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At 13, chess prodigy Magnus Carlsen became the youngest grandmaster. His rating of 2,872 was the highest ever in history. He also recorded the longest unbeaten run in chess. Named one of Cosmopolitan’s “sexiest men of 2013,”he has also modeled for G-Star Raw, owns a chess-app company, and loves football.
Norwegian painter Edvard Munch is remembered for his iconic works The Scream and The Frieze of Life - A Poem about Life, Love, and Death. His paintings exhibited themes that reflected his own psychological states. He was a significant member of the Symbolism movement but was banned by the Nazi.
Roald Amundsen was a Norwegian explorer. Specialized in exploring the polar regions, Amundsen was an important figure of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, an era in the exploration of Antarctica. He disappeared in 1928 when he was involved in a rescue mission in the Arctic. Owing to his significant achievements in polar exploration, several places are named after him.
Henrik Ibsen was a Norwegian theatre director and playwright. One of the most influential and popular playwrights of his generation, Ibsen is credited with co-founding modernism in theatre, for which he is often called the father of realism. After William Shakespeare, Henrik Ibsen is the world's most often performed dramatist. His works have influenced other playwrights like George Bernard Shaw.
Former Norwegian football player, Ole Gunnar Solskjær was one of the most successful players of Manchester United and scored 126 goals for it. He famously scored the winning goal against Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final to secure a treble for the Manchester United. Post retirement, he began his coaching career and is currently the manager of Manchester United.
Aurora is a Norwegian singer, songwriter, and dancer. Gifted from a young age, she began writing songs at the age of six! She began her career self-releasing her works. She received a favorable response from the audience and was soon able to establish herself as a popular singer. Her music encompasses electro-pop, folk, and art-pop elements.
Harald V of Norway ascended the throne after the demise of his father, King Olav V. A sports enthusiast, he represented Norway in sailing at three Olympic Games. He also became a patron of World Sailing. The King is an admiral, the Supreme Commander of the Norwegian Armed Forces and a four-star general.
Sigrid Raabe is a Norwegian singer-songwriter who won the BBC Music Sound of 2018. Sigrid's debut studio album Sucker Punch, which released in 2019, debuted at number four on the UK Albums Chart. Over the years, Sigrid has won several prestigious awards, such as the MTV Europe Music Award.
Girl in Red is an indie-pop music project by Norwegian singer-songwriter Marie Ulven Ringheim. She became interested in music and songwriting as a teenager. With her family’s encouragement, she began releasing Norwegian music and soon earned a decent following. She has also appeared in a TV program. She is openly queer and is considered a queer icon.
Rollo of Normandy, also known as Rolf, is part of Scandinavian lore. A Viking, he was known for his exploits as a pirate on the seas of France, England, and other lands. When he attacked France with his Danish army, he was given Neustria, or Normandy, as part of a truce.
Harald Sigurdsson, or Harald, was the king of Norway from 1046 to 1066. He also made an aim for the Danish throne and the English throne. He was a mercenary and a military leader before taking over as the king. His death marked the end of the Viking Age.
Olav V of Norway served as the king of Norway from 1957 to 1991. Olav became heir apparent to the throne in 1905 when his father was crowned king of Norway. His leadership skills during World War II earned him the position of Norwegian Chief of Defence in 1944. Nicknamed The People's King, Olav was popular for his down-to-earth style.
Kristine Froseth is a Norwegian and American model and actress. She is known for playing important roles in popular TV series, such as The Society and Looking for Alaska. Froseth was discovered at Ski Storsenter where she was taking part in a catwalk audition. She then went on to model for brands like Armani before establishing herself as an actress.
Fridtjof Nansen was a Norwegian polymath who won the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize in 1922 for his post-war efforts after the First World War. A well-known explorer, humanitarian, and diplomat, Nansen achieved international fame for his attempt to reach the geographical North Pole during his Fram expedition. His techniques and innovations influenced a generation of succeeding Antarctic and Arctic expeditions.
Norwegian footballer Joshua King is best known as a forward for Watford. A child prodigy, he began his youth career with Romsås IL at age 6. He has also represented teams such as Manchester United and the Blackburn Rovers. He won the prestigious Gullballen award in 2017.
Morten Harket is a Norwegian vocalist and musician. He is most popular as the lead singer of the synthpop/rock band A-ha. The band has released ten studio albums to date. Before joining the band, he used to sing for the blues outfit Souldier Blue. He has often been praised for his incredibly strong falsetto.
Norwegian actress Ingrid Bolsø Berdal is best known for her role in the Norwegian slasher film Cold Prey, for which she won the Amanda Award (the Norwegian Film Award) for Best Actress. She is a versatile actress and has appeared in horror, thriller, drama, and romantic comedy genres. Besides films and TV shows, she also often acts in theater productions.
Jens Stoltenberg is a Norwegian politician who served as the Prime Minister of Norway between 2000 and 2013 in two separate terms. An influential politician, Stoltenberg also served as the Minister of Industry and Energy from 1993 to 1996 and Minister of Finance from 1996 to 1997. Jens Stoltenberg is the current Secretary General of NATO.
Martinus Gunnarsen is a Norwegian singer and one-half of the famous pop duo, Marcus & Martinus. Along with his twin brother Marcus, Martinus has released three successful studio albums to date. All their albums peaked at number one on VG-lista, a Norwegian record chart. In 2018, the brothers won the MAD Video Music Award under the Best International Act category.
Jo Nesbø is a Norwegian writer, economist, musician, and former reporter and footballer. By 2021, Nesbø was declared the most successful Norwegian author ever when his translated works sold over 50 million copies; Nesbø's work has been translated into more than 50 languages. He is also associated with the band Di Derre where he is the main vocalist and songwriter.
Marcus Gunnarsen is one half of the Norwegian pop-duo M&M, the other half being his twin brother, Martinus. They participated in and won the eleventh season of Melodi Grand Prix Junior in 2012. Their debut studio album Hei peaked at number 1 on the Norwegian Albums Chart. The twins have also appeared in a few TV shows and films.
The 1990s’ superhit dance track Barbie Girl made both the Danish-Norwegian band Aqua and its lead singer, Lene Nystrøm, international sensations. While Lene dated fellow band member René, she later married another band member, Søren. She later appeared in the Varg Veum film franchise and also reunited with her band.
Born to a golf enthusiast father, Norwegian golfer Viktor Hovland was trained in the sport since age 11. He later scripted history by becoming the first from his country to win the U.S. Amateur, to compete in the Masters, and to win on the PGA European Tour.
Daughter of King Edward VII of Norway, Maud of Wales, was known for being a tomboy and had even been nicknamed Harry, after a valiant admiral. She married Prince Carl of Denmark. After Carl took over as King Haakon VII of Norway, Maud became the queen of Norway, too.
Alexander Rybak is a Belarusian-Norwegian singer-composer, violinist, and pianist. The son of two talented musicians, he began to play musical instruments when he was just five. He studied at the Barratt Due Institute of Music before beginning his career. Besides being a musician, he is also an actor and has appeared in many TV shows and films.
Anni-Frid Lyngstad is a Norwegian-Swedish environmentalist, singer, and songwriter. She is credited with co-founding the popular Swedish pop band ABBA and popularizing the band by serving as its lead singer. In 2010, Anni-Frid Lyngstad was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2014, she received the Eskilstuna Music Prize for her contribution as an "icon."
Ari Behn was a Norwegian author, visual artist, and playwright. He achieved international recognition in 2017 when his artwork was widely exhibited all over the world. Although he was married to Princess Märtha Louise, he remained a private citizen and held no title or special status. Behn committed suicide at the age of 47 after struggling with mental health problems.
Karl Ove Knausgard is a Norwegian author who achieved international prominence for writing six autobiographical novels named My Struggle. A critically acclaimed writer, Knausgård has won several prestigious awards such as the Norwegian Critics Prize for Literature, Brage Prize, Jerusalem Prize, and Swedish Academy Nordic Prize.
