A WEB SITE FOR THE DISCERNING SKARSGÅRD FAN SINCE JUNE 2004

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03.02.24

Stellan gave a bunch of interviews throughout February regarding his role in "Dune: Part 2" as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen. With ScreenRant, he explains his limited presence in the film - "I didn't want to bring anything more to the Baron. The thing is that the less you know about him, in a way, the better it is. If he would've been in several scenes, he wouldn't have been half as dangerous. So, you had to minimize him and make sure that he was really terrifying, and that stamp was put on the film." In describing his working with director Denis Villeneuve, Stellan says, "It was fantastic how pleasant it was, and how much he enjoys making film. And he has planned it well, but he hasn't planned it so well that he executes only what he's done at home at his desk. He improvises, and he sees things, and he gets excited by things, and you get excited because he's excited. It is very, very lovely."

In an Aftonbladet interview, he speaks of filming in Budapest where the scenes in Harkonnen's palace were shot.  Stellan  shares, "I did about ten days in two periods and I had my family with me. It was during the summer and it was nice...  It is an independent film and a blockbuster at the same time. Almost no films are. Denis Villeneuve creates a great intimacy, playfulness and relaxation, much like Lars von Trier does, so it feels like an independent film, even though there are 400 people in the team." Stellan thinks that Villeneuve's concise narration makes the Harkonnen even more mysterious. He explains, "He removes all explanations. You remove as much as possible from the dialogue and that suits me perfectly. Then the culprit I make, Baron Harkonnen, becomes like a mythical figure at once. He can be in a couple of scenes and still cast a shadow over the entire film."

As everyone knows by now, the prosthetics Stellan wore for the role of Baron Harkonnen were incredibly elaborate and time-consuming to apply. The process involved hours in the makeup chair each day as skilled artists meticulously applied layers of prosthetics and makeup to create the grotesque and intimidating visage of the character. While the physical transformation was undoubtedly demanding, Stellan explained that it ultimately proved to be a boon to his performance - "The prosthetics helped me get into character in a way that I never expected. Baron Harkonnen is a complex and multi-dimensional character, and the prosthetics allowed me to explore his inner turmoil and his capacity for cruelty in a way that I wouldn’t have been able to otherwise."

In addition to the physical transformation, Stellan also drew inspiration from Frank Herbert’s original novels to inform his portrayal of the baron - "The novels provide a rich and detailed portrait of the character, and I drew on that source material to help me understand his motivations and his psychology."

Business Insider also did an interview but most of the questions and answers were old material. Here are Stellan's remarks on working with Robin Williams in "Good Will Hunting".

"He was extremely funny. And we laughed. It was a shoot where it was OK to laugh and do a couple of crazy takes. The thing with him is he had to get it out of his system. He would have an idea about something funny, and he would have to get it out for him to continue. We would do 10 takes on something, and it was good, and Gus Van Sant was pleased, and Robin would say, 'Can I do one more take!' And then he had to get it out of him. He was fantastic to work with."

Working with David Fincher on "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo":

"I love him. Because he does so many takes, I have many chances to fuck up. He rarely said anything. He would just say, "Let's do it again." He's more dealing with camera movements, but he doesn't bother the actors that much. When he does 25 takes, as he sometimes does, it is sometimes good, because there could be an actor who is nervous and stiff and is a little clunky, but you can't do that for 25 takes. You get tired. Sooner or later, that person will loosen up. It becomes more real."

Working with John Frankenheimer on "Ronin":

"At first, it was enormous excitement. I came to the set and saw that the camera car was a Porsche, so I knew it was going to be fast. And  Frankenheimer had changed all the stunt drivers to real Formula 1 drivers. I just thought, it's going to be fast! So I had this idea that my character, he's so cool he doesn't care about safety belts and shit like that. So I didn't put one on when I got in the car. We then did the first take, and I went, 'Uh, make sure you get a shot of me putting on the safety belt.' So that's funny, a really dangerous guy, but he puts on his seat belt. Also, I'll never forget this: we were driving in the tunnels where Princess Di had just died."

02.26.24

This month it appears that Stellan has been traveling the world to attend premieres of "Dune: Part Two". First, it was February 12th at Le Grand Rex in Paris, then the 15th at Leicester Square in London, the 18th at the Cinema Rigoletto in Stockholm, the 22nd in Seoul, Korea, and finally, last night at Lincoln Center in NYC.

A little story first  about Stellan's clothes for the Paris red carpet: Adnym co-founder Frippe Persson told Aftonbladet how his favorite Swedish brand wound up dressing Stellan for the premiere in Paris. Wearing an overcoat and trousers by Swedish brand Adnym and a button down shirt from Giorgio Armani, Stellan fit right in with his fashion-forward co-stars. He came to be wearing Adnym via his stylist Emine Sander, who just so happens to be the fiancé of Adnym co-founder Frippe Persson. When Emine was tapped by Stellan to style his press tour, she pulled some Adnym as an option. In selecting something that would work for our Swede, there was one key consideration: his height.  Ultimately, Stellan wore a black coat from the brand’s latest spring/summer collection; a one-buttoned overcoat with a relaxed fit and generous sleeves – a perfect fit for the 191cm-tall actor - along with the brand’s classic straight leg trousers. Persson said it felt really good to see Stellan wearing his brand on such a prestigious red carpet.

Paris:

London:

Stockholm:

NYC::

For more photos, check out the "Dune" gallery.

01.25.24

It's that time of the year for film awards and already "Oppenheimer" is proving to be a frontrunner. Stellan's son Gustaf should be proud to be among its star-studded cast. He has the role of Hans Bethe, a German-American nuclear physicist who won the 1967 Nobel Prize in physics. At the Golden Globes, the film took five prizes including best drama, best director for Nolan, best score, as well as acting wins for Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr. It leads in nominations at both BAFTA and the Academy Awards. It has also nabbed four SAG nominations and has already taken home eight Critics Choice Awards. Definitely, an outstanding film!

01.21.24

Warner Bros. Pictures has premiered a new TV spot for Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi epic "Dune: Part Two". The clip kicks off the short-term marketing for the film which is about six weeks away from its March 1st release. The sprawling tale adapts the back half of Frank Herbert’s classic 1965 novel. The story sees Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) and Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) teaming with the desert-dwelling Fremen to liberate the planet of Arrakis from the vicious House Harkonnen. Zendaya, Dave Bautista, Charlotte Rampling, Stellan Skarsgard, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Josh Brolin and Javier Bardem all reprise their roles from the first film. They are joined by Austin Butler as the lethal Feyd-Rautha, Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan, Lea Seydoux as Lady Margot and Christopher Walken as Emperor Shaddam IV. The first film opened simultaneously in domestic theaters and on HBO Max on October 22, 2021. It grossed $400.6 million at the worldwide box office and earned six Oscars for cinematography, editing, score, visual effects, production design and sound. Its only losses were for best picture, makeup and hairstyling, costume design, and adapted screenplay.

In a January 4th article at Femina.se, there was a discussion of Swedish celebrity couples who have a prenuptial agreement - "When Stellan Skarsgård married his current wife Megan Everett Skarsgård in 2009, they agreed that they have no matrimonial property in the marriage – everything they own or acquire on each side is separate property. But three years later, they changed the prenuptial agreement, so that only one property is to be Stellan's individual property - the rest they divide in a possible divorce. In the documents, it also appears that it is Swedish law that applies in the event of a separation, not American."

01.16.24

Vogue Scandinavia reported on the Emmy's - "Alexander Skarsgård may have lost out on the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series to his "Succession" colleague Matthew Macfadyen, but even in defeat, he looked undeniably dashing at the Emmy Awards last night. Cutting a classic red carpet figure in a black peak lapel tuxedo with silk lapels and a black bowtie – all courtesy of Boss – the Swedish actor looked a far cry away from his laid-back antagonistic 'tech bro' role of Lukas Matsson."

Apple TV+ has picked up "Murderbot", a 10-episode sci-fi drama series starring and executive produced by Alexander. Based on Martha Wells’ bestselling book series "The Murderbot Diaries", the project hails  from Paramount Television Studios and Chris and Paul Weitz. The series revolves around "a self-hacking security android who is horrified by human emotion yet drawn to its vulnerable clients. Murderbot must hide its free will and complete a dangerous assignment when all it really wants is to be left alone to watch futuristic soap operas and figure out its place in the universe." Production is expected to start sometime this year.

01.12.24

Disappointing news. According to Screen Rant, "Andor: Season 2" was one of the more highly-anticipated TV shows. Initially, "Andor" was intended to last five seasons, before being confirmed as two seasons. Season two was expected to be released in 2024. This was thrown into doubt when the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes of 2023 forced production to shut down. Since  it was notably absent from a Disney press release that contained upcoming 2024 projects, fans can more than likely expect to see Season 2 sometime in 2025.

01.01.24

Happy New Year! I eagerly await the many Skarsgård family events in 2024. I turned 80 in November so I'm definitely slowing down, but then Stellan is only seven years behind me as he turns 73 this year. I'm curious as to what scripts he'll receive/accept in the future. This June I will celebrate the 20th anniversary of Stellan Online. It remains the most comprehensive web site on this talented Swede's life.

12.23.23

Stellan and Ethan Hawke can breathe out! Their campaign to save Stockholm's Skandia Theatre has been successful. Stockholm International Film Festival is taking over the operations of the legendary cinema. This will be the start of a new chapter in the history of the festival and the Skandia cinema. "We are overwhelmed by the great response we have received from audiences, industry colleagues and the business. We are touched and deeply grateful for the commitment to the 'Save Skandia' campaign. It has given us the strength and courage to take this step," says Dharma Garde Palme, Producer Stockholm International Film Festival.

12.15.23

Here are some December 9th photos from the European Film Awards, where Stellan attended as a presenter. He and Italian actress Ariane Labed gave out the Best Film award for "Anatomy of a Fall." The ceremony was held at the Arena Berlin and Stellan was accompanied by his wife.

 
 

12.01.23

Stellan's 6th son Ossian is in the spotlight playing the main role in the Swedish TV's Christmas series "Trolltider". It's a reboot from 1979 with some of the same characters but with a new story. Fourteen-year-old Ossian plays a troll named Love. He has already been in several productions, including the films "The Wife" and "Burn All My Letters". When he is interviewed, he reveals, "I want to experiment with acting, definitely... I might even want to direct. But I'm pretty sure that the film industry is where I want to be." Moviezine.se reports, "What Ossian Skarsgård does next remains to be seen. There is undeniably talent in his blood, and if he chooses to invest in acting, we believe in a brilliant career ahead.

 

Is Ossian not the spitting image of his mother?!

Sorry, Stellan!

From SYFY: "With his penetrating gaze, high cheekbones, pale flesh, and an unparalleled talent for assuming one hell of a sinister grin, Bill Skarsgård already gives off the aura of a calculating vampire lord — no makeup or prosthetics required. But if you're going to play Count Orlok, aka the OG cinematic bloodsucker, in a modern remake of 'Nosferatu', it doesn't hurt to go the extra undead mile. In a recent interview with Empire for the magazine's January 2024 issue, writer-director Robert Eggers promised that audiences won't be able to recognize the actor when the film hits theaters on December 25, 2024."

It'll be interesting to see what Eggers creates for us. I was quite impressed with "The Lighthouse" and glad to see Willem Dafoe has been once again cast, this time as a professor. In this particular photo, you can see where Bill has a strong resemblance to his older brother Alex.

11.22.23

Skandia Theatre, a century-old cinematic gem in Stockhom, has been a beacon for film lovers for over 100 years, but it is now facing the threat of closure. The Stockholm International Film Festival, along with Ethan Hawke and his daughter Maya, and Stellan, are launching a campaign to preserve this historic landmark.

11.17.23

It was five years ago when Stellan's son Valter was approached to portray hockey legend Börje Salming. His response was  "I’m fat and I can’t skate." Well, on Sunday, November 19th, he will be starring in "The Journey of a Legend" on Viaplay. Despite Valter's lack of hockey experience or athletic prowess, there was one man who believed he was perfect for the project - Börje Salming, the first Scandinavian hockey player to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame and most associated with the Toronto Maple Leafs. With an extreme diet and exercise regimen, Valter was on board thinking "This is going to suck, but it's going to be worth it."

Filming in the fall of 2022 took place in both Toronto and Sweden. Valter worked with hockey coaches who were deeply familiar with Salming’s style and could instruct him on how to emulate his movements. The results can be seen in the six-episode series, directed by Amir Chamdin. Below is a photoshoot from Scandinavia Vogue with his co-star, Hedda Stiernstedt, who played his wife.

On November 14 at Södra Teatern in Södermalm, the premiere of the series was held with actors, models, and sports legends in attendance. The first photo shows Valter with his sister and mother.

11.15.23

Director Ran Huang of "What Remains" was invited to join the First Feature Competition jury at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival in Estonia. On Monday evening, his own film was screened with a Q&A session, which also included him, producer Eleonora Granata Jenkinson and Stellan's wife, the film's co-screenwriter. In a video on youtube, Ran explained how he engaged Stellan to be involved in his film project - "I know it's a bit of a cliché to say so, but it seems like it was meant to be. I wanted to meet a Swedish person in the film industry to be able to talk about the possibility of making the film. I asked around, and it was Stellan who was introduced to me. We met and started to talk about it. In the end, we became like a family." By luck (which the Chinese believe in) both Stellan and Gustaf agreed to star in his first feature film. Ran never mentioned Stellan's wife but I imagine she became involved when Ran realized he needed help with his script. 

10.10.23

"What Remains" was screened at RIFF (Reykjavik International Film Festival) in the Midnight Thrills section. The festival was held from September 28th to October 8th at Háskólabíó.

On a personal note, I love Icelandic cinema and I especially enjoy actor Ingvar Eggert Sigurõsson, who has starred with some of the Skarsgård family. He played opposite Stellan  in "Beowulf & Grendel", with Alexander in "The Northman" and with Valter in "Katla". I've recently seen Ingvar in several Icelandic productions - "The Swan", "A White, White Day", "Lamb", "Godland" and the TV series "Trapped". Check him out!

"The Crow" is returning to screens almost three decades after Alex Proyas’s 1994 original. And this time it will star Bill Skarsgård. After being stuck in development hell for 15 years, a release date for the reboot is almost in sight. The new "Crow" will bring the dark revenge tale to life once again with a modern take on the story. A late 2024 release seems most likely. I am not eager to see another "Crow" movie, having endured the deluge of negative reviews for the second installment of the series in 1996. As creator of The Vincent Perez Archives, I was greatly disappointed to see the Swiss actor venture into the Hollywood world with that production. Hopefully, Bill will succeed in a more successful venture.

08.15.23

It was announced several weeks ago that our Swedish thespian was to receive the Honorary Career Leopard Club award at the 76th Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland. The award ceremony was scheduled for August 4th.

Giona A. Nazzaro, Artistic Director of the festival remarked, "Stellan Skarsgård belongs to the tradition of European actors who have distinguished themselves between auteur cinema and Hollywood. Endowed with a very powerful stage charisma, he has been able to make every role he has played unforgettable. Capable of reinventing his character according to the needs of the director and the script, he was able to inject his personality into films that were extremely different from each other. A central figure in the cinema of recent decades, the Locarno Film Festival is proud to present the Leopard Club Award to an actor of such absolute value and with such an extremely important filmography as Stellan Skarsgård."

Due to the Hollywood strike, Stellan decided to forego the award in solidarity with the demands of the affected professional groups. The festival respectfully accepted his decision. He did, however, attend the festival along with his wife Megan and son Gustaf because WHAT REMAINS was to be screened.

In an Variety interview with Marta Balaga in Locarno, Stellan remarked, "You always look for scripts that haven’t been written and for films that haven’t been made. That’s what I felt when I read it. It’s very dark and very beautiful, and I wanted to be a part of that journey to hell." Gustaf commented on his role saying, "It took a lot of pain... I think I have counted three smiles in total in this film."

Elena Ringo of Indie-cinema, unfortunately, did not offer a positive film review. She began with, "fails to thrill and falls painfully short of delivering a captivating and engaging narrative." In summary, she writes, "'What Remains' is a film that disappoints on multiple fronts; its uninspired visual presentation, lack of dynamic storytelling, and one-dimensional character interactions culminate in a viewing experience that is at most generous can be only described as mundane and uninteresting. Even the efforts of accomplished actor Stellan Skarsgård cannot rescue the film from the whirlpool of its own mediocrity. For those seeking a gripping and thought-provoking psychological thriller, 'What Remains' is regrettably not the film to deliver that experience."

Ouch, that hurt.

Author Alexandro Panelli offers a more positive spin with "Ran Huang has managed to assemble a respectable cast, led by the Skarsgård father-son duo and a ruthless and magnetic Andrea Riseborough. The trio sustains an impeccable acting performance, playing layered and complex characters that develop in a slow and prickly manner, to the point of dragging the spectator into a painful psychological whirlwind from which they will find it difficult to free themselves."

Freelance writer Louis Roberts writes, "Such a slow burner of a film requires understated performances, and Huang gets exactly these from Riseborough and Skarsgård Jr. The 'To Leslie' star portrays Anna with generous empathy, while Skarsgård carves out both a monster and a victim in his Mads. In an unlikely turn of events, it’s his father, the most accomplished of the film’s main cast, who fails to impress. With little to work with as the typically dishevelled Scandi-noir detective, his performance is tinged with a slight sense of boredom, a far cry from his best work under Lars von Trier. Unfortunately, as the film enters its final act, it’s difficult not to sympathize with the Swedish film icon, who finds himself in a movie with little in the way of a climax... By the time 'What Remains' reaches its bathetic conclusion, we’re led to wonder what we trudged through all that grimness for."

07.30.23

Opening in theaters this month was "Oppenheimer", an epic biographical film, written and directed by Christopher Nolan.The three-hour movie has a huge cast of celebrity names, including Stellan's son Gustaf. He plays Hans Bethe, a German-American nuclear physicist who won the 1967 Nobel Prize in physics.

07.17.23

Stellan recently shared his opinions regarding the writers' strike. "Of course we're going on strike," he said when interviewed by SVT Nyheter. He describes the strike as "expected". He filmed his last scene in an American production at 8pm on Thursday night, shortly before the strike was called. He is particularly critical of Apple, Amazon and Netflix - "Tech giants want to hire people for a day and then use them in media, in known and unknown universes, forever. This must be stopped... Those who own the companies are no longer interested in film, or interested in quality. They are only interested in making money."

06.22.23

One of the most memorable scenes in "Andor" (Season 1) was Stellan's speech as Luthen Rael about the creation of the Rebellion. "It was very intense," he told Entertainment Weekly. "Of course I knew I had a speech that was very well written, and it was probably one of the best scenes in the season. And I worked on it. When we shot it, somehow I was tense. I think I said, 'Let’s go again, let’s go again.' I think I did it 10 times in a row, very fast, right on top of each other. Ten times, like 'Go, go, go.' And then it was good. Then, I was satisfied, and the director was satisfied." Luthen Rael will be back for season two of the show, which is aiming to be released in August of 2024, if all goes as planned.

06.19.23

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Stellan was asked about what  sold him on the character of Luthen Rael in "Andor" and why he chose to play him. Stellan replied:

"Tony Gilroy pitched it to me. He himself was a very great reason for me to take it. He pitched it and said he was going to make a story that is more real than the others. I know him and his writing, and every scene has an urgency to it. Every scene has a great tension to it. I got to read the first three or four episodes, so it was not a big question. And I said yes…

As an actor, it’s interesting to play this guy who lives a double life and to make two different characters out of one. That was interesting for me, but he’s interesting as well because he is extreme. He’s like Che Guevara or the Rote Armee Fraktion in Germany or any terrorists, really. But also, as a revolutionary, he is like George Washington. So, he’s got all those ingredients that make him very exciting. He has this conflict between doing the right thing and also being able to kill for the right thing."

But Gilroy wasn’t the only reason for him to join. Stellan also mentioned that a big factor also that played into his decision was the chance to collaborate with lead actor Diego Luna:

"He was also a reason for me to take the job. We met several years ago. We were supposed to do a film about football, but it didn’t happen — not with us. It sort of broke down. So I’ve been waiting for him to do a film with me again. And I love the fellow. He’s a true actor, and he’s a true man."

Luthen also has a few scenes with Genevieve O’Reilly’s Mon Mothma when she frequents his antiquities shop (a cover for them to discuss the latest in galactic policies). The actor recalled particularly the first one, praising O’Reilly’s work too:

"I’m playing the Coruscant character there, which is much more flamboyant. But the first scene she entered, she came with this great limousine she has, flying in. She was much more sexy and beautiful, and she took over the space much more than I realized than she had ever done in the films. And then, of course, she has a great humor, so we had a lot of fun doing that. There's a lot of really great actors that I met all the time there. It's so well cast. I had a lot of fun."

Stellan also talked about his big monologue in episode 10. It’s an emotionally heavy scene as Luthen divulges all the pain and anguish he’s experienced trying to fight the Empire. And for the actor, he mentioned just how intense it was for him as well:

"I mean, of course I knew I had a speech that was very well written, and it was probably one of the best scenes in the season. And I worked on it. When we shot it, somehow I was tense. I think I said, “Let's go again, let’s go again.” I think I did it 10 times in a row, very fast, right on top of each other. 10 times, like 'Go, go, go.' And then it was good. Then, I was satisfied, and the director was satisfied."

04.30.23

This photo was taken on April 29th at Gröna Lund amusement park in Stockholm. It is the oldest park in Sweden, reaching its 140th anniversary this year. In the photo are three of Stellan's son - Valter (27), Gustaf (42) and  Kolbjörn (10).

04.28.23

In the April issue of Air Serbia's inflight magazine, Elevate, an interview with Alexander was featured in which he discussed his father.

"We are more like brothers than father and son. We hang out together. He often joins my crowd for nights out when we're in Los Angeles or Stockholm. We never found that weird. However, growing up with Stellan Skarsgård wasn't that much fun. At the time when I was little and forming my interests, he was at the peak of his career. I remember my childhood according to his theatre performances. I didn't miss a single show. It was with them that I fell in love with acting. But there was also pressure of being Stellan's son."

"He explained to me that the work of an actor is difficult, and that it's rare for someone to succeed in making a living from this calling. He advised me that, because of this, it was important that I only do what I felt was right. And only to devote myself to acting if I believe that I will be able to be one of those privileged actors."

Great advice! And wonderful that Alex did indeed succeed!

02.15.23

Minerva Pictures has taken international rights to Ran Huang’s crime drama "What Remains". The Chinese-Finnish co-production will be presented to buyers at the EFM.

01.28.23

Our Swede has once again collaborated with Linda Hambäck on an animated film of a children's book by Stina Wirsén  It's called "Vem er stor?" (Who is Big?). The Who characters Teddy, the Cat, the Bird and the Rabbit have now grown up. Stellan does the narration with the animation by Dockhus. Here's a new photo of Linda and Stellan taken six years ago.

NEWS ARCHIVE:

2022: February-October
2021: January, February, March, April-June, July, August, September, October-December
2020: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2019: January, February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October, November/December
2018: January, February/March, April-June, July/August, September/October, November/December
2017: January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October, November/December
2016: January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October, November/December
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