Easier to do love scenes with another woman

Icelandic actress Heiða Rún Sigurðardóttir, better known as Heida Reed, will be starring in the new Icelandic TV crime-series Stella Blómkvist which will premier in Sjónvarp Símans (Iceland Telecom’s TV) tonight, Friday November 24th. Heiða is well-known for her role as Elizabeth Warleggan in the hugely popular BBC-series Poldark but this is her first time as the lead in TV-series. Playing the sassy detective Stella was a treat for her, she says, and she wishes that she was more like her character in some aspects.

Heida Reed was born on May 22, 1988 in Reykjavik, Iceland as Heiða Rún Sigurðardóttir. She is an actress, known for One Day (2011), True Bloodthirst (2012), Poldark (2015-) and now the brand new TV-series Stella Blómkvist.

Heiða has been living in London for 11 years where she is now working on the fourth series of Poldark but London is only a phone call away and we called her to ask about Stella Blómkvist and her experience filming the series. The first question was how it came about that she got this coveted part.
“The guys at Saga Film contacted me two years ago and I auditioned for the part, but it took more than a year for them to decide to let me play it,” she says laughing. “I was excited about working on an icelandic tv-series and besides I have never played the lead in a series before so the decision to take the part was really easy.”

The series are built on a well-known book franchise in Iceland but Heiða admits that although she knew the name Stella Blómkvist she had never read any of the books.
“But after I got the part I read them and really liked this character. Stella is such a badass, she never gives in to anyone and I felt it would be a challenge to play her.”

“… she has a love affair with a woman in the series .. In many ways it was much easier than doing love scenes with a guy. They sometimes get too excited sexually and it’s hard for a man to conceal that. It can be a bit disturbing at times.”

Do you identify with her in any way, are you two alike?
“Not really. But I recognise a bit of myself in her though. Mostly in things that I don’t even want to admit to myself,” Heiða says and laughs again. “But in other ways I wish I were more like her. She is really formidable in many ways.”

In the books Stella is bisexual, did they keep that aspect of her character in the series?
“I didn’t want to put any label on her. She does not have much emotional intelligence and does not define herself. Mostly she is governed by her impulses; if she wants something she takes it without thinking about the consequences. But, yes, she has a love affair with a woman in the series.”

Was it hard doing love scenes with another woman?
“No, not at all. In many ways it was much easier than doing love scenes with a guy. They sometimes get too excited sexually and it’s hard for a man to conceal that. It can be a bit disturbing at times. With Sara Dögg, who plays Stella’s love interest, it was really easy. We were on the same page and understood perfectly what the other one was thinking. I think these were the easiest love scenes I have ever done.”

The series are built on a well-known book franchise in Iceland.

The books are written under a pseudonym and very few people know the identity of the writer, did you get to know his real name?
“No, I have no idea who wrote the stories and I think I would not want to know. The guys who are producing the series know his identity, but they did not tell us. I’m pretty sure it’s a man though, Stella is very masculine in many ways in the books but the writers of the script toned that down a bit.”

You are used to working on big sets with lots of crew from BBC, how was it different to work with the icelandic team?
“It was more intimate, we were a bit like a family, much more relaxed and more of a team work. I acted in the Icelandic series Lava Field a few years back and have always wanted to work more in Iceland. It’s great getting to act in your own language and as there are so few of us in Iceland everybody in the industry knows everybody else and the atmosphere on set is great. I really like that.”

“I have not seen the whole series yet. I decided to see them at the same time as everyone else … I’m really looking forward to it. I think it is different from anything that has been done on Icelandic TV …”

Your most famous role to date is Elizabeth in the Poldark series. Are there any similarities between her and Stella?
“No, they are really different characters. Elizabeth is very proper, always trying to do the right things and not upset anybody but Stella does not give a damn what anyone thinks of her. She just does as she pleases. I don’t think you could find more different characters. But that was part of the challenge of playing Stella; she is so unique.”

Heiða is currently working on the fourth series of Poldark, where she plays Elisabeth Warleggan. Still from the TV-series.

The series will be released today,Friday, but I’m assuming you have seen them already, what can we expect?
“No! I have not seen the whole series yet. I decided to see them at the same time as everyone else,” Heiða says. “I’ve seen a lot of the material, of course, but not as a whole and not in the right order. I’m really looking forward to it. I think it is different from anything that has been done on Icelandic TV and I really hope people like it.”

Heiða is currently working on the fourth series of Poldark but asked what she will do when that finishes she gets really mysterious.
“I’m not ready to expose that yet,” she says. “But there are gonna be some major changes in my life in the near future. You just have to wait and see.”

Heiða got engaged to her american boyfriend Simon Ritzenberg in July. He is a movie producer so one has to wonder if these changes she mentions mean that she will be moving to Hollywood and acting there, but she is adamant that she is not ready to discuss her future.
“Good guess,” she says with that infecting laughter in her voice. “But I’m not telling you what my plans are. Can we focus on Stella Blómkvist for now?”

That we can do. And we will all be tuning in to Sjónvarp Símans Friday night, that’s for sure.

Á. Óskarsson
Á. Óskarsson

Á. Óskarsson offers a variety of products and services to sports centers, swimming pools, schools, kindergartens, and the general public. The company specializes in sport-related products, activity-focused games, and a wide range of solutions for sports facilities.

Á. Óskarsson has been involved in numerous big projects related to building sports facilities and has made it their benchmark to offer good quality products and equipment since the company was founded.

See links to social media in the upper left-hand corner

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Á. Óskarsson selur fjölbreytt vöruúrval fyrir íþróttahús, sundlaugar, skóla og leikskóla og einnig ýmsar vörur til einkaafnota. Fyrirtækið selur vörur til íþróttaiðkunnar og leikja ásamt því að bjóða upp á ýmsar lausnir fyrir íþróttamannvirki.

Á. Óskarsson hefur komið að fjölda stórra verkefna við byggingu íþróttamannvirkja og hefur frá stofnun kappkostað að bjóða vandaðar og endingargóðar vörur.

Tenglar á samfélagsmiðla eru í efra horninu vinstra megin.

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Blush

    Blush was founded in 2011 when it started selling high quality sex products. The goal from the beginning was to change the market and take the discussion about sex products to a higher level. Today Blush provides professional services in a pleasant environment that fulfills different needs, both for individuals and couples. Blush respects diversity and wants to set a good example in all of its messaging to target audiences. Sexual health and equality in sex is important and Blush wants to focus on those issues through education and open discussion. Blush works in a socially responsible manner for society, their customers and the environment.

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    Omnom Chocolate
    - award-winning chocolate maker

      Omnom Chocolate is an Icelandic craft chocolate company based in Reykjavík. We produce handcrafted chocolate from organic cacao beans sourced ethically and sustainably. We’ve developed direct relationships to create premium chocolate with fine flavor cacao beans.

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      At the end of the day, our goal is to make chocolate.

       

      Nasdaq

         

        Nasdaq (Nasdaq: NDAQ) is a global technology company serving the capital markets and other industries. Our diverse offering of data, analytics, software and services enables clients to optimize and execute their business vision with confidence.

        With over 4,300 employees in 39 offices around the world, at Nasdaq we all contribute to the success of the company and its culture, and each one of us has the ability to make a difference. When it comes to our core mission and values, we embrace the role of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (DIB) as a fundamental driver of our corporate growth, workplace culture and market development. We strive to create a culture that embraces the power of different perspectives—a culture where people’s unique backgrounds and different experiences helps us fuel innovation and support our clients around the world.

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        Blue Lagoon
        - One of the 25 Wonders of the World

        Named by National Geographic as one of the 25 Wonders of the World, the Blue Lagoon is a shimmering expanse of warmth, relaxation, and rejuvenation. Its unique geothermal seawater
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        From its humble beginnings in the shadows of a geothermal power plant, Blue Lagoon has evolved into a world of wonder, now encompassing two hotels, three restaurants, three
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        Achieving harmony with the volcanic landscape, the lagoon and its surrounding architecture embody the unification of the man-made and the natural, and adhere to the highest principles of sustainability.

        The Blue Lagoon. A wonder of the world. A world of wonder.

        Landsbankinn
        - leading financial institution
        Landsbankinn

        Landsbankinn is a leading Icelandic financial institution. It offers a full range of financial services and is the market leader in the Icelandic financial service sector with the largest branch network.

        The present bank was established on 7 October 2008 but the history of its predecessor dates back to 1886. The bank is owned by the National Treasury of Iceland, which holds 98.2% of its share capital, and other shareholders who own 1.8%.

        Landsbankinn’s strategy is to provide comprehensive financial services that meet customer’s needs. It emphasizes providing exemplary service to customers, developing e-banking for their convenience, increasing the efficiency of support functions, modernizing its technology and ensuring effective utilization of its balance sheet.

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        Landsbankinn wishes to lead the development of a sustainable society in Iceland by integrating economic, social and environmental concerns in its operations. The Bank aims to ensure that both its owners and society at large benefit from its activities.

        It intends to achieve this aim by building solid infrastructure and a strong team of 1.100 employees, by listening to its customers and by respecting and encouraging its employees to actively participate in their community. Landsbankinn was a founding member of Festa, a Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility, and is a member of the UN Global Compact.

        Landsbankinn has been a proud sponsor of the Reykjavik Pride since it was first celebrated in Iceland.

        Dohop
        - get inspired
        Dohop

        Dohop allows people to find the cheapest flights available with just one click. Founded in Reykjavik in 2004, it is the only Icelandic company of its kind and quickly became the go-to tool for finding cheap flights among the locals. Dohop finds the best deals among hundreds of different airlines and online travel agencies, to make sure that the user is getting the cheapest price. Dohop also offers hotel and car rental search engines, so users can make all of their travel bookings from a single website.

        Dohop‘s specialty is finding so-called “self-connect” flight options, which can save travelers money by booking a ticket through two or more different airlines. The ability to look for these self-connect option is what sets Dohop apart from its competition, as it can save people hundreds of dollars on certain routes.

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        VSÓ Ráðgjöf

           

          VSÓ Ráðgjöf er alhliða ráðgjafar- og verkfræðifyrirtæki sem leggur áherslu á trausta og faglega þjónustu sem tryggir viðskiptavinum hagkvæmustu lausnir hverju sinni, skilar raunverulegum árangri og stuðlar að samkeppnisforskoti.  Á skrifstofum VSÓ í Reykjavík og í Noregi starfar yfir 80 manna samhentur hópur verkfræðinga og annarra tæknimenntaðra starfsmanna.

          Macland
          - for all your Apple needs
          Macland

          From starting out as a proper startup with only a good idea and the need to change things, to becoming an established company with 6 employees. Starting from scratch and expanding organically has allowed us to love our expansion and take our customers on the ride with us.

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          Ísey skyr
          - once tasted never forgotten

          Our Story
          Once upon a time, 1,100 years ago in fact, Nordic settlers began arriving in Iceland. They brought with them the skills and knowledge for producing skyr. As time passed, the know-how and recipe for this nutritious food slowly faded out elsewhere in the Nordic region. Luckily, the Icelandic skyr-making tradition continued.

          For centuries, Icelandic skyr formed a cornerstone of the national diet, helping to keep people strong in living conditions that were often harsh. On family farms countrywide, it was the women who nurtured this dairy and passing on both the recipe and the original Icelandic skyr cultures from mother to daughter.

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          This is our secret and you are in on it

          You can read more about Ísey skyr on our website.

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