Hell on Wheels - Q&A with Christopher Heyerdahl

Q: How have you have been describing your character, The Swede, to other people?
A: Here's what I've come up with, because I've tried to do this a number of times: The Swede is a Norwegian survivor of the Andersonville Prison Camp who has the weighty responsibility of "keeper of order" amongst the group of harlots, murders and dipsomaniacs that is Hell on Wheels.

Q: The Swede speaks with a very distinct accent. How did you develop that?
A: Well, I have a Norwegian father who emigrated to America in the 1950s, and he still speaks with varying degrees of an accent. Over my lifetime my ear has been well-tuned to that accent. Any first generation kid has that wonderful gift from their parents.

Q: It's pretty hilarious that your character is called The Swede, despite being from Norway.
A: It actually happens all the time! Whenever I travel anywhere, I'm constantly asked if I'm Swedish. It's the burden of most Norwegians. The Swedes have just got a better publicity agent, I think.

Source: Full Q&A @ AMC