Tobias Santelmann

Tobias Santelmann is a German-born Norwegian actor. He is best known for starring in the Academy Award-nominated film Kon-Tiki. In 2026 Santelmann starred as Harry Hole in the Netflix series Jo Nesbø's Detective Hole.

His credits also include Hercules (2014), Point Break (2015), The Heavy Water War (2015), Grenseland (2017), The Last Kingdom (2015–2018), Atlantic Crossing (2020), Those Who Kill (2021), and (2019–2023).

Early life and education Tobias Santelmann was born in Freiburg, Germany. He moved with his family to Norway when he was young. He was raised in Lindesnes Municipality in south Norway, later moving to Oslo when he was 16 years old.

Career Santelmann worked at The Norwegian Theatre in Oslo with appearances in The Castle, The Good Person of Szechwan, and Nora. and Point Break (2015), and a starring role in the BBC television series The Last Kingdom (2015–2018).

From 2019 to 2023, Santelmann played Henrik in Exit, a series in three seasons that described the decadent lives of four men in Oslo's finance elites. It became the most streamed series in the history of Norwegian national television.

In 2021, he played the role of a serial killer in the mini series Those Who Kill.

In 2020, Santelmann, though relatively unknown in the United States, was chosen to play Prince Olav in the TV series Atlantic Crossing, a joint Norway/US production, alongside Sofia Helin and Kyle MacLachlan.

In 2026 Santelmann stars as Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole in the Netflix series Jo Nesbø's Detective Hole.

Selected filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 2010 Varg Veum Stian Brandt 2012 Kon-Tiki Knut Haugland 2012 Flukt Arvid 2013 Jag etter vind HåvardNominated – Amanda Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated – Amanda Award for Best Newcomer 2013 Jeg er din Dirk 2014 KraftidiotenFinn 2014 Hercules Rhesus 2015 Point Break 'Chowder' 2018 Mordene i Kongo Tjostolv Moland 2019 Out Stealing Horses

Television Year Title Role Notes 2010 Maria Ole Marius Aronsen 2011 Stikk Georg 2014, 2016 Frikjent Erik Nilsen Main (18 episodes) 2014 Øyevitne (Eyewitnesses) Lars Strømme Main (5 episodes) 2015 The Heavy Water War Joachim Rønneberg Main (6 episodes) 2015 Homeland Colonel Haugen Guest (1 episode) 2015–2018 The Last Kingdom Ragnar Main (3 seasons – 13 episodes) 2016 Marcella Yann Hall Series 1 (8 episodes) 2017 Grenseland Nikolai Andreassen Main (8 episodes) 2019,2021 Beforeigners "Blond Viking"Olaf the Stout Guest (1 episode)Main (6 episodes) 2020 Atlantic Crossing Prince Olav Main (8 episodes) 2021 Those Who Kill Peter Vinge Main (9 episodes) 2019–2023 Henrik Main (24 episodes) 2024 Veronika Tomas Main (8 episodes) 2026 Jo Nesbø's Detective Hole Harry Hole Lead role (9 episodes)