Stellan Skarsgård
Stellan Skarsgård | |
|---|---|
 Skarsgård in Kalmar, July 2009 | |
| Born | Stellan John Skarsgård 13 June 1951 |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1968–present |
| Spouses |
|
| Children | 8, including Alexander, Gustaf, Bill and Valter |
Stellan John Skarsgård (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈstɛlːan ˈskɑːʂɡoːɖ] ; born 13 June 1951) is a Swedish actor. He is known for his roles as Jan Nyman in Breaking the Waves (1996), Prof. Gerald Lambeau in Good Will Hunting (1997), Bootstrap Bill in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007), Bill Anderson in Mamma Mia! (2008), Martin Vanger in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011), and Dr. Erik Selvig in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Thor (2011), The Avengers (2012), Thor: The Dark World (2013), and Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015).
Early life
Skarsgård was born in Gothenburg, Sweden, the son of Gudrun (née Larsson) and Jan Skarsgård.[1][2] He moved often in his childhood and lived, amongst other places, in Helsingborg, Totebo, Kalmar, Marielund and Uppsala.[3]
Acting career
Skarsgård started his acting career early; and, by the age of 21, his experience in film, TV and stage was considerable.[4] Most of his early roles were in Swedish television (such as Bombi Bitt) and films. Of Skarsgård’s work in Swedish film, he is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, who worked to save Holocaust victims.[5]
Skarsgård is particularly associated with director Lars von Trier and has appeared in six of the Danish auteur's features: The Kingdom, Breaking the Waves, Dancer in the Dark, Dogville, Melancholia and Nymphomaniac. His most personal working relationship, however, is with Norwegian director Hans Petter Moland, who has directed the actor in Kjærlighetens kjøtere, Aberdeen and A Somewhat Gentle Man. Skarsgård considers Moland a close friend and, in 2009, he said of their relationship: "We're like an old married couple and I get separation anxiety."[6] Another Scandinavian work that he is known for is the 1997 Norwegian film Insomnia, in which he plays the guilt-ridden policeman Jonas Engström.[7]
Skarsgård’s first American film was the 1985 film Noon Wine, directed by Michael Fields, in which Skarsgård played a mentally-disturbed immigrant farmhand being chased by a bounty hunter. He acted opposite Fred Ward, who portrayed the farmer.[5] In 1990 he starred in another American film, The Hunt for Red October, playing the character of Captain Tupolev, a Soviet submarine commander.
He was considered for the role of Oskar Schindler in Schindler's List. Skarsgård reported that people often mistook him for Liam Neeson who portrayed Schindler in the film. Skarsgård would, in fact, replace Neeson in the 2004 film Exorcist: The Beginning. He appeared as a guest star on the HBO TV Series Entourage, as Verner Vollstedt, the German director of the fictional film Smokejumpers, who has a bias against the main character Vincent Chase, one of the stars of the film.[8]
Skarsgård played Dr. Erik Selvig in Marvel's 2011 film Thor, and then reprised the role in the 2013 sequel Thor: The Dark World,[9] as well as 2012's The Avengers and 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron. Skarsgård reteamed with Thor director Kenneth Branagh for the 2015 film Cinderella, in which he played The Grand Duke.[10]
Skarsgård has also appeared in music videos alongside fellow Swedes. He was in Eva Dahlgren's "Vem Tänder stjärnorna" (Who Lights the Stars) in 2009[11] and Lykke Li's 2011 music video, "Sadness Is a Blessing".[12]
Personal life
He married My Agnes,[13] a physician, in April 1975 and together they had six children: Alexander (b. 1976), Gustaf (b. 1980), Sam (b. 1982), Bill (b. 1990), Eija (b. 1992) and Valter Skarsgård (b. 1995). Alexander, Gustaf, Bill and Valter are also actors, while Eija is a former model. Skarsgård and My divorced in May 2007 and he married Megan Everett in January 2009. The couple have two sons together, Ossian (b. 2009) and Kolbjörn (b. 2012).[14][15]
Actors Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly named their son Stellan as a tribute to Skarsgård.[citation needed]
Skarsgård has been best friends with Peter Stormare since 1976 and even made Stormare the godfather to his son, Gustaf.
Views on religion
Skarsgård was brought up by humanist parents and had an atheist grandfather and a deeply religious grandmother. According to Skarsgård, this never led to any problems because of the family's mutual respect for each other's opinions.[16] After the September 11 attacks, Skarsgård set out to read the Bible and the Quran, both of which he condemns as violent.[16] Skarsgård is also a critic of religious independent schools in the Swedish educational system.[16] Skarsgård has said he considers the notion of God absurd and that if a real God were actually so vain as to constantly demand worship, then he would not be worthy of it.[16]
In 2009, Skarsgård, along with other non-religious artists, authors and entrepreneurs including Christer Sturmark, Björn Ulvaeus and Christer Fuglesang, wrote an article in Dagens Nyheter stressing the importance of secularity.[17] The group also criticised the UN for its stance on blasphemy laws.[17]
Filmography
Film
Television
| Year | Series | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Bombi Bitt och jag | Bombi Bitt | TV series (5 episodes) |
| 1972 | Magnetisören | Soldier | TV film |
| 1981 | Skärp dig, älskling | Georg | TV mini-series |
| 1981 | Babels hus | Dr. Mattsson | TV mini-series |
| 1981 | Olsson per sekund eller Det finns ingen anledning till oro | The tardy one | TV film |
| 1983 | Farmor och vår herre | Nathan | TV mini-series |
| 1983 | Hustruskolan | Horace | TV film |
| 1985 | Den tragiska historien om Hamlet - Prins av Danmark | Hamlet | TV film |
| 1985 | August Strindberg: Ett liv | Verner von Heidenstam | TV mini-series |
| 1989 | The Wild Duck | Gregers Werle | TV film |
| 1989 | Förhöret | Carl Hamilton | TV film |
| 1990 | S*M*A*S*H | Statssekreteraren | TV mini-series (1 episode: "Wow, håll käften!") |
| 1990 | Parker Kane | Nathan Van Adams | TV film |
| 1994 | Rapport till himlen | Gary | TV mini-series |
| 1997 | The Kingdom II | Stig Helmers advokat | TV mini-series (1 episode: "Gargantua") |
| 2000 | Harlan County War | Warren Jakopovich | TV film |
| 2001 | D-dag - Den færdige film | Lise's Mand | TV film |
| 2003 | Helen of Troy | Theseus | TV film |
| 2008 | Masterpiece Contemporary | Baumgarten | TV series (1 episode: "God on Trial") |
| 2008 | Entourage | Verner Vollstedt | TV series (3 episodes) |
| 2010 | Arn | Birger Brosa | TV mini-series |
| 2012 | Rouge Brésil | Villegagnon | TV series |
| 2012 | Playhouse Presents | The Man | TV series (1 episode "The Man") |
| 2014 | Quarry | The Broker | TV film |
| 2015 | River | John River | TV series |
Awards and nominations
References
- ^ "Stellan Skarsgaard Biography". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 5 March 2010.
- ^ Thyselius, Erik; Lindblad, Göran (1999). Vem är det?: Svensk biografisk handbok: Volume 44. Norstedt. p. 1004.
- ^ "Hollywood's Lonely Hero". Stellanonline.com. Retrieved 5 March 2010.
- ^ "Stellan Skarsgard (Bootstrap Bill) Biography". Starsontop.com. 13 January 2007. Retrieved 5 March 2010.
- ^ a b Gross, Larry (1998). "Stellan Skarsgård". BOMB Magazine. Retrieved 3 August 2011.
- ^ Stiller opp for Moland www.dagsavisen.no
- ^ Brad Brevet (10 December 2012). "RopeofSilicon Movie Club: 'Insomnia' (1997)". Rope of Silicon. RopeofSilicon.com LLC. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
- ^ Mike Ryan (21 December 2011). "Stellan Skarsgard on 'Dragon Tattoo', Not Being Satisfied with 'The Avengers' and His 'Good Will Hunting' Scarf". Moviefone. Aol Inc. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
- ^ Rappe, Elisabeth (5 October 2009). "Stellan Skarsgard Joins 'Thor'". Cinematical. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
- ^ Stellan Skarsgard in Talks to Join 'Cinderella' (Exclusive) Hollywood Reporter, Retrieved July 12, 2013
- ^ Dahlgren, Eva (2009). "Vem Tänder stjärnorna". www.youtube.com. VEVO. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
- ^ Lykke Li (26 April 2011). "Lykke Li - 'Sadness Is a Blessing' (Director Tarik Saleh)" (Video upload). YouTube. Google Inc. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
- ^ http://styl-gwiazd-populada.pl/news-stellan-skarsgard-krakow-pokochala-moja-zona,nId,1841937
- ^ Gilbey, Ryan (5 April 2012). "Stellan Skarsgård: 'I'm a castrated bull'". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
- ^ Abramovitch, Seth (24 August 2012). "Stellan Skarsgard, 61, Welcomes Baby Number 8". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
- ^ a b c d Skarsgård, Stellan (14 December 2008). "Stellan Skarsgård: Bibeln och Koranen får inte styra skolan" [Stellan Skarsgård: The Bible and the Quran can not control the school]. Expressen (in Swedish). Retrieved 26 February 2010.
- ^ a b "Därför är det viktigt med ett sekulärt samhälle" [Therefore, it is important to have a secular society]. Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). 18 June 2009. Retrieved 26 February 2010.
- ^ "Berlinale: 1982 Prize Winners". berlinale.de. Retrieved 11 November 2010.
- ^ a b "The Swedish Film Database". sfi.se. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
- ^ "4th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards". sagawards.org. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
- ^ "1998 European Film Awards". europeanfilmacademy.org. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
- ^ "2000 European Film Awards". europeanfilmacademy.org. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
- ^ "2001 European Film Awards". europeanfilmacademy.org. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
- ^ "2002 Mar del Plata Film Festival". imdb.com. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
- ^ "2004 Bodil Awards". imdb.com. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
- ^ "2004 Robert Awards". imdb.com. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
- ^ "2006 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards". imdb.com. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
- ^ "2008 Satellite Awards". pressacademy.com. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
- ^ "2009 People's Choice Awards". peopleschoice.com. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
- ^ "2010 Amanda Awards". filmweb.no/filmfestivalen/. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
- ^ "Jameson Dublin International Film Festival: Audience Awards". jdiff.com. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
External links
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Academics | |
| Artists | |
| People | |
| Other | |
- Use dmy dates from April 2011
- 1951 births
- 20th-century Swedish male actors
- 21st-century Swedish male actors
- Atheism activists
- Best Actor Guldbagge Award winners
- European Film Awards winners (people)
- Living people
- People from Gothenburg
- Silver Bear for Best Actor winners
- Swedish atheists
- Swedish male film actors
- Swedish male television actors