If you watched Game of Thrones, you remember Gregor “the Mountain” Clegane. He gouged out Oberyn Martell’s eyes with his thumbs. He fought the Hound to the death while the Red Keep collapsed around them. He’s played by Hafþór Björnsson, who stands 6’9” tall and weighs 450 pounds. There’s no forgetting him.
You may also know him from his career as a professional strongman. He recently set the world deadlift record, lifting a staggering 1,104 pounds earlier this month:
.@ThorBjornsson_ HAS DONE IT!
— ESPN (@espn) May 2, 2020
He just deadlifted 1,104 pounds, setting a new world record 😮💪 #TheOcho pic.twitter.com/YQzO5ULZ3S
Now, Wheelhouse Entertainment is hoping to capitalize on Björnsson’s considerable talents with a new reality show called Beat the Mountain! “Thor’s incredible deadlift last weekend made news around the world and rallied millions to share in a stunning athletic achievement,” said president Eric Wattenberg. “While he’s definitely one of a kind, we see this show as inspiration for anyone that wants to push boundaries or cheer on those who do. No doubt Thor is built to move mountains, but he’s also a disciplined team player and a super-nice guy.”
He has hobbies beyond lifting ungodly amounts of weight, too, as you can see below:
https://t.co/pxE4LAM614 pic.twitter.com/sgC7w6D6Ng
— Hafþór J Björnsson (@ThorBjornsson_) May 5, 2020
Anyway, the show itself will involve athletes going head to head in “unique bouts,” with the top performer eventually going head-to-head with Björnsson. There’s a lot of ambiguity there — what kinds of “bouts” are we talking about, exactly? — but it all reminds me of the time Björnsson sparred with UFC champion Conor McGregor:
Fun side note: After fellow strongman Eddie Hall questioned its legitimacy online, and the pair trash-talked back and forth until they agreed to face off in a boxing match. Maybe Hall could go on this show?
What else are Game of Thrones stars doing? Well, Jacob Anderson (Grey Worm) just released a music video for his new song, “Aristocrats’! Check it out:
Anderson makes music under the name Raleigh Ritchie, and I dig a lot of it. What would you call it? Electronic R&B? Whatever it is, I hope he keeps making it.
Finally, Miltos Yerolemou (Syrio Forel) has dyed his hair bright pink:
“All men must dye.” We approve.
To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.
Get HBO, Starz, Showtime and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels