Forty-two-year-old Katerena Anna Vinitska, who goes by the stage name Katheryn Winnick, was born in Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada to parents Lesya Winnick and Roman Winnick who are of Ukrainian descent. Her mother is the Vice President of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress.

Katheryn has three siblings, two brothers, and one sister. One of her brothers was a Veteran for the Canadian Armed Forces while the other one is an actor. The Veteran is her twin. Katheryn is famously known for her star role as Queen Agertha in History Channel’s series Vikings and fans love her to the extent that they have made requests to the producers of the show to retain her role in the series.

She has taken up both big and small roles in numerous TV shows, which have propelled her to where she is today. Here are a few facts about the actress that have contributed to her rise to fame.

16 Katheryn's Parents Made Sure She Learnt English 

The Winnicks spoke Ukrainian as their first language. Katheryn began to learn English at the age of eight, TVOverMind reveals that this might have been the best decision her parents made for her because she would not have been able to get most of the TV roles she has played in the past years. Katheryn currently speaks a total of five languages.

15 She Is An Expert In Martial Arts

Katheryn started familiarizing herself with martial arts at the tender age of seven. TVGuide continues to state that she got her black belt by the age of 13. The actress is a second-degree black belt in Karate and a third-degree black belt in Taekwondo. These skills have helped her greatly in her role in Vikings.

14 The Vikings Star Has A Degree In Kinesiology

TVOverMind also discloses that Katheryn has a degree in Kinesiology from York University in Toronto, which is a study in human body movement. The actress could not have picked a much better course to complement the training she has in martial arts. With knowledge in both areas, no wonder she is an expert in fighting.

13 She Teaches Martial Arts

At the age of 16 and having mastered martial arts, Katheryn decided to open a school where she would teach others some of the skills she had acquired. By the age of 21, TheThings confirms that Katheryn had three training schools. Her schools are open to other actors interested in martial arts.

12 Katheryn Is A Body Guard

Queen Agertha's fighting moves are not the creation of CGI, that is Katheryn in her element. The actress has had extensive training in martial arts and taekwondo. She has also put the knowledge that she has in self-defense into good use. According to TheThings, Katheryn is also a licensed bodyguard.

11 The Actress Went To Acting School

At first, it seemed as though Katheryn’s interest were elsewhere in terms of the career she wanted to pursue. After studying kinesiology, learning martial arts, mastering taekwondo and opening three training schools, TheThings reveals that Katheryn decided to shift gears and enroll for acting classes at New York’s William Esper’s studio.

10 She Studied At A Buddhist Temple

Katheryn enrolled for further studies at a Buddhist temple in Korea. The site does not disclose what exactly took her to Korea but it confirms that she did not stay for long there because she had to come back to the US for a movie role.

RELATED: 20 Surprising Facts About Vikings Star Katheryn Winnick

9 Katheryn Started Acting In 1999

TVOverMind reports Katheryn started her acting career over two decades ago, precisely in 1999. Her first job was a one-time role in an episode of the TV series PSI Factor. Katheryn got her first recurring role in the TV series, Student Bodies where she played a character by the name Holly Benson.

8 She Has Appeared In Several Films

Katheryn has appeared in more than 30 films since she began acting. According to UselessDaily, some of her notable film appearances include Stand Up Men, Failure To Launch, Love and Other Drugs, and Killers. The actress has also voiced Marie Fischer in the video game, Call of Duty WWII.

One of Katheryn’s other important roles was in the TV series Bones. She played Hannah Burley who was involved with one of the main characters, Booth. UselessDaily also confirms that she has appeared in other popular TV series among them House, Person of Interest, Nikita as well as TV crime shows like Law and Order, CSI, Criminal Minds.

RELATED: 15 Things About The Characters From Vikings That Make No Sense

6 Katheryn Has Brushed Shoulders With Some Big Hollywood Names

Aside from scoring numerous acting gigs, TVOverMind confirms that Katheryn has also worked with some famous people. She has worked alongside Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey in the Dark Towner. She has also shared a set with Ashton Kutcher and other actors like Jake Gyllenhaal and Al Pacino.

5 She Stars In Another Series

Katheryn Winnick recently took a lead role in another series by the name, Wu Assassin. In the series, she plays a character by the name Christine Gavin who is recruited by the FBI to assist in solving crimes. The supernatural fiction debuted in August 2019 and has only one season.

4 She Also Produces And Directs

Like many other actors, Katheryn Winnick also produces and directs. As reported on TheThings, she is part of the production team in her new series Wu Assassins. Another source reveals that she has also directed a more recent episode of Vikings, Valhalla Can Wait.

RELATED: 20 Behind The Scenes Pics Of The Vikings Cast That Change Everything

3 The Actress Is Receiving Recognition For Her Work

TheFamousPeople reports that Katheryn Winnick has been nominated for multiple awards mostly for her role in Vikings. Although she has not won any awards, Katheryn is beginning to get recognition for her work. The actress holds a Best Actress Award from the Beverly Hills Film Festival for her role in Children Of The Air.

2 She Is Making Good Money

As she waits to start collecting awards, Katheryn is making a ton of money from her TV roles. She is supposedly making $400,000 for an episode of the Vikings and $70,000 for a single episode of her new series. According to TheThings, the actress has a net worth of $2 million.

1 Katheryn Is On A Gluten-Free Diet

Katheryn at 42 barely looks her age. One thing that has helped her stay in shape for her TV roles is her gluten-free diet. According to TheThings, she takes hot water and lemon every day. The source also adds that the actress loves mint tea. It's rather obvious that she is also a fitness freak.

Sources: tvovermind.com, tvguide.com, uselessdaily.com, thefamouspeople.com

NEXT: 20 Stunning Photos Of Vikings' Katheryn Winnick