LATEST NEWS:

02.16.10:

There is much to report about the Berlin Film Festival yesterday but here's my first stab. I'm amazed that Stellan flew in on the same day of the photo call, press conference and premiere of EN GANSKE SNILL MANN (A Somewhat Gentle Man). What an exhausting but thrilling day for him! And how was this black comedy received? Well, fear not! The discerning festival audience giggled and laughed through Stellan's many trials as Ulrich, the freed jailbird. Film critic Stephen Schaefer of the Boston Herald wrote:  "It’s unlikely any American film would serve Skarsgård as well as the Norwegian competition entry in the current Berlin film festival... Dryly comic and absolutely on target every step of the way, “Gentle Man” follows Skarsgård’s entry after a dozen years behind bars back into society... Like Jeff Bridges’ low-key work in 'Crazy Heart.' Skarsgård doesn’t so much as play the character but inhabit this 'Somewhat Gentle Man' - and never was a title more accurate. Funny? Very. Absorbing and so satisfying, in the casting, performances and direction, 'A Somewhat Gentle Man' might never be seen in the U.S. – and that would be sad indeed."

More reviews, interviews and photos will be added this week as time permits. Here are a few photos for starters. The one on the right shows Stellan presenting a Shooting Stars award to Norwegian actor Anders Baasmo Christiansen.

02.13.10:

While Stellan was in Oslo last week getting a "sneak peek" at his new gangster comedy, he spoke with news publication VG Nett - "We were here for two months last year to work on this film so my wife gave birth at Ullevål Hospital in Oslo in April. A Norwegian film and a Norwegian child!" Stellan explains it's not such a big difference between acting in Hollywood films and Norwegian films. He says the difference lies with the directors. "I am used to doing small independent films in between all the Hollywood movies. It's just that Hollywood movies seem a lot better because they have hundreds of millions in PR money." And although many of his films are shot in Los Angeles, he still lives in Sweden. He explains, "Scandinavia is so good. No starving. Everyone has access to education and free medical attention. It is a good system." And does Stellan enjoy a glamorous Hollywood life? He replies, "I only live the glamorous life in LA when I'm working there. I've been staying at the same hotel for 25 years but if I'm there for a longer period, I rent a house so the family can join me.

Attention, European fans - BOOGIE WOOGIE will become available on DVD (Region 2 format) on April 19th.

02.12.10:

The Norwegian film, Regnskap (Bad Accounting), has been retitled EN GANSKE SNILL MANN (A Somewhat Gentle Man) and is headed to the Berlin International Film Festival next week. Both director Hans Petter Moland and Stellan will be in attendance. The film will be competing for the Golden Bear, the grand prix of the festival, which runs from February 11-21. It's been 15 years since a Norwegian film was chosen to compete so there's obviously much excitement. This is Moland's first comedy. Stellan Skarsgård stars as main character Ulrik, who is released from prison after serving 12 years for killing his wife's lover. Thus begins the trials of Ulrik as he tries to re-enter society. Stellan  refers to the film as "an unglamorous comedy with lots of eating and lots of sex." Yes, you will view his bare arse once more! The cast also includes Bjørn Floberg, Jannike Kruse Jåtog, Jan Gunnar Røise, Jorunn Kjellsby, Aksel Hennie, Gard B. Eidsvold, Kjersti Holmen, and Bjørn Sundquist. The film opens in Norwegian cinemas on March 19th.

In a recent interview with Norway's NRK, Stellan admitted he should still be in LA shooting THOR, but he was able to speed up his scenes so he could be released earlier.  Our Swede speaks highly of his director with whom he has worked with on two previous films. "He is outrageous and incredibly intelligent. He doesn't tell the actors what to do but rather what the scene should contain. It allows enormous freedom within that framework to choose your own expression, and it enriches the actors."

For trailers, film clips and interviews, check out these links:

http://www.dagbladet.no/film/trailere/?op=ViewTrailers&id=1265892918_154955&page=1
http://home.c2i.net/dylan.hopkin/
http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/kultur/1.6988223

12.22.09:

 Stellan is set to become the voice in the audio guide accompanying visitors of the upcoming exhibition ABBAWORLD that opens its doors for the very first time in London on January 27th. Our Swede seems a likely choice considering he starred in the successful film, "Mamma Mia!" and also helped host the BBC's ABBA tribute concert in Hyde Park in September. Stellan comments, "People might think I am an ABBA groupie, but I am actually trying to become the fifth member of the group and have their name changed to ABBAS. I'm really looking forward to it."

Magnus Danielsson, president of Touring Exhibitions, the company behind ABBAWORLD, is excited about Skarsgård becoming the voice of the audio guide. "Stellan adds character and off-beat humour to the guide, and his voice is well known all over the world," says Danielsson. "We are very happy indeed that he is participating in ABBAWORLD." The script for the audio guide is written by ABBA biographer, Carl Magnus Palm. According to Mats Daleskog, senior director of production, the audio guide is a highly integrated and important feature of the exhibition. "Much more so than in many other exhibitions," he says. "Not only is it about giving information to the visitors about objects and locations in the exhibition, but we want the audio guide to be an experience in itself and both the voice and the script are critical for its appeal."

11.25.09:

According to Production Weekly, Marvel Studios will begin principal photography on the Kenneth Branagh-directed THOR in Los Angeles in mid-January. The production will then move to Santa Fe, New Mexico from March until late-April. Anthony Hopkins has now joined the cast. Based on previous casting news, various sources say that most of the movie will be set on Earth. Some rumors indicate that Natalie Portman will play Jane Foster, who is a nurse in the comics, but in the movie is a PhD cosmology student under the guidance of her Norwegian professor, played by Stellan. This, of course, is not confirmed.

Last month BOOGIE WOOGIE was screened at France's Dinard Festival of British Cinema. It was previously shown at the Edinburgh Film Festival in June and UK's Cambridge Film Festival in September. It was also featured at the American Film Market earlier this month but there's no word yet as to whether the film attracted a distributor. Stellan plays voracious art collector Bob Maccelstone, whose wife Jean is played by Gillian Anderson. However, from this photo, it's obvious that Bob is canoodling with the Heather Graham character.

10.11.09:

On September 13th, Stellan took part in a BBC Radio 2 event (broadcast live, with a television recording to follow soon), called "A celebration of the music of Abba" and was in effect one big karaoke evening. Each performer sang one of Sweden’s best export’s hits and the audience played their part, singing along word perfect to every number. Follow this link for photos from that evening. The event was introduced by Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans (bewigged and dressed in what looked like a Bacofoil '70s retro homage suit). "SOS" was introduced by Stellan, who supplied the background to a couple of songs and introduced a rather touching segment of Swedish folk music and an orchestral piece.

METROPIA, the ambitious animated feature from Swedish film-maker Tarik Saleh, has been making the film festival circuit over the past few weeks. On September 3rd, it premiered at the Venice Film Festival, followed by screenings at the Helsinki Int'l Film Festival on September 20th, the Sitges Int'l Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia on October 5th, and the Warsaw Film Festival and Pusan Int'l Film Festival on October 9th. It will make its theatrical debut in Sweden on November 27th. Screen Daily describes the film as "visually fascinating and full of inventiveness" but cautions that it never takes off dramatically. Made in 2D using photomontage and Animation Cut Out technique, the film's images blend real footage with Saleh’s quirky characters to create a visual look that borders on the trippy. It will certainly have its fans, especially the sci-fi and fantasy crowd who will respond to its futuristic fiction. Jette Kernion of Cinematical cites Stellan's voice as carrying a tone of dry malice as Trexx security head Ralph Parker. Other voices include Stellan's son Alexander, Vincent Gallo, Juliette Lewis and Udo Kier. You can view more photos of Stellan at this link.

Stellan has joined the cast of THOR, Marvel Studios’ upcoming adaptation of the long-running comic book hero. Other cast members include Chris Hemsworth as the Norse god of thunder, exiled to Earth, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, the Norse god of mischief, Natalie Portman as Jane Foster, Thor’s mortal love interest, and Brian Blessed as Odin, king of the gods. Stellan isn't able to reveal who’s he playing, other than it is apparently a villain. Due to Marvel’s insistence on keeping plot details secret, he relates how they wanted him to sign without reading the script - "That I refused to do. Then they sent one to me that was so coded that I could only print one copy.” Ironically, Stellan's son, Alexander, was considered a leading candidate to play the title role of Thor until Hemsworth was cast in the role. Alexander confirmed that he was so close as to have tried on the costume, and was one of the last contenders cut before director Kenneth Branagh chose Chris Hemsworth. The film is due to commence principal photography early next year with Paramount eying a May 20, 2011 release. The epic adventure spans the Marvel Universe; from present day Earth to the realm of Asgard. At the center of the story is The Mighty Thor, a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans as punishment. Once here, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.

08.29.09:

I find it a bit strange that none of the Swedish press carried any publicity on Stellan's appearance at the Sarajevo Film Festival. In any event, I have found some added information. During the festival an interviewer described Stellan as incredibly easy to talk with and entertaining as well. No surprise here, eh? Here is what Stellan had to say about his choice of career: "I simply love acting. I was never educated to be an actor. I was unable to enter the Swedish Academy. I peeped into plays, stole from various actors and now it is difficult for me to tell what I have learned from whom. I even wanted to be a diplomat, but I think that they would have fired me quickly for my big mouth. I have been acting since I was seven, professionally since I was sixteen. Perhaps when I grow up, I might become a diplomat after all. There is always hope."

When questioned about working with Danish director Lars Von Trier, he responded, "Von Trier is sensitive, vulnerable and, above all, a fun director. I know that he has a reputation of a complicated director but this is not the most important form. We have a special relationship which is best described by this claim that when he calls an actor to work with him on film, he is, in fact, inviting them to participate in a big film feast."

Stellan also discussed working in film - "I want to do different things. That is how I rest from previous projects by taking new, completely different ones. After working in blockbusters and Hollywood, you certainly need a break because such projects are primarily about industry and money. The more money, the less freedom you have, but you also get to be in a film such as  "Mamma Mia". I had never done musical before and that is why I accepted the role. That was fun, especially when I realized that the aim of the female cast was to add three men who couldn’t sing in order to humiliate us. Film is great fun if  you take it that way. The only thing that makes me sad is that the art film always loses the battle because of the larger film industry. “The Godfather” opened in 150 cinemas in the USA. Today, we have premieres in 4000 cinemas. A film has to earn money in the first week."

08.20.09:

It looks like our Swede brought his young family to the Sarajevo Film Festival for the past couple days. Enjoy the photos showing wife Megan and four-month-old Ossian! You can tell what a proud Daddy Stellan is by the way he is simply beaming. His children from his previous marriage were quite blond but you can tell this little guy favors his Irish mother. Typically there were interviews and lots of picture taking. Check out all the festival photos. As curator of the Katrin Cartlidge Foundation, Stellan spoke about Juanita Wilson, this year's scholarship winner - "I saw her movie several months ago and I was immediately thrilled. What I saw was beautiful, first of all, because Juanita allows peoples' faces to master the screen. None of the other movies impressed me so much. And that is why it was easy to give her the award." He also spoke about his friendship with Katrin describing her as "an exceptional acress, always full of energy." Her death was such a surprise. Stellan says, "She went to the hospital and we all thought that some less dangerous illness was at stake. Two days later, she was gone." For a rare interview in English plus some excellent video footage from the festival, follow this link.

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A great resource for checking out Stellan's movies on TV this month.