sits in his hotel room, latte in hand, a red cap obscuring his clean-shaven head. Growing up in Norway, Nordrum attempted to channel his restless energy into cross-country skiing, sea swimming and hiking before joining a children's theatre group. “All of the kids were being different animals, and I just sat in a corner because I was so overwhelmed,” he says. “It was so, so scary.”
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White shirt, €995. Dolce & Gabbana. Silver rings, €570-920. A.S.G. Photo: Sture Nordhagen
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When Herbert was accepted into The Academy of Theatre at Oslo National Academy of the Arts, he knew he would be able to “live as an actor”. Metallic silver linen shirt, €350, Green wool trousers, €500. Both T-Michael. Silver necklace, €790. Tom Wood. Rain boots. Stylist's own. Vogue Scandinavia 61. Photo: Sture Nordhagen
Still, he persevered. “We did a play based on a circus, where I was supposed to be the strongest man in the world,” he recalls, cringing at the memory he is about to reveal. “I had stockings on my arms and pillows stuffed in them for my biceps.” As Nordrum stepped out on stage, he flexed his arms ready to say his lines, only for the pillows to flop to his underarms, giving bingo wings rather than biceps. He didn’t take it well: “I just ran off stage crying.”