Arna Magnea Danks

Danks was born in Reykjavík in 1970. She is of Northern Irish and Icelandic descent. She trained at East 15 Acting School/University of East London (1997–2000), qualified as a Stage Combat Teacher/Choreographer through the British Academy of Dramatic Combat (2000–2003), and later earned a Diploma in Education from the Iceland University of the Arts (2008–2009). She has pursued graduate studies in Gender Studies at the University of Iceland. ==Career==

Danks began her screen career with small parts in both Icelandic and international productions. She appeared in Darren Aronofsky’s Noah (2014) as the “Laughing Poacher” and in Rúnar Rúnarsson’s Sparrows (2015). Other early credits include Operation Ragnarok (2018) and the Icelandic feature From Iceland to Eden (2019), in which she played Massi. Fight and stunt direction; teaching In parallel with acting, Danks established herself as a fight/stunt director and stage-combat teacher. Her credits in Iceland include serving as fight/stunt director on the TV dramas Fangar (Prisoners), Vitjanir, and Svörtu sandar (Black Sands) seasons 1–2, as well as on Húsó; she also teaches stage combat at the Icelandic Film School. Danks was part of the stunt team on HBO’s Game of Thrones, working as a stunt performer and assisting with fight design during season 4; she is listed for the episode “Two Swords” (2014). Black Sands (2021–2024) and Húsó (2024) On television, Danks portrayed **Dóra** in the crime series Svörtu sandar (Black Sands)—appearing in season 1 (episode 1x02, 2021) and returning in season 2 (2024)—while also contributing behind the scenes as fight director across both seasons. Breakthrough with Odd Fish (2024) Danks’ breakthrough came with the lead role of Birna in Odd Fish (Ljósvíkingar), written and directed by Snævar Sölvi Sölvason with Veiga Grétarsdóttir as co-writer. The film premiered in Iceland on 3 September 2024 and was reviewed positively by national media. It subsequently screened internationally (including SIFF and the Scandinavian Film Festival). In June 2025, Danks won Best Performance in a Lead Role at the KASHISH Pride Film Festival (Mumbai) for Odd Fish, while the film also received Best Narrative Feature and a Special Jury Mention for Screenplay. ==Activism and public life==

Danks is active in LGBTQIA+ advocacy and public education. In 2022, she stood as a candidate for the board of Samtökin '78, Iceland’s national queer organisation, where she described herself as a “pansexual trans woman” and emphasised that “all closets [were] thoroughly broken.” She has taught and lectured on equality and diversity at the University of Iceland, the Iceland University of the Arts, and the Icelandic Film School, and was announced as a speaker at TEDxReykjavík Women 2025. In media interviews, Danks has spoken openly about her life and transition. In a 2024 profile in GayIceland she said: “I couldn’t live the lie anymore,” describing her decision to come out publicly in 2018 after decades of concealment. In an in-depth interview with Heimildin the same year, she spoke of learning to become “immune to hatred” after repeated online attacks and harassment. Danks has frequently highlighted the prevalence of online hate speech targeting trans people in Iceland. In April 2025, the newspaper DV reported on her decision to publish screenshots of hostile and demeaning messages she had received, some from well-known Icelandic public figures, including threats and calls for her death. She commented: *“The hate forced me to fight and be visible.”* Her outspoken presence has made her one of the most visible trans voices in Icelandic media and culture, linking her artistic career with activism and education. ==Personal life==

Danks has discussed her life and transition in interviews, noting that she came out publicly in mid-2018 and is a mother of three. ==Filmography / Selected Credits==

Film Television and serial / Stunts & Crew Roles Stunt / Fight / Choreography / Additional Crew • Stunt Coordinator / Stunt work — *Stella Blómkvist* (TV) • Fight choreography and stunt direction — *Svörtu sandar* (Black Sands) — both as actress (Dóra) and stunt coordinator • Other stunt/fight credits listed by TV Guide include *Belle* (stunt coordinator), *Spell* (fight coordinator), and *Rainbow Party* (fight choreographer) ==References==