Casting is underway for the 10th season of Alt for Norge, a reality TV show that sends 12 Norwegian-Americans to Norway to find their ancestral roots. It’s also a competition — the winner takes home $50,000.
Ballardites have been contestants in past seasons of Alt for Norge (All for Norway) — Lars Phillips, Heidi Somes, and Kate Mills were in season seven. Washington has the fourth largest Norwegian-American population in the US, and 14 out of 106 total cast members have been from Seattle.
The show is extremely popular in Norway — “Norwegian viewers are inspired by the casts’ Nordic pride and fascinated by their hilarious and emotional journey as they compete in fun, cultural and adventurous challenges to unearth the mysteries of their family’s legacy,” the casting agents say.
The cast members are dealt a series of challenges — losing a challenge means elimination. The challenges are pretty diverse, ranging from dog sledding to random competitions against nudists, and even Norwegian swearing contests with 100-year-olds.
In a statement, Alt for Norge casting director Joan O’Connor says she believes the show has, “tapped into our desire to understand where we come from, which gives insight into who we are. To have this opportunity to travel to your motherland, experience the culture as a non-tourist, walk the sacred grounds of your ancestors and discover your family’s saga and secrets is pretty incredible.”
To be eligible, applicants must have some Norwegian ancestry, be at least 18 years-old, and have not traveled to Norway after the age of 15. The casting call is on Saturday, Oct. 20 from 9am to 2pm at the Crowne Plaza Hotel (1113 6th Ave) — you also need to apply online. If you can’t make it to the casting call, applications will be accepted until Dec. 2.
Photo courtesy David O’Connor (O’Connor Casting)