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Alexander Dreymon as Uhtred of Bebbanburg, a Saxon warrior raised by the Danes who desires to reclaim his birthright at Bebbanburg

Tom Taylor portrays a young Uhtred (guest series 1)

Tobias Santelmann as Ragnar the Younger (series 1–3), the son of a Danish warlord and Uhtred's foster brother

Emily Cox as Brida (series 1–5; guest Seven Kings Must Die), a free-spirited Saxon who, like Uhtred, was adopted by the Danes at a young age

Jocelyn Macnab portrays a young Brida (guest series 1)

Thomas W. Gabrielsson as Guthrum (series 1), one of the leaders of the Great Heathen Army, a large force of Viking warriors that invaded England

Joseph Millson as Aelfric of Bebbanburg (series 1–2, 4), Uhtred's uncle, who usurps his position as the Lord of Bebbanburg

Rune Temte as Ubba Ragnarsson (series 1), one of the infamous sons of Ragnar Lodbrok and a leader of the Great Heathen Army

Matthew Macfadyen as Ealdorman Uhtred (series 1), Uhtred's father and the Ealdorman of Bebbanburg

David Dawson as King Alfred (series 1–3), the King of Wessex who hopes to unite England against the invading Danes

Adrian Bower as Leofric (series 1; guest series 3), a skilled Saxon soldier who serves Alfred and works closely with Uhtred

Simon Kunz as Odda the Elder (series 1–2), the Ealdorman of Devonshire and Alfred's closest advisor

Harry McEntire as Prince Aethelwold (series 1–3), Alfred's nephew who schemes to steal the crown of Wessex for himself

Brian Vernel as Odda the Younger (series 1), the reckless son of Odda the Elder

Ian Hart as Father Beocca (series 1–4), the former priest of Bebbanburg who serves Alfred in Wintanceaster

Amy Wren as Mildrith (series 1), a Saxon noblewoman and Uhtred's first wife

Charlie Murphy as Queen Iseult (series 1), the Briton "shadow queen" of Cornwalum

Eva Birthistle as Hild (series 2–5; guest series 1), a resourceful nun who becomes one of Uhtred's allies

Gerard Kearns as Halig (series 2; guest series 1), a Saxon messenger who becomes one of Uhtred's allies

Eliza Butterworth as Lady Aelswith (series 2–5; recurring series 1), Alfred's wife and the queen consort of Wessex

Alexandre Willaume as Kjartan the Cruel (series 2; guest series 1), a Danish warrior responsible for massacring the household where Uhtred was raised

Ole Christoffer Ertvaag as Sven the One-Eyed (series 2; guest series 1), Kjartan's sadistic son

Andrew Lukacs portrays a young Sven (guest series 1)

Julia Bache-Wiig as Thyra (series 2–3; guest series 1), Ragnar's sister and Uhtred's foster sister who was kidnapped by Kjartan and held captive for many years. She later marries Father Beocca.

Madeleine Power portrays a young Thyra (guest series 1)

Thure Lindhardt as King Guthred (series 2), a former slave and the pretender king of Northumbria

David Schofield as Abbot Eadred (series 2), Guthred's closest advisor

Peri Baumeister as Gisela (series 2–3), Uhtred's second wife and Guthred's sister

Peter McDonald as Brother Trew (series 2), a priest who serves under Guthred

Mark Rowley as Finan (series 2–5; Seven Kings Must Die), a fierce Irish warrior sworn to Uhtred and his second-in-command

Björn Bengtsson as Sigefrid (series 2), a Norse Earl who, alongside his brother Erik, ruthlessly raids settlements throughout England

Cavan Clerkin as Father Pyrlig (series 2–5; Seven Kings Must Die), a Welsh priest and former warrior sworn to serve the ruler of Wessex

Arnas Fedaravicius as Sihtric (series 2–5; Seven Kings Must Die), Kjartan's bastard son who becomes one of Uhtred's most trusted allies

Christian Hillborg as Erik (series 2), a Norse Earl who is Sigefrid's kinder and more diplomatic brother

Jeppe Beck Laursen as Haesten (series 2–5; guest Seven Kings Must Die), a Danish chieftain who serves Sigefrid and Erik and will do anything for personal gain

Toby Regbo as Lord Aethelred (series 2–4), the Lord of Mercia who hopes to one day rule England and Aethelflaed’s eventual abusive husband.

Millie Brady as Lady Aethelflaed (series 2–5), Alfred and Aelswith's daughter, Aethelred's wife and the Lady of Mercia

Zsofia Farkas portrays a young Aethelflaed (guest series 1)

James Northcote as Aldhelm (series 2–5; Seven Kings Must Die), Aethelred and Aethelflaed's closest ally and chief Huscarl

Ewan Mitchell as Osferth (series 2–5), Alfred's bastard son who becomes one of Uhtred's most trusted allies

Simon Stenspil as Dagfinn (series 3; guest series 2), a Danish chieftain and Haesten's second-in-command

Adrian Bouchet as Steapa (series 3–4; recurring series 2), Alfred's chief Huscarl and a fierce warrior

Timothy Innes as King Edward (series 3–5), Alfred and Aelswith's son who succeeds his father as King of the Anglo-Saxons

Thea Sofie Loch Næss as Skade (series 3), a skald and supposed sorceress loyal to Bloodhair

Ola Rapace as Sigurd Bloodhair (series 3), a merciless leader of the Second Great Danish Army who believes it's his destiny to overthrow King Alfred

Magnus Bruun as Cnut (series 3–4), a powerful Danish warlord, cousin of Ragnar and a leader of the Second Great Danish Army who plans to conquer Wessex

Adrian Schiller as Ealdorman Aethelhelm (series 3–5), the richest man in Wessex who schemes to put his future grandchildren on the throne of England

Kevin Eldon as Bishop Erkenwald (series 3), the Bishop of Lunden

Amelia Clarkson as Lady Aelflaed (series 4–5; recurring series 3), Edward's wife, Aethelhelm's daughter and the queen consort of Wessex

Phia Saban as Lady Aelfwynn (series 5), Aethelred and Aethelflaed's daughter and the heir to Mercia

Annamária Bitó (guest series 3) and Helena Albright (recurring series 4) portray a young Aelfwynn

Jamie Blackley as Eardwulf (series 4), a disgraced Mercian nobleman and the commander of Aethelred's household troops

Stefanie Martini as Eadith (series 4–5), Aethelred's mistress and Eardwulf's younger sister

Finn Elliott as Uhtred Uhtredson (series 4–5), Uhtred and Gisela's devout son who disagrees with his father's actions and pagan beliefs

Ruby Hartley as Stiorra (series 4–5), Uhtred's and Gisela's daughter who takes after her father and prefers to associate with Danes

Richard Dillane as Ealdorman Ludeca (series 4), an Ealdorman of Mercia and part of a Witan to decide Mercia's future ruler

Dorian Lough as Ealdorman Burgred (series 4–5), an Ealdorman of Mercia who wishes to see his son become the Lord of Mercia

Steffan Rhodri as King Hywel Dda (series 4; Seven Kings Must Die), the Welsh King of Deheubarth who despises the Saxons

Nigel Lindsay as Prince Rhodri (series 4), Hywel's younger brother and second-in-command

Eysteinn Sigurðarson as Sigtryggr (series 4–5), the grandson of Ivar the Boneless and a cunning Norse–Gael warlord forced out of Irland

Harry Gilby as Aethelstan (series 5; Seven Kings Must Die), King Edward's illegitimate elder son and a disputed heir to the throne of England who is under Uhtred's protection while he's trained to become a warrior

Caspar Griffiths portrays a young Aethelstan (recurring series 4)

Ewan Horrocks as Prince Aelfweard (series 5; Seven Kings Must Die), Edward and Aelflaed's son and the disputed heir to the throne of England

Marcell Zsolt Halmy portrays a young Aelfweard (recurring series 4)

Ossian Perret as Wihtgar (series 5; guest series 4), Aelfric's son and Uhtred's cousin who returns to England after having been banished for many years, seeking Bebbanburg for himself

Patrick Robinson as Father Benedict (series 5), a travelling priest from Rome with heavy gambling debts

Micki Stoltt as Rǫgnvaldr (series 5), Sigtryggr's sly brother who was believed to have died at sea

Harry Anton as Bresal (series 5), a skilled mercenary and spy sworn to Aethelhelm

Sonya Cassidy (series 5) and Elaine Cassidy (Seven Kings Must Die) as Lady Eadgifu, a noblewoman from Cent who attracts Edward's affection

Ryan Quarmby as Cynlaef (series 5), a young Saxon warrior and close friend of Aethelstan and Aelfwynn

Jaakko Ohtonen as Wolland (series 5), Sigtryggr and Stiorra's second-in-command

Rod Hallett as King Constantin (series 5; Seven Kings Must Die), the King of Alba who raids the Northumbrian lands on his borders

Bamshad Abedi-Amin as Yahya (series 5), Wihtgar's second-in-command whom he met while travelling the known world

Ross Anderson as Prince Domnal (series 5; Seven Kings Must Die), the nephew of Constantin and the heir to the throne of Alba

Ilona Chevakova as Ingrith (Seven Kings Must Die; recurring series 5), Finan's wife who claims to experience prophetic visions

Jacob Dudman as Osbert (Seven Kings Must Die), Uhtred's youngest child and the heir to Bebbanburg who reunited with his father after spending many years in hiding

Olly Rhodes portrays a young Osbert (guest series 5)

Laurie Davidson as Ingilmundr (Seven Kings Must Die), Aethelstan's closest advisor and a Dane who was converted to Christ

Reception

The series has been met with a positive critical response, with praise for its cast performances, cinematography, writing, directing, and action sequences. On Rotten Tomatoes, series one holds an 87% approval rating based on reviews from 31 critics, with an average of 7.61/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "The Last Kingdom fuses beautiful cinematography and magnificent action sequences to create highly gratifying historical drama". On Metacritic, series 1 has a score of 78/100 based on 15 reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, the second series received an 86% approval rating based on 7 reviews, with an average rating of 6/10, while the third series received a 100% approval rating based on 7 reviews, with an average rating of 9/10.

Sam Wollaston reviewed the first episode in The Guardian and warned, "It's wise not to get too attached to anyone in The Last Kingdom". Charlotte Runcie gave the opening episode four out of five in The Daily Telegraph, writing that the series had "satisfyingly high production values, a bloodthirsty appetite for violence and a proper cliffhanger." Wollaston and Runcie both remarked on the similarities between The Last Kingdom and Game of Thrones. Kari Croop of Common Sense Media also gave the series 4/5 stars, writing: "With high production values, strong writing, and compelling characters, this series rivals some of the best and bloodiest epics on TV". Dennis Perkins of The A.V. Club gave the first series a grade of B+, writing: "BBC America's sprawling, arresting eight-part historical miniseries The Last Kingdom proves that there's room enough on television for more than one Viking invasion."

Sean O'Grady in The Independent found that some of the language gave the series "a satisfyingly earthy quality", but he thought that the plot was "a little convoluted". The television reviewer for Private Eye was more critical, arguing that The Last Kingdom demonstrates how Game of Thrones "haunts the BBC", and that the series was directly derivative of both fantasy series and European dramas such as The Killing and Wallander, yet lacking the features that have made such series successful.