Somebody Somewhere’s ‘Iceland’ on That Date, Kiss With Sam

Spoilers ahead for Episode 6 from Someone somewhere third season.

The search for love in all its forms is a central theme of Someone Somewhere. This journey is more complicated for some characters than others; Sure, Sam (Bridget Everett) and Joel (Jeff Hiller) became best friends almost immediately, but Sam’s strained relationship with her sister Tricia (Mary Catherine Garrison) took longer to recover. The hardest part for Sam is finding a romantic partner, a difficult task for someone who still struggles with his own self-image.

Enter Víglundur Hjartarson, aka Iceland, the handsome loner who is currently renting Sam’s family farm with his dog Wesley. In the hands of Icelandic actor Ólafur Darri Ólafsson (he goes by Darri), Iceland is a bit of an enigma: introverted and perhaps a little cold, until Sam gets to know him better and recognizes his charm. In this week’s episode, “As Much as I Like Not Feeling,” the two finally go on a date, a walk around the farm, during which Island tells Sam that he doesn’t like the way she puts herself down, but when she kissing, Sam starts to cry. It’s an emotional climax in a series full of such events, and leaves a question mark over the couple’s relationship heading into next week’s series finale.

“In many ways he does the same thing as Sam: he opens up,” Ólafsson says of Island, a role that required him to curb his personal affection for his scene partner. “My problem is that I love Bridget and she makes me smile a lot, so I had to be careful at work. I couldn’t show how much I liked her.”

How did this role come about? Have you seen the show before?
I met Bridget and Lennon Parham Lady Dynamite probably ten years ago, so I guess that’s how I got the role. I am a huge admirer of the show. There aren’t many jobs in this business that you’d rather have.

I was completely surprised when Bridget mentioned that they might want to put me on the show. Bridget and I have stayed in touch because she lives in New York and I spent a lot more time there than in LA, where Lennon lives. I’ve been to Joe’s Pub at least three times to see Bridget’s show. She is simply one of the nicest, most lovely people you will ever meet. I tried to get Bridget to come to Iceland.

Island may not have as many scenes, but he has a pretty big role as the first lover who really coaxes Sam out of her shell and this pattern of self-flagellation.
He’s such a fun, quirky character. Sam really struggles with whether he’s interested or not, whether he doesn’t like her or not. I remember Lennon gave me a note saying I couldn’t be that charismatic. I had to be a little quieter and more distant so Sam wouldn’t know how he felt.

Do you see that you have anything in common with Iceland?
To put it more generally: In Iceland we are a funny bunch. Normally we are a bit shy. You have to have a few drinks with us before we have a real conversation. It wasn’t difficult for me to put myself in Iceland’s shoes. I share things with him: I have a dog, Waffle. I don’t mind spending time alone and spending time with my dog. Who said, “The more I learn about people, the more I like my dog”? Iceland lives from it. I could easily understand him having a relationship with Bridget since I adore Bridget. I kind of fell in love with her and the other characters long before I joined the show. I feel like I was offered to be a part of it star Wars or one of those huge universes that people love.

Do you think Iceland is shy and insecure or rather quiet and just difficult to understand?
He’s definitely shy. We humans are largely social animals. We like being part of a group. Iceland lives in Kansas, but is not from there. In many ways he does the same thing as Sam: he opens up. I love the fact that her sister really doesn’t like him. She just decided he was such a…

She just decided he smelled bad.
I have been to many farms. I don’t necessarily think people smell bad, but they do smell.

At the beginning of the season, Iceland seems fascinated by Sam. You can see his gaze lingering, that curiosity. Both your performance and the direction are very relaxed.
The directors – I worked with two of the three – were really helpful. They helped me keep it at bay. My problem is that I love Bridget and she makes me smile a lot, so I had to be careful at work. I couldn’t show how much I like her.

You’ve talked about the importance of representing Iceland, and in this show your character is literally referred to as “Iceland.” What was it like being the Icelandic character in an American cast?
Bridget texted me: “If you had to choose a name for your character, what would it be?” I said, “Maybe it should be that,” and she said, “Oh, fantastic.” I’ll never have to say it. “

I had worked with Rob Cohen, our director Lady Dynamite. The first night I was there we played cornhole, which I had never played before. I absolutely loved it. People were constantly trying to lose to me because they wanted me to feel at home, so I did pretty well.

Have you ever filmed in Chicago?
I’ve never been to Chicago. One of my best friends, Joseph Sikura, was filming his show Power Book IV: Power in Chicago, so I had time to hang out in town and see him. It’s a beautiful city. I was there for three or four weeks in January and everyone told me it was going to be so cold. It was unusually warm. It’s usually very cold in Iceland because of the wind, and the same goes for Chicago. But luckily Iceland isn’t very humid, so you’ll be able to beat the cold more easily there than in New York. If you just apply layers, you’ll be fine. Actor Darri doesn’t normally have these shifts when filming in Iceland. For some strange reason we are always dressed for a party in the snow, and in the summer we always wear winter clothes.

Walk me through filming the first date scene in this week’s episode, including the kiss. This moment is so tender.
We don’t really get to know Iceland’s backstory about why he is the way he is. But there are also things we don’t know about Sam. I get the feeling they haven’t been on many dates, or if they have, they haven’t been on them for a while.

When it came to the kiss, I felt like it had to be so gentle. When I was growing up, men were supposed to take charge and be like James Bond. Kiss the lady, do all that. I love that this show isn’t like that. I felt that Iceland needed to be respectful.

She and Bridget seemed to really take it slow and let the scene breathe.
I brought my character and my backstory with me, but we always took our time. It felt like the perfect combination of being in control of what was happening while also being open enough to listen to the atmosphere. That’s basically my dream way of working: bring all your information with you, but still be open to the possibility of something happening, like a bird flying over.

I was really impressed by the little moments, like when Island runs into Sam and mumbles “I’m sorry” and she kind of laughs. It feels so real: you don’t want to say too much because you don’t want to make it embarrassing.
These are two people who have met a few times but are trying to get to know each other in a new way. It was interesting for Darri and Bridget, who have been friends for a long time and are now playing people who might end up becoming lovers. At least for me, I kind of liked it. Through acting you can explore worlds where that could happen. It’s part of the privilege of being an actor.

I’m sure previous friendship with Bridget makes it easier to go to these intimate places.
Bridget is one of those people you can’t say anything to. That’s something special in this world: you know you’re comfortable with someone when you can have peace and quiet.

What other roles would you like to play in the future?
I got to do comedy, horror, drama and everything. When I was younger, I got to work on a film with Stellan Skarsgård about 20 years ago. I had done a few films, but I was just starting my career. I remember Stellan saying this wonderful thing that has always served me very well. I had asked him, “Do you want to work with the Coen brothers?” Who do you want to work with?” And Stellan said, “I’m trying everything I can to just read the script and see if the story is mine “I think it’s something I could add to, or do well – if it’s an interesting story to me, but also interesting to our community.”

I thought that was a really good answer. I think it’s detrimental to be too self-absorbed or thinking, ‘Where do I want to go?’ serve the story and can I be part of the machine that tells the story and is it an interesting story to tell?” I’m a producer, I write, but I try to be careful when I write. I love it when actors write something for themselves, but I try not to think in those terms. I might end up playing something, but I’m not writing it for myself, to prove that I can do something that no one has ever seen before.