Þorvaldur was born in Reykjavík to journalist
Kristján Þorvaldsson and Helga Jóna Óðinsdóttir, and first found fame as the voice of
Simba in the Icelandic language version of Disney’s 1994 film
The Lion King and
Lion King (2019). Subsequent voiceovers include appearances in
Brother Bear,
Happy Feet and
Ratatouille. Þorvaldur has performed in many of Iceland's most renowned theaters, including The Icelandic National Theater and Reykjavik City Theater. He moved to New York in 2007 to pursue a BFA in
The Juilliard School’s Drama Division, where he graduated in 2011 as a member of Group 40. His education was fully funded by scholarships and through the personal assistance of the Academy Award winner and former Juilliard alumni
Robin Williams. He also studied at the
University of Oxford in the UK, where he is a lifelong member of
Balliol College. Þorvaldur had his first leading role, in the feature film
Svartur á leik (English: Black's game), a year after his graduation from
The Juilliard School. When ''Black's Game'' opened in Iceland it became the biggest box office hit in 2012 and the 2nd-highest-grossing Icelandic movie in history. Þorvaldur's first Hollywood studio film was
Dracula Untold, produced by
Universal Pictures,
Legendary Pictures and
Michael De Luca. It was directed by
Gary Shore and starred
Luke Evans,
Dominic Cooper,
Sarah Gadon and
Samantha Barks. Þorvaldur played Bright Eyes, an Eastern European taken as a slave as a young boy who became a vicious assassin in the
Ottoman Army. Þorvaldur has been both nominated for and won the
Edda Award for his performances in various roles in television and film over the years. Additionally, he has participated in numerous theater productions, including receiving a Gríma Award nomination for his portrayal of Christopher Boone in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, staged at the
Reykjavík City Theatre. In 2023, Þorvaldur was chosen as one of the
European Shooting Stars at the Berlinale Film Festival. He has also received various awards and honors for his work in the field of acting, such as the American Scandinavian Foundation Cultural Grant and a nomination as an Outstanding Young Icelander by the JCI organization. Þorvaldur has published three children’s books. In 2023, he released his first children’s book in collaboration with
Bergrún Íris Sævarsdóttir, titled Sokkalabbarnir: Ný Veröld. This book is the first in the 'Sokkalabbarnir' series. Two more books in the same series, Sóli fer á Ströndina and Grændís: Græn af öfund, were published in 2024. The series is designed for beginner readers. Þorvaldur received a scriptwriting grant from the
Icelandic Film Centre to develop a television series based on the 'Sokklabbarnir' series. The series is currently in development. Þorvaldur lives in
Laugardalur, Reykjavík, with his wife and three children. ==Filmography==