Stellan John Skarsgård (, ; born 13 June 1951) is a Swedish actor. He is known for his collaborations with director
Lars von Trier
Lars von Trier (né Trier; born 30 April 1956) is a Danish film director and screenwriter.
Beginning in the late-1960s as a child actor working on Danish television series ''Secret Summer'', von Trier's career has spanned more than five decad ...
, appearing in ''
Breaking the Waves
''Breaking the Waves'' is a 1996 psychological romantic melodrama film directed and co-written by Lars von Trier and starring Emily Watson in her feature film acting debut, and with Stellan Skarsgård, a frequent collaborator with von Trier.
...
'' (1996), ''
Dancer in the Dark
''Dancer in the Dark'' is a 2000 musical psychological tragedy film written and directed by Lars von Trier. It stars Icelandic musician Björk as a factory worker who suffers from a degenerative eye condition and is saving for an operation to p ...
'' (2000), ''
Dogville'' (2003), ''
Melancholia
Melancholia or melancholy (from ',Burton, Bk. I, p. 147 meaning black bile) is a concept found throughout ancient, medieval, and premodern medicine in Europe that describes a condition characterized by markedly depressed mood, bodily complain ...
'' (2011), and ''
Nymphomaniac'' (2013). Skarsgård's early English-speaking film roles include ''
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
''The Unbearable Lightness of Being'' () is a 1984 novel by Milan Kundera about two women, two men, a dog, and their lives in the 1968 Prague Spring period of Czechoslovakia, Czechoslovak history. Although written in 1982, the novel was not publ ...
'' (1988), ''
The Hunt for Red October'' (1990), ''
Good Will Hunting'' (1997), ''
Ronin'' (1998), and ''
King Arthur
According to legends, King Arthur (; ; ; ) was a king of Great Britain, Britain. He is a folk hero and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain.
In Wales, Welsh sources, Arthur is portrayed as a le ...
'' (2004).
Skarsgård has since starred in blockbusters such as ''
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest'' (2006) and ''
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End'' (2007). He also starred in the musical ''
Mamma Mia!'' (2008), the thriller ''
Angels and Demons'' (2009), the neo-noir thriller ''
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
''The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo'' (original title in ) is a psychological thriller novel by Swedish author Stieg Larsson. It was published posthumously in 2005, translated into English in 2008, and became an international bestseller.
''T ...
'' (2011), and the family drama ''
Sentimental Value'' (2025). He played Dr.
Erik Selvig in five
Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on List of Marvel Cinematic Universe films, a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appe ...
films, starting with
''Thor'' (2011), and portrayed
Baron Harkonnen in
Denis Villeneuve
Denis Villeneuve Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, OAL (; ; born October 3, 1967) is a Canadian film director and screenwriter. He has received seven Canadian Screen Awards as well as nominations for four Academy Awards, five BAFTA Awards, and two ...
's two-part ''
Dune
A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, flat ...
'' adaptation, ''
Dune
A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, flat ...
'' (2021) and ''
Dune: Part Two'' (2024).
He is also known for his work in television portraying
Boris Shcherbina in the
HBO
Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...
miniseries ''
Chernobyl'' (2019), for which he received the
Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film and a nomination for the
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, and Luthen Rael in the ''
Star Wars
''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera media franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and Cultural impact of Star Wars, quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop cu ...
''
political
Politics () is the set of activities that are associated with decision-making, making decisions in social group, groups, or other forms of power (social and political), power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of Social sta ...
spy thriller
Spy fiction is a genre of literature involving espionage as an important context or plot device. It emerged in the early twentieth century, inspired by rivalries and intrigues between the major powers, and the establishment of modern intelli ...
series ''
Andor'' (2022–2025).
Early life
Skarsgård was born in
Gothenburg
Gothenburg ( ; ) is the List of urban areas in Sweden by population, second-largest city in Sweden, after the capital Stockholm, and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated by the Kattegat on the west coast of Sweden, it is the gub ...
, the son of Gudrun (née Larsson; born 1930) and Jan Skarsgård (1920–1998). He moved often in his childhood and lived, amongst other places, in
Helsingborg
Helsingborg (, , ), is a Urban areas in Sweden, city and the seat of Helsingborg Municipality, Scania County, Scania (Skåne), Sweden. It is the second-largest city in Scania (after Malmö) and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, ninth ...
,
Totebo,
Kalmar,
Marielund, and
Uppsala
Uppsala ( ; ; archaically spelled ''Upsala'') is the capital of Uppsala County and the List of urban areas in Sweden by population, fourth-largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö. It had 177,074 inhabitants in 2019.
Loc ...
.
Acting career
Skarsgård started his acting career early; and, by the age of 21, his experience in film, TV and stage was considerable. Most of his early roles were in Swedish television (such as ''Bombi Bitt'') and films. Of Skarsgård's work in
Swedish film
Swedish cinema is known for including many acclaimed films; during the 20th century the industry was the most prominent of Scandinavia. This is largely due to the popularity and prominence of directors Victor Sjöström and especially Ingmar ...
, he is known for ''
Good Evening, Mr. Wallenberg'', where he portrays
Swedish diplomat
Raoul Wallenberg
Raoul Gustaf Wallenberg (4 August 1912 – disappeared 17 January 1945)He is presumed to have died in 1947, although the circumstances of his death are not clear and this date has been disputed. Some reports claim he was alive years later. In ...
, who worked to save
Holocaust
The Holocaust (), known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (), was the genocide of History of the Jews in Europe, European Jews during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany and Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy ...
victims.
Skarsgård is particularly associated with director
Lars von Trier
Lars von Trier (né Trier; born 30 April 1956) is a Danish film director and screenwriter.
Beginning in the late-1960s as a child actor working on Danish television series ''Secret Summer'', von Trier's career has spanned more than five decad ...
and has appeared in six of the Danish
auteur
An (; , ) is an artist with a distinctive approach, usually a film director whose filmmaking control is so unbounded and personal that the director is likened to the "author" of the film, thus manifesting the director's unique style or thematic ...
's features: ''
The Kingdom'', ''
Breaking the Waves
''Breaking the Waves'' is a 1996 psychological romantic melodrama film directed and co-written by Lars von Trier and starring Emily Watson in her feature film acting debut, and with Stellan Skarsgård, a frequent collaborator with von Trier.
...
'', ''
Dancer in the Dark
''Dancer in the Dark'' is a 2000 musical psychological tragedy film written and directed by Lars von Trier. It stars Icelandic musician Björk as a factory worker who suffers from a degenerative eye condition and is saving for an operation to p ...
'', ''
Dogville'', ''
Melancholia
Melancholia or melancholy (from ',Burton, Bk. I, p. 147 meaning black bile) is a concept found throughout ancient, medieval, and premodern medicine in Europe that describes a condition characterized by markedly depressed mood, bodily complain ...
'', and ''
Nymphomaniac''. His most personal working relationship, however, is with
Norwegian director
Hans Petter Moland, who has directed the actor in ''
Zero Kelvin'', ''
Aberdeen
Aberdeen ( ; ; ) is a port city in North East Scotland, and is the List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, third most populous Cities of Scotland, Scottish city. Historically, Aberdeen was within the historic county of Aberdeensh ...
'', ''
In Order of Disappearance'', 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." Another
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a subregion#Europe, subregion of northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It can sometimes also ...
n work that he is known for is the 1997 Norwegian film ''
Insomnia
Insomnia, also known as sleeplessness, is a sleep disorder where people have difficulty sleeping. They may have difficulty falling asleep, or staying asleep for as long as desired. Insomnia is typically followed by daytime sleepiness, low ene ...
'', in which he plays the guilt-ridden policeman Jonas Engström.
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.
In 1990, he starred in another American film, ''
The Hunt for Red October'', playing the character of Captain Tupolev, a Soviet submarine commander.
Primarily a character actor, he played one of
Demi Moore
Demi Gene Moore ( ; née Guynes; born November 11, 1962) is an American actress. After rising to prominence in the early 1980s, she became the world's highest-paid actress by 1995. List of awards and nominations received by Demi Moore, Her acc ...
's two love interests in ''
Passion of Mind'' (2000), directed by
Alain Berliner. Skarsgård appeared as a guest star on ''
Entourage'' as Verner Vollstedt, the German director of the fictional film ''Smokejumpers'', who is hostile to the main character
Vincent Chase. Skarsgård appeared as
Bootstrap Bill Turner in both ''
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest'' and ''
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End''. In 2008, he starred as Bill Anderson in
Universal Pictures
Universal City Studios LLC, doing business as Universal Pictures (also known as Universal Studios or simply Universal), is an American filmmaking, film production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered at the 10 Universal Ci ...
' ''
Mamma Mia!'' and reprised the role 10 years later in its sequel ''
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again
''Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again'' is a 2018 jukebox musical romantic comedy film written and directed by Ol Parker, from a story by Parker, Catherine Johnson (playwright), Catherine Johnson, and Richard Curtis. It is the sequel and prequel to t ...
''.
Skarsgård played Dr. Erik Selvig in the 2011 film ''
Thor
Thor (from ) is a prominent list of thunder gods, god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding æsir, god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred trees and groves in Germanic paganism and mythology, sacred g ...
'', and later reprised the role in ''
Thor: The Dark World'' (2013) and ''
Thor: Love and Thunder'' (2022),
as well as ''
The Avengers'' (2012) and ''
Avengers: Age of Ultron'' (2015). Skarsgård reteamed with ''Thor'' director
Kenneth Branagh
Sir Kenneth Charles Branagh ( ; born 10 December 1960) is a British actor and filmmaker. Born in Belfast and raised primarily in Reading, Berkshire, Branagh trained at RADA in London and served as its president from 2015 to 2024. List of award ...
for the 2015 live-action adaptation of Disney's ''
Cinderella
"Cinderella", or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a Folklore, folk tale with thousands of variants that are told throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsin Press, 1988. The protagonist is a you ...
'', in which he played
The Grand Duke. In 2021, he played
Vladimir Harkonnen in
Denis Villeneuve
Denis Villeneuve Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, OAL (; ; born October 3, 1967) is a Canadian film director and screenwriter. He has received seven Canadian Screen Awards as well as nominations for four Academy Awards, five BAFTA Awards, and two ...
's ''
Dune
A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, flat ...
'' (2021)'','' and reprised the role in
Dune: Part Two (2024). Skarsgård also co-starred alongside his son
Gustaf Skarsgård in the Swedish psychological thriller ''What Remains'' (2022)''.''
Skarsgård has appeared in music videos alongside fellow Swedes. He was in
Eva Dahlgren's "Vem tänder stjärnorna" (Who Lights the Stars) in 1991 and
Lykke Li's 2011 music video, "Sadness Is a Blessing".
Personal life
In April 1975, Skarsgård married Swedish doctor, My (born 1956). Before divorcing My in 2007, they had six children together:
Alexander
Alexander () is a male name of Greek origin. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history.
Variants listed here ar ...
(born 1976),
Gustaf (born 1980), Sam (born 1982),
Bill (born 1990), Eija (born 1992), and
Valter (born 1995). Alexander, Gustaf, Bill, and Valter are also actors, while Eija was a model for a few years. Skarsgård married Irish screenwriter and producer Megan Everett in January 2009. They have two sons together. In 2016, Skarsgård revealed that he had a
vasectomy
Vasectomy is an elective surgical procedure that results in male sterilization, often as a means of permanent contraception. During the procedure, the male vasa deferentia are cut and tied or sealed so as to prevent sperm from entering into ...
because he felt that eight children was enough. Seven of his children are active in film and television; the eighth is a doctor.
Religious beliefs
Skarsgård was brought up by
humanist
Humanism is a philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential, and agency of human beings, whom it considers the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry.
The meaning of the term "humanism" ha ...
, atheist
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.
After the
September 11 attacks
The September 11 attacks, also known as 9/11, were four coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide attacks by al-Qaeda against the United States in 2001. Nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners, crashing the first two into ...
, Skarsgård set out to read the
Bible
The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) originally writt ...
and the
Quran
The Quran, also Romanization, romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a Waḥy, revelation directly from God in Islam, God (''Allah, Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which ...
, both of which he condemns as violent.
Skarsgård is also a critic of religious independent schools in the
Swedish educational system.
He has said he considers the question of God's existence to be "absurd and completely uninteresting" since if a benevolent God were to exist he would judge only a person's deeds and not care for worship, but if God were actually so vain as to constantly demand worship, then he would not be worthy of it.
In 2009, Skarsgård, along with other non-religious artists, authors, and entrepreneurs including
Christer Sturmark,
Björn Ulvaeus
Björn Kristian Ulvaeus (; born 25 April 1945) is a Swedish musician, singer, songwriter, and producer best known as a member of the musical group ABBA. He is also the co-composer of the musicals ''Chess (musical), Chess'', ''Kristina från Duve ...
, and
Christer Fuglesang
Arne Christer Fuglesang (born 18 March 1957) is a Swedish physicist and an ESA astronaut. He was first launched aboard the STS-116 Space Shuttle mission on 10 December 2006, making him the first Swedish citizen in space.
Married with three child ...
, wrote an article in ''
Dagens Nyheter
(, ), abbreviated ''DN'', is a daily newspaper in Sweden. It is published in Stockholm and aspires to full national and international coverage, and is widely considered Sweden's newspaper of record
A newspaper of record is a major nationa ...
'' stressing the importance of
secularity.
The group also criticised the
UN for its
stance on blasphemy laws.
Political views
Skarsgård has voiced support for
Swedish tax policies, and for a high income tax rate for high earners.
Skarsgård is avowedly anti-nationalist.
Filmography
Film
Television
Awards and nominations
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Skarsgard, Stellan
Year of birth missing (living people)
20th-century Swedish male actors
21st-century Swedish male actors
Best Actor Guldbagge Award winners
1951 births
Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe (television) winners
Best Supporting Actor Guldbagge Award winners
Critics of religions
European Film Awards winners (people)
Living people
Male actors from Gothenburg
Secular humanists
Silver Bear for Best Actor winners
Skarsgård family
Swedish atheism activists
Swedish atheists
Swedish humanists
Swedish male film actors
Swedish male television actors