Magnús Scheving facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Magnús Scheving
Magnús at FRESH 2011
Born	Magnús Örn Eyjólfsson Scheving (1964-11-10) 10 November 1964 (age 60) Borgarnes, Iceland
Occupation	Writer TV producer actor athlete entrepreneur public speaker
Years active	1990–present
Known for	LazyTown (2004–2014)
Spouse(s)	Ragnheiður Melsteð ​ ​ (m. 1989; div. 2014)​ Hrefna Björk Sverrisdóttir ​ (m. 2020)​
Children	4
Magnús Scheving Medal record Aerobic gymnastics Representing  Iceland Scandinavian Aerobic Gymnastics Championships Gold 1993 Individual Men's European Aerobic Gymnastics Championships Gold 1995 Individual Men's Gold 1994 Individual Men's Aerobic Gymnastics World Championships Silver 1994 Individual Men's Bronze 1993 Individual Men's

Magnús Scheving (born November 10, 1964) is a famous person from Iceland. He is a writer, TV producer, actor, and was once a top athlete. Magnús is best known for creating the children's TV show LazyTown. In the show, he also played the energetic character Sportacus. Before his TV career, he was a two-time European champion in aerobic gymnastics. He was even named the Icelandic Sportsperson of the Year in 1994.

Magnús Scheving's Early Life

Magnús Scheving was born in Borgarnes, a small town in Iceland, on November 10, 1964. When he was 15, he started his first job. He worked as a messenger for the telephone company in Borgarnes.

Magnús learned about building and carpentry. This knowledge helped him to build his own house later on. He said he "physically...[laid] every brick and roof tile" himself.

In his twenties, Magnús made a fun bet with a friend. His friend, Fjölnir Þorgeirsson, was a woodworker. They each picked a sport the other knew nothing about. They had three years to become good at it. Magnús chose snooker for Fjölnir. Fjölnir chose aerobics for Magnús. In the end, Magnús became a national champion in aerobics. Fjölnir became a national champion in snooker!

Sports Career and Inspiration

Magnús Scheving was a very successful athlete. In 1992, he became the Icelandic champion in aerobic gymnastics. He won the Scandinavian championship in 1993. He was also the European champion twice, in 1994 and 1995. He competed in the Suzuki World Cup three times. He won a bronze medal in 1993 and a silver medal in 1994. He was recognized as the Icelandic Sportsperson of the Year in 1994.

Besides sports, Magnús became a popular speaker. He traveled the world giving motivational talks. In 1995, he wrote a children's book called Áfram Latibær. This was the first part of the LazyTown story. At this time, he also ran a carpentry business. This business helped him earn money to travel.

Creating LazyTown

Magnús as Sportacus in 2009

In the 1990s, Magnús noticed something important. There weren't many good role models for kids about healthy living. He realized that children needed fun ways to learn about eating well and exercising. He wanted to create a character who would inspire kids to be active.

So, in 1995, he published his book Áfram Latibær. This book was about a sports elf who helped people in a town learn to be healthy. The book became a stage play in Iceland. It was very popular with children. A second play was made, which introduced the character Robbie Rotten.

The LazyTown TV show was later made for Nickelodeon. The first episode aired on August 16, 2004. Magnús is the creator and co-founder of LazyTown Entertainment. This company makes books, videos, and games. All of these help teach children about fitness and healthy living. In the show, Magnús played Sportacus, the super-active hero. He played this role from 2004 to 2014.

In 2006, Magnús received a special award. It was a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Icelandic Edda Awards. The President of Iceland, Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, gave him the award. This was for his work on the LazyTown series.

In 2011, Turner Broadcasting bought LazyTown Entertainment. Magnús continued to play Sportacus for a few more years. In 2014, he announced he would stop playing Sportacus. He also stepped down as the CEO of LazyTown Entertainment. Another actor, Dýri Kristjánsson, took over the role of Sportacus in live shows.

On May 16, 2024, it was announced that Magnús Scheving bought back the company. He now owns the rights to the LazyTown brand again. This was a deal with Warner Bros. Discovery.

LazyTown Theme Park

In 2021, Magnús and Helga Halldórsdóttir shared exciting news. They plan to build a LazyTown theme park. It will be in Magnús's hometown of Borgarnes. This town inspired the TV series. They have been working on this project since 2017.

Magnús described the park as an "experience garden." It will have both indoor and outdoor areas. These areas will show the history of LazyTown and Borgarnes. The town of Borgarnes supports the park. They expect many tourists to visit. The park was expected to open by 2024.

April Fools' Day Hoax

On April 1, 2022, Magnús was part of a funny prank. He appeared in an Instagram post by an Icelandic athlete. The post joked about a new LazyTown movie and TV series. It was an April Fools' Day hoax.

Other Projects

In 2010, Magnús acted in a movie with Jackie Chan. The film was called The Spy Next Door. Magnús played a villain in the movie.

In November 2022, Magnús spoke at the World Business Forum in New York City. He talked about "great ideas" and creativity. He also spoke in Bogotá, Colombia, about high-performing teams.

ROK Restaurant

Since mid-2016, Magnús has owned a restaurant. It is called ROK and is in Reykjavík, Iceland. He runs it with his partner, Hrefna Björk Sverrisdóttir. ROK is a "fine casual" Icelandic restaurant. It serves traditional Icelandic foods. These include reindeer steak and local cheeses. The menu also has many vegetarian and vegan options. It mixes Scandinavian, Mediterranean, and American styles.

In 2018, ROK was listed as one of the best places for happy hour in Reykjavík.

Filmography

Personal Life

Magnús Scheving married Ragnheiður Melsteð in 1989. They were married for 24 years. They also started the LazyTown production company together. Magnús and Ragnheiður have a daughter and a son. They divorced in 2014. Their daughter, Sylvia Erla, is a singer. She reached the semi-finals of a singing competition in Iceland in 2013. Magnús also has another daughter from a previous relationship.

In January 2017, Magnús got engaged to Hrefna Björk Sverrisdóttir. They got married in 2020. In December 2022, Hrefna announced they had a son.

Production Work

Awards and Achievements

• PROTOS Award: From Universidad de Panamericana in Mexico City.
• BAFTA International Children's Award (2006) for LazyTown.
• Edda Award (2006) from the Icelandic Film and Television Academy for LazyTown.

See also

In Spanish: Magnús Scheving para niños