Edward:  Hello Thor, welcome to Connex 247 family! It..s a great pleasure to have you here with us! Frst of all, I..m really curious about your name: THOR KNAI.

Thor:  It’s a pleasure to be here! My name is of Viking origin, as am I. Thor, as many of you may already know is the Viking god of Thunder and War, and it’s actually a pretty common name in Norway where I’m from. Knai is not. It’s actually a derivative of Knja-vin which in Norse (Viking) means “fertile plain by river bend”. It describes the location of the Knai farms, which are more than a thousand years old and still exist today. It’s entirely possible that my bloodline can be traced all the way back to the Viking kings.

I’ve always found it odd to describe myself, but I’m definitely a very fortunate guy. I’m very direct and I’m not afraid of conflict. I’d rather have small skirmishes from time to time than huge blowouts once in a while. I love to debate, because that’s the easiest way to learn new things from and about each other. I care a lot about values, which unfortunately puts me on edge with people who don’t care about consequences of their actions. But most importantly, I believe in the power of positive energy!

Edward:  You have such a terrific background. Sports, Acting. Modeling…..How did all theses vocations arise?

Thor:  Sports was just a natural part of growing up in Norway. I played soccer for seven years and I did martial arts at a pretty high level for a couple of years. At en early age I never really gave it much thought, but later on it became about learning skills that I may need in life, staying in shape and pushing my limits.

Acting sort of happened, I was always into role-playing games like D&D, but it was an audition spotted by my mom in the newspaper that made all the difference. I went, got a part in a television miniseries, and loved every second of it. After that came high school cabarets and eventually Hollywood. Modeling happened because my headshot photographer in LA convinced me we should try some fashion shots, we did, they turned out great and I’ve been modeling ever since!

It’s become my “day job” so to speak. I do that, rather than waiting tables, while pursuing my acting career. I’ve always been very inspired by movies, it’s been a great way for me to learn about life’s problems and values as well as just providing an escape from reality from time to time. I would love to be able to do the same for others, and that is the main reason I pursue a career in the movies.

Edward:  Acting, for example, is one of your major peferences. Which films, plays and Tv series you've already played.  Any comments on show business?

Thor:  I started out with a small part in a TV-series in Norway when I was 15.  After that came a period of stage when I did my high school cabarets. It’s a big thing in Norway. Then I did a lot of small projects like short films during my year in Hollywood, nothing you’d see except at film festivals and such.

I did some work on a couple of independent feature films and when modeling took me to London I did the same thing there. Just with slightly bigger budgets. I did a McDonalds commercial in Norway several years ago, and I just filmed a KFC commercial in Hong Kong.  Showbiz is a tricky one. It’s got it’s share of sleezebags and shady undertakings, the plastic fantastic and the insistent wannabe’s, but it’s also the home of some really wonderful creative professionals. I love it! It’s a truly magical business.

Edward:  What's fame and success for you? And if you could choose 5 important things for your life name them

Thor:  Fame and success for me are means to an end. First to provide financial security for my loved ones and family, secondly to be able to use the influence that comes with it to put the spotlight on things I think are important, causes, events and problems that require attention. Thirdly, it will enable me more control when it comes to writing and creating stories and movies of my own. I’d love to do what Mel Gibson did with Braveheart, in my own way.

Five things that are essential in my life would be my health, my family, my dreams, finding true love, and the strength and courage to pursue and provide for these things! Fun can be had anywhere! It’s more about who you’re with and what you’re doing than where you are. 

Edward:  What do u think about having fans from different parts of the world with such unique life styles, cultures and so on?

Thor:  I think it’s cool that they can all relate to what I’m doing. I appreciate diversity, but I’m also a fan of unity. If I can help globalization by doing what I do that’s great. Sometimes I chat with them online, and it’s fun to hear about their lives and problems. 

In one way the problems of an 18 year old girl from Oman aren’t all that different from those I faced myself, but then of course there’s the side of if where she has to deal with arranged weddings and things like that. It’s almost surreal, but I hope I made her day a little brighter by spending some time with her online. My fans are very important to me, I could never refuse requests for signed headshots and such.

Edward:  You are also a model! What are your goals?

Thor:  I still have a couple of goals to reach before I can say I’ve done that.  Initially the goal was to have a billboard campaign, then a commercial, and now I’d love to do a fragrance. Geir would be fun, since it’s a Norwegian scent. I wouldn’t turn down a Boss or D&G campaign either!

Edward:   And what do u like most when you work with a photographer? I'm sure you might have some cool/unusual/funny backstages moments. Share some of them with us

Thor:  I like working with photographers who know what they want. I can improvise and work it myself, but it’s all a lot easier when the photographer knows how to communicate his wishes. Enthusiasm is also important, and to be able to keep a professional attitude even under pressure. Time is sometimes short.

I do have some funny stories! I was shooting a KFC commercial in Hong Kong, and we’re doing a single of me. It’s a sexy santa thing, so I’m wearing red hot pants. We just finished the first take and the Chinese crew looking at the monitor starts laughing. 

So I’m just standing there smiling and the director comes up to me, slightly embarrassed. Then he says, “you have to tuck your equipment differently, you know we’re all Asian so we’re all jealous, but it doesn’t really go well with the shot.” We all laughed then, I got a little red, turned around and did as directed. It was pretty funny at the time.

Edward:  Tell us about an unforgettable moment.

Thor:  An unforgettable moment: Bumped into the girl of my dreams at a party, it was absolutely magical, had an unforgettable night, but I never saw her again. Love at first sight is real, so I can’t wait until it happens again.

Edward: Thor, thanks so much for sharing your story with us. Before you leave, tell us about your website and your current and future projects!

Thor:  Currently I’m modeling in China and Hong Kong, my contract here lasts until January, when February comes along I’m either going back to LA, doing a movie in NY, work a couple of months in Milan, or if I get a good contract offer in Asia I might stay for longer.

I’m also scheduled to do Knight Quest in Canada early summer, and there’s another option for a movie in June. It’s going to be a good year!

My website is http://thorknai.com,  the most important stuff is there.

I also have a myspace, www.myspace.com/realmofthor.

Full name: Thor Knai
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