Stellan Skarsgård

Stellan Skarsgård
Skarsgård in Kalmar, July 2009
Born	Stellan John Skarsgård 13 June 1951 Gothenburg, Sweden
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1968–present
Spouse(s)	My Skarsgård (m. 1975; div. 2007) Megan Everett (m. 2009)
Children	8, including Alexander, Gustaf, Bill and Valter

Stellan John Skarsgård (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈstɛlːˈan 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 Nymph()maniac. 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 appears in fellow Swede Lykke Li's 2011 music video for her song "Sadness Is a Blessing".^[11]

Personal life

He married My, 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).^[12][13]

Actors Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly named their son Stellan as a tribute to Skarsgård.

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.^[14] After the September 11 attacks, Skarsgård set out to read the Bible and the Quran, both of which he condemns as violent.^[14] Skarsgård is also a critic of religious independent schools in the Swedish educational system.^[14] 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.^[14]

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.^[15] The group also criticised the UN for its stance on blasphemy laws.^[15]

Filmography

Film

Year	Film	Role	Notes
1972	Strandhugg i somras	Erik
1972	Firmafesten	Peter
1973	Åttonde budet		Short
1973	Fem døgn i August	Christer
1973	Bröllopet	Roffe Eriksson
1974	Anita: Swedish Nymphet	Erik
1975	Swedish Sex Games	Peter Delaney, their son	aka The Intruders and Let Us Play Sex
1977	Taboo	Jan-Erik
1977	Hemåt i natten	Kurt Sjöberg
1981	Kyssen		Short
1982	The Simple-Minded Murderer	Sven
1983	P & B	Karl-Johan 'Charlie' Pettersson
1984	Åke och hans värld	Ebenholtz
1985	Falsk som vatten	Stig
1985	Noon Wine	Olaf Helton
1985	Peter-No-Tail in Americat	Pelle Swanson (voice)
1986	Ormens väg på hälleberget	Karl Orsa Markström
1987	Jim & piraterna Blom	Gustav, Jim's Father	Also writer
1987	Hip hip hurra!	Peder Severin Krøyer
1988	The Unbearable Lightness of Being	The Engineer
1988	Vargens tid	Peder Ulfstand
1988	Friends	Matt
1988	The Perfect Murder	Axel Svensson
1989	S/Y Joy	Klas Larsson
1989	Täcknamn Coq Rouge	Carl Hamilton
1989	Kvinnorna på taket	Willy
1990	The Hunt for Red October	Captain Viktor Tupolev
1990	Good Evening, Mr. Wallenberg	Raoul Wallenberg
1991	The Ox	Helge Roos
1992	Den Demokratiske Terroristen	Carl Hamilton
1992	Wind	Joe Heiser
1993	The Slingshot	Fritiof Schütt
1993	Sista dansen	Host in Norrköping
1995	Jönssonligans största kupp	Herman Melvin
1995	Zero Kelvin	Randbæk
1995	The Dogs of Riga	Magnus Björk
1996	Harry och Sonja	Harry Olsson
1996	Breaking the Waves	Jan Nyman
1997	Insomnia	Jonas Engström
1997	My Son the Fanatic	Schitz
1997	Good Will Hunting	Prof. Gerald Lambeau
1997	Amistad	Tappan
1998	Glasblåsarns barn	Albert
1998	Savior	Peter Dominic
1998	Ronin	Gregor
1999	Deep Blue Sea	Jim Whitlock
2000	Harlan County War	Warren Jakopovich
2000	Passion of Mind	William Granther
2000	Signs & Wonders	Alec
2000	Timecode	Alex Green
2000	Dancer in the Dark	Doctor
2000	Aberdeen	Tomas	Also associate producer
2000	Powder Keg	Harvey Jacobs	Short
2000	Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang)	Felix
2001	Taking Sides	Dr. Wilhelm Furtwängler
2001	The Glass House	Terrence 'Terry' Glass
2002	No Good Deed	Tyrone
2002	City of Ghosts	Joseph Kaspar
2003	To Kill a Child	Narrator	Short
2003	Dogville	Chuck
2004	Eiffeltornet	Jakob	Short
2004	King Arthur	Cerdic
2004	Exorcist: The Beginning	Father Merrin
2005	Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist	Father Lankester Merrin
2005	Torte Bluma	Stangl	Short
2005	Beowulf & Grendel	Hrothgar
2005	Guilty Hearts	Stangl
2006	Kill Your Darlings	Erik's Father
2006	Goya's Ghosts	Francisco Goya
2006	Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest	Bootstrap Bill Turner
2007	Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End	Bootstrap Bill Turner
2007	The Killing Gene	Eddie Argo
2007	Arn – The Knight Templar	Birger Brosa
2008	Mamma Mia!	Bill
2008	Arn – The Kingdom at Road's End	Birger Brosa
2009	Angels & Demons	Commander Maximilian Richter
2009	Boogie Woogie	Bob Maccelstone
2009	Metropia	Ralph Parker (voice)
2010	A Somewhat Gentle Man	Ulrik
2010	Frankie and Alice	Dr. Oz
2010	Moomins and the Comet Chase	Moominpapa / Hemulens (voice)
2010	Submission	Narrator (English version)
2010	As If I Am Not There	Doctor
2010	King of Devil's Island	Bestyreren	Also executive producer
2011	Thor	Dr. Erik Selvig
2011	Melancholia	Jack
2011	The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo	Martin Vanger
2012	The Avengers	Dr. Erik Selvig
2013	Romeo and Juliet	Prince of Verona
2013	The Railway Man	Finlay
2013	Nymphomaniac	Seligman
2013	The Physician	Barber
2013	Thor: The Dark World	Dr. Erik Selvig
2014	In Order of Disappearance	Nils	Executive producer, stunt driver
2014	Hector and the Search for Happiness	Edward
2015	Cinderella	The Grand Duke
2015	Avengers: Age of Ultron	Dr. Erik Selvig
2015	Our Kind of Traitor	Dima
2017	Rückkehr nach Montauk	Max Frisch	Filming

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

Year	Award	Category	Film	Result
1982	Berlin International Film Festival	Best Actor	The Simple-Minded Murderer	Won[16]
1982	Guldbagge Awards	Best Actor	The Simple-Minded Murderer	Won[17]
1990	Guldbagge Awards	Best Actor	Täcknamn Coq Rouge The Women on the Roof	Won[17]
1998	Screen Actors Guild	Outstanding Performance by a Cast	Good Will Hunting	Nominated[18]
1998	European Film Academy	European Film Award for Achievement in World Cinema	Amistad Good Will Hunting	Won[19]
2000	European Film Academy	Best Actor	Aberdeen	Nominated[20]
2001	European Film Academy	Best Actor	Taking Sides	Nominated[21]
2002	Mar del Plata Film Festival	Best Actor	Taking Sides	Won[22]
2004	Denmark's National Association of Film Critics	Best Supporting Actor	Dogville	Nominated[23]
2004	Robert Award	Best Supporting Actor	Dogville	Nominated[24]
2006	Fangoria Chainsaw Awards	Best Actor	Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist	Nominated[25]
2008	International Press Academy	Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film	God on Trial	Nominated[26]
2009	People's Choice Awards	Favorite Cast	Mamma Mia!	Nominated[27]
2010	Norwegian International Film Festival	Best Actor	A Somewhat Gentle Man	Won[28]
2012	Jameson Dublin International Film Festival	Career Achievement Award	–	Won[29]
2014	Bodil Awards	Bodil Award for Best Actor	Nymphomaniac	Nominated

References

1. "Stellan Skarsgaard Biography". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2010-03-05.
2. Thyselius, Erik; Lindblad, Göran (1999). Vem är det?: Svensk biografisk handbok: Volume 44. Norstedt. p. 1004.
3. "Hollywood’s Lonely Hero". Stellanonline.com. Retrieved 2010-03-05.
4. "Stellan Skarsgard (Bootstrap Bill) Biography". Starsontop.com. 2007-01-13. Retrieved 2010-03-05.
5. Gross, Larry (1998). "Stellan Skarsgård". BOMB Magazine. Retrieved 2011-08-03.
6. Stiller opp for Moland www.dagsavisen.no
7. Brad Brevet (10 December 2012). "RopeofSilicon Movie Club: 'Insomnia' (1997)". Rope of Silicon. RopeofSilicon.com LLC. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
8. 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.
9. Rappe, Elisabeth (2009-10-05). "Stellan Skarsgard Joins 'Thor'". Cinematical. Retrieved 2009-10-05.
10. Stellan Skarsgard in Talks to Join 'Cinderella' (Exclusive) Hollywood Reporter, Retrieved July 12, 2013
11. Lykke Li (26 April 2011). "Lykke Li - 'Sadness Is a Blessing' (Director Tarik Saleh)" (Video upload). YouTube. Google Inc. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
12. Gilbey, Ryan (5 April 2012). "Stellan Skarsgård: 'I'm a castrated bull'". The Guardian. Retrieved 2012-05-05.
13. Abramovitch, Seth (24 August 2012). "Stellan Skarsgard, 61, Welcomes Baby Number 8". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
14. 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 2010-02-26.
15. "Därför är det viktigt med ett sekulärt samhälle" [Therefore, it is important to have a secular society]. Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). 2009-06-18. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
16. "Berlinale: 1982 Prize Winners". berlinale.de. Retrieved 2010-11-11.
17. "The Swedish Film Database". sfi.se. Retrieved 2013-04-07.
18. "4th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards". sagawards.org. Retrieved 2013-04-07.
19. "1998 European Film Awards". europeanfilmacademy.org. Retrieved 2013-04-07.
20. "2000 European Film Awards". europeanfilmacademy.org. Retrieved 2013-04-07.
21. "2001 European Film Awards". europeanfilmacademy.org. Retrieved 2013-04-07.
22. "2002 Mar del Plata Film Festival". imdb.com. Retrieved 2013-04-07.
23. "2004 Bodil Awards". imdb.com. Retrieved 2013-04-07.
24. "2004 Robert Awards". imdb.com. Retrieved 2013-04-07.
25. "2006 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards". imdb.com. Retrieved 2013-04-07.
26. "2008 Satellite Awards". pressacademy.com. Retrieved 2013-04-07.
27. "2009 People's Choice Awards". peopleschoice.com. Retrieved 2013-04-07.
28. "2010 Amanda Awards". filmweb.no/filmfestivalen/. Retrieved 2013-04-07.
29. "Jameson Dublin International Film Festival: Audience Awards". jdiff.com. Retrieved 2013-04-07.

External links

• Stellan Skarsgård at the Internet Movie Database
• Stellan Skarsgård at the Swedish Film Database
• Stellan Skarsgård at Box Office Mojo