Travis Fimmel is an Australian actor. He played Ragnar Lothbrok in the History Channel television series Vikings (2013–2017), Marcus in HBO science fiction series' Raised by Wolves, Desmond Hart in Dune: Prophecy, and the leading role of James Cormack in Black Snow (2024).
Fimmel was born in Echuca, Victoria, Australia and was raised in Lockington.[1][2] The youngest of three brothers, he is the son of Jennie, a recreation officer for disabled people, and Chris, a cattle farmer.
Aspiring to be a professional Australian rules footballer, Fimmel moved to Melbourne to play for the St Kilda Football Club in the AFL, but a broken leg sidelined him before the season began.
Fimmel was spotted working out at a gym in the Melbourne suburb of Hawthorn by the flatmate of a talent scout for the Chadwick Models agency. He headed to the United States and was signed on the spot with agency LA Models in 2002, after walking into their office broke and barefoot. He became the first male model to secure a six-figure deal to model exclusively for Calvin Klein for a year, and the last to be personally contracted by the brand's eponymous designer.[8][9] He fronted CK's Crave men's fragrance campaign and modelled the brand's underwear. He was named one of the world's sexiest bachelors by America's People magazine in 2002, and was highly in demand as a male model. He appeared on magazine covers, including Esquire, Rogue, Empire, At Large, Good Weekend, Numero Homme, and America's TV Guide.
