Bjork Is Unrecognizable As The Seeress In Robert Eggers' The Northman

Director Robert Eggers, most known for his unsettling horror-tinged features, is tackling Viking culture in his upcoming film. Entitled "The Northman," the tale stars Swedish-born actor Alexander Skarsgård as the titular Viking Amleth. 

Skarsgård is no stranger to Viking lore, as the film is interestingly reminiscent of his "True Blood" character Eric Northman's origin. Set to eventually inherit a kingdom from his father, King Aurvandil War-Raven (Ethan Hawke), Amleth's birthright is taken away when Aurvandil is murdered by his brother Fjölnir (Claes Bang). Still a child at the time, Amleth escapes but vows to return to rescue his mother, Queen Gudrún (Nicole Kidman), from his uncle's tyranny. 

Eggers' star-studded cast is an impressive draw for the film — which already appears to be an intense and blood-gushing ride – reuniting the director with Anya Taylor-Joy, who starred in his 2015 film "The Witch." In addition to the many acclaimed actors in "The Northman," Eggers has also cast electronic pop musician Björk in one notable role. Even die-hard fans of the singer may have missed her appearance in the trailer due to her immersive transformation.

Eggers delves deep into authenticity for his ambitious new film, creating a believable Viking landscape, from costumes to lore. Though this exhausted the actors to an extent, no one can deny that the film has a sense of flair (via IndieWire). In addition to accuracy, "The Northman" has a specific tone and aesthetic, especially when it comes to the visuals for its characters. Credited as the Seeress, Björk appears briefly in the trailer with a large headdress and puka shells over her eyes (via IMDb).

Her appearance is startling, but so are many of the visual components in the upcoming movie. Scenes from the trailer show haunting shots of shield-maidens riding into battle with marked teeth, so Björk's involvement is not that hard to get behind. She frequently incorporates her Scandinavian roots into her music and has also collaborated with the co-writer on the film in the past. Eggers wrote the film with Sjón, an Icelandic poet who worked as a lyricist on some of Björk's songs (via Pitchfork). 

Not a lot is known about the character yet or how integral she will be to the plot, but this mysterious Seeress fits in nicely with both Björk's brand of avant-garde music and Eggers' vision.