An out-of-body experience
Last week,Vikingsstaged a massive battle episode.
But surprisingly, it wasnt until this week that the bodies started to pile up.
The newest episode SPOILERS FROM HERE saw major deaths across theVikingsworld.
Credit: Jonathan Hession/HISTORY
Most shocking, in terms of sheer unexpected brutality, was the drowning death of Yidu, Ragnars slave-turned-mistress-slash-drug-dealer.
It was a sudden, unexpected end for a character whose existence was always shrouded in mystery.
We spoke to actress Dianne Doan about her interpretation of the motivations that led to the death scene.
(Click here for an interview with Amy Bailey, who played the dearly departed Queen Kwenthrith.
Andclick here for a full recapof the latest episode ofVikings.)
DIANNE DOAN: When I auditioned for the role, I think it was intended for an eight-episode arc.
Youre never really sure.
But [Vikings creatorMichael Hirst] does such a good job of keeping us all on our toes.
Every time we get these scripts, someone else dies.
Yidu was a mysterious character, and even now theres still a lot of mystery around her.
Did Michael tell you anything about her, and where she came from?
The beautiful thing about Michael and his writing is that the scripts are very detailed.
And what I really enjoyed about the show is it was such a collaborative process.
I was able to put my own twist on Yidu.
In that dynasty in China, women were allowed an education, a right to choose marriage or work.
That sense of power, I wanted to bring to Yidu.
The relationship between Yidu and Ragnar becomes intimate, but her main initial objective is survival.
Everything comes from a place of: Is he going to kill me, or not?
How do I gain power over him?
When the drugs are introduced, the audience sees it as me helping him.
But at the same time, there is that underlying sense of control that I gained over the King.
There was a real sense of closeness between them, which gets violated in that final conversation.
For you, what was going through Yidus head in their final interaction?
She knows that its inevitable that, somehow, its not going to end well for her.
Which leads him to kill me, Yidu.
This might be ego, but I definitely didnt want to play the victim here.
Its almost like I had control over this ending the whole time.
What was it like filming your final scene?
It was the most out-of-body experience.
On the day, it was misty, gray weather.
It rains all the time in Ireland, but there was something odd about this day.
So I got to watch it happen.
The double was dressed exactly like me.
It was the most terrifying thing.
I was screaming in the tent, because it looked so real.
When it came to actually drowning, Travis [Fimmel, who plays Ragnar] gets really intense.
Hes a brilliant actor, and he gets very involved physically and emotionally.
That was the really exciting part of what Michael wrote us.
In earlier drafts I might get in trouble for saying this I died differently.
It was a battle scene.
I was so excited to be able to fight.
But with revisions and rewrites came this scene.
And part of me was so upset.
It was so personal, for him to do that.
We talked about it.
Ragnar is always painted as a hero, these past four seasons.
I told him, The audience is gonna hate you.
He looked at me, hes like: I think youre right.
This is the exciting part.
How did Yidu die in the original version of the story?
I didnt go to Paris with them.
Originally it was supposed to be the women fighting back.
I was there to protect the children.
And then it happened.
Heroically, I will add!
It felt like there was hope for her at some point.
Do you think she ever had any hope of getting home?
Realistically, I dont think so.
She is so far from home.
Coming from China, where I imagine is an abundance of wealth and education.
That was the funny part of being a slave in Kattegat.
The King would almost be a slave where Yidu is from, you know what I mean?
She was safe with Ragnar, but I dont think she ever saw a future there.
How it ended was, I think, the best way for her to leave.
It sounds so sad and cryptic.
