Actor Biography

Katheryn Winnick is a talented actress, director and producer best known for her starring role as the fearless shield maiden Lagertha in the critically acclaimed, Emmy® Award-winning television series "Vikings." Winnick made her directorial debut in the sixth and final season, and received a Best Director nomination for the 2020 WIN Awards. Her role as Lagertha also garnered her a 2019 WIN Award for Best Actress in a Drama series, a Best Supporting Actress nomination at the 2015 Critic's Choice Television Awards and a Best Performance by a Lead Dramatic Actress nomination at the 2014 Canadian Screen Awards. Entertainment Weekly says Lagertha "may be the most exciting feminist character on TV."

Winnick will next be seen starring in David E. Kelly's highly anticipated series "Big Sky" for ABC. She plays ex-cop Jenny Hoyt in the thriller which centers around a search for two sisters who have been kidnapped by a truck driver on a remote highway in Montana. Kylie Burnbury and Ryan Phillipe also star.

On the big screen, Winnick has a slate of upcoming films including "Wander," opposite Tommy Lee Jones and Aaron Eckhart; the action thriller "Minuteman," opposite Liam Neeson; and Sean Penn's "Flag Day" where she stars alongside Penn, Josh Brolin and Miles Teller. Winnick is also a producer on the film.

Winnick exemplifies her talent and diversity in roles such as the Netflix's martial arts drama "Wu Assassins"; the action thriller "Polar," a film for Netflix; and "Dark Tower," opposite Matthew McConaughey and Idris Elba. Past roles include Charlie Sheen's ex in "A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III" (co starring Bill Murray, Patricia Arquette and Jason Schwartzman); and alongside Al Pacino, Christopher Walken and Alan Arkin in Lakeshore Entertainment's "Stand Up Guys." Winnick can be seen opposite Kurt Russell and Matt Dillon in the heist comedy "The Art of the Steal." Some of Winnick's career highlights include a sexy turn opposite Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway in Ed Zwick's "Love and Other Drugs"; a fun, physically demanding role as one of the eponymous assassins in the Ashton Kutcher, Katherine Heigl action-comedy "Killers" (in which Winnick did all her own stunts); a juicy recurring role as David Boreanaz's love interest on Fox's hit primetime TV series "Bones"; and a subtly endearing performance in Sophie Barthes' "Cold Souls" (2009), alongside Academy Award®-nominated co-stars Paul Giamatti, Emily Watson and David Straitharn that resulted in a nod for Best Ensemble Cast at that year's Independent Spirit Awards.

Winnick demonstrates talent beyond the acting realm as an accomplished martial artist. She currently holds a third-degree black belt in tae kwon do and a second-degree black belt in karate. Winnick currently resides in Los Angeles.