Travis Fimmel, the Australian actor who starred as Nordic king Ragnar Lothbrok in the drama series Vikings was in Canberra this week, promoting his new beer and promising to return to the national capital next month to share a cold one with fans.
The 43-year-old actor has teamed up with fellow "country kid" and beer aficionado MasterChef judge Andy Allen, to launch the low-carb, mid-strength beer, called Travla.
To help promote the beer, Fimmel this week visited The Dock at the Kingston Foreshore, which is co-owned by Brumbies and Wallabies legend Ben Alexander.
While he initially preferred to wear a Raiders jersey, staying true to his Viking connections and love of league, Fimmel did eventually agree to don a Brumbies jumper for Alexander.
Alexander chatted with Fimmel on his Instagram story, revealing the star would be back at The Dock on March 4 to further promote Travla.
And everyone was invited to come have a beer with him.
"Come down, it's going to be a good time, there's going to be lots of extravagant dancing," the laidback Fimmel promised.
More of a league and AFL fan (he's a Saints supporter) Fimmel said on March 4 he might even do "the walk of shame in the Brumbies shirt".
The name of the beer, Travla, is a nod to the fact it can travel anywhere, not confined to one jurisdiction.
"We believe it's time for a new Australian beer to dominate the world stage, a beer Aussies can be proud to call our own - wherever we go in the world," Fimmel reckoned.
Born in Echuca in country Victoria, Fimmel made it big before Vikings, as a Calvin Klein model in the United States.
He also filmed the film Guests in and around Marulen, Gunning and Goulburn back in 2005.
And The Canberra Times was there to have a chat to the then 26-year-old who was dismissive of his start in modelling.
''Who cares about fashion? It's a girl's thing. It's good for a girl to do, modelling, but I just had to do it. It's all funny to me, to sit in my jocks for six hours. It's like a big dare, you know? Something you do for a laugh," he said, at the time.
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