THE MOUNTAIN’S CHILI PEPPERS:
A GAME OF COJONES
In Fall 2016, FACTS welcomed Hafthór Julius ‘Thor’ Björnsson, winner of the title ‘World’s Strongest Man’ in 2018 & five time ‘Europe’s Strongest Man’ winner and Game of Thrones actor for sir Gregor Clegane, aka The Mountain. If you’re not aware: this man is a real-life giant. If you shake his hand, your palm simply disappears in a huge, but still very gentle shovel of a hand. He’s an absolute dream of a guest to have when you see how polite and humble he is with his fans and behind-the-scenes.
FACTS had invited actors, artists and staff to go to a fancy restaurant together, somewhere in Ghent, as was tradition. It wasn’t mandatory, of course, but Hafthor, being the gentle giant that he is, was happy to come along. After all, his diet consists of 8 big meals a day to fuel his body and muscles, so why not.
In the restaurant, he chose to take the corner of the big bench that was stretched along the wall. That way, he could give himself and his manager a bit more arm space. The single seats were, well, a bit too small for the Hulk-like shoulders of Mr. Björnsson.
Apparently, Scrooge McDuck and Disney artist Don Rosa had the habit of bringing his own super spicy peppers as an appetizer. He loves spicy food and can handle it exceptionally well. He was also nice enough to share them with the other invitees, who happily thanked him for his offer. But by the time the wicker basket with peppers got to the third table, some people thought that they were harmless sweet appetizers offered by the restaurant.
Some of the guests, such as The Lord of the Rings & Doctor Who actor Sylvester McCoy, Doctor Who actor Paul McGann and Once Upon a Time & True Blood actress Kristin Bauer respectfully declined the offer, recognising the food. But a few managers and artists were not as lucky, eating the peppers whole. It didn’t take long before steamy red faces across the restaurant raised their hands to the waiters one by one, hastily requesting a pitcher of milk and extra loafs of bread. Don Rosa almost couldn’t contain his laughter.
Meanwhile, still in his corner, Hafthor was gazing upon the spectacle of milk gurgling colleagues, still happily munching on one of his own peppers and with a clear smirk on his face.
Want to create your own cool stories with world-famous actors and artists? Then join us for FACTS Fall 2020, on October 24-25! Keep an eye on the ticket page and on the guest list.
