Who plays Erik in Vikings?
Erik is played by Eric Johnson in the original Vikings series.
Explore family, allies and rivals or follow the story sections below.
Cast references: Eric Johnson.
Explore Erik’s story
A rescue creates an opening
He saves Bjorn when Harald’s men threaten him and offers his knowledge and services as a warrior. He recognizes the threat from the Rus and carries a message to Harald, becoming part of the effort to coordinate a defense.
The struggle after Bjorn
Following Bjorn’s death, Erik pursues influence through both Gunnhild and Ingrid while encouraging their competing claims. He later shares authority in Kattegat with Ingrid. His blindness and subsequent killing bring that attempt to consolidate power to an end.
An ally’s changing value
His introduction makes military service a way into the political story. An editorial reading should then ask when protecting a ruler becomes an ambition to replace one. His relationships offer a more precise account of that movement than calling him simply a loyal rescuer or a permanent villain.
Relationships & loyalties
Memorable scenes
An envoy almost executed
Season 6, episode 9
Erik brings Bjorn’s warning about the Rus to Harald. The king initially threatens his life, but Olaf argues for listening. Harald agrees to cooperate, making the messenger’s dangerous journey part of the effort to create a defense across rival courts.
Why this moment matters
The danger of the mission comes from the receiver as much as the invading force it concerns. Erik brings information that should make him useful, yet Harald nearly treats him as an enemy to eliminate. His survival allows rivalry to become cooperation for a time, demonstrating how fragile a defensive agreement can be when the messenger’s identity obscures the message.
Why fans keep talking
Erik’s early service to Bjorn creates an expectation that practical courage and loyalty will remain connected. The later effort to gain influence through Gunnhild and Ingrid strains that expectation, producing a dispute over whether his end is earned or a disappointing alteration of a promising ally. The envoy scene explains why the earlier attachment is strong: he risks himself to produce a result that benefits more than his own advancement. Keeping that achievement visible does not require ignoring the opportunism that later makes his relationship to power harder to defend.
What resonates
His early rescue of Bjorn, negotiating ability and readiness to fight establish a useful ally worth following.
What divides viewers
His manipulation of Gunnhild and Ingrid after Bjorn’s death makes later loyalty hard to accept. Some viewers see an unsatisfying shift from his earlier characterization.
Who plays Erik?
Eric Johnson portrays Erik.
Eric Johnson’s work beyond Vikings includes Whitney Fordman in Smallville (2001); Steven 'Flash' Gordon in Flash Gordon (2007); Dr. Everett Gallinger in The Knick (2014); Jack Hyde in Fifty Shades Darker (2017).