Alexander Skarsgård facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alexander Skarsgård
Skarsgård in 2016
Born	Alexander Johan Hjalmar Skarsgård (1976-08-25) 25 August 1976 (age 48) Stockholm, Sweden
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1984–present
Children	1
Parent(s)	Stellan Skarsgård (father)
Relatives	Gustaf Skarsgård (brother) Bill Skarsgård (brother) Valter Skarsgård (brother)

Alexander Johan Hjalmar Skarsgård (born 25 August 1976) is a famous actor from Sweden. He is the son of well-known actor Stellan Skarsgård. Alexander started acting when he was just seven years old. However, he stopped acting at 13.

After serving in the Swedish Navy, Skarsgård decided to act again. His first role in the United States was in the comedy film Zoolander (2001). He became very well-known for playing a vampire named Eric Northman in the TV series True Blood (2008–2014). He also played Brad Colbert in the miniseries Generation Kill (2008).

Later, Skarsgård appeared in movies like Melancholia (2011) and Battleship (2012). He also starred as the main character in The Legend of Tarzan (2016). He won a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award for his role in the drama series Big Little Lies (2017–2019).

More recently, he has been in films such as Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) and The Northman (2022). He also played a tech boss named Lukas Matsson in the TV series Succession (2021–2023). For this role, he received more awards nominations.

Early Life and First Steps in Acting

Alexander Skarsgård was born in Stockholm, Sweden, on August 25, 1976. He is the oldest child of actor Stellan Skarsgård and physician My Skarsgård. His parents are now divorced. He has five younger brothers and sisters: Gustaf, Sam, Bill, Eija, and Valter. Gustaf, Bill, and Valter are also actors. He also has two younger half-brothers from his father's second marriage.

When Alexander was seven, a director friend of his father gave him his first movie role. He played Kalle Nubb in Åke and His World (Åke och hans värld). At 13, he had a main role in a Swedish TV show called Hunden som log (The Dog That Smiled). This made him famous in Sweden. But he felt uncomfortable with the fame and decided to stop acting for a while.

When he was 19, Skarsgård joined the Swedish Armed Forces. He served for 18 months in a special unit that worked against sabotage and terrorism. After his service in 1996, he went to Leeds Metropolitan University in England for six months. He was supposed to study English but mostly had fun. He thought about becoming an architect, but then chose acting. In 1997, he moved to New York City to study theater. He returned to Stockholm after six months, but his time studying theater made him sure he wanted to be an actor.

Career Highlights and Big Roles

Starting Out and Becoming Famous

Skarsgård at the 2009 PaleyFest

When Alexander returned to Sweden, he started getting roles in movies and TV. While on vacation in the United States, he tried out for a part in the 2001 movie Zoolander. This was his first role in an American film. In 2003, he was nominated for an award for his role in Hundtricket-the Movie (The Dog Trick).

He moved to Los Angeles in 2004 but still worked in Sweden. His big break came when he was chosen to play US Marine Brad Colbert in the HBO miniseries Generation Kill. This show was based on a book about the United States Marine Corps during the Iraq War. The director wanted him, but the producer wasn't sure he could do an American accent. After many auditions, Skarsgård got the role. He had to learn the American accent quickly with a coach.

Before filming Generation Kill, Skarsgård heard about True Blood, another HBO series. It was about humans and vampires living together. He wasn't sure about playing a vampire at first. But he was a fan of the show's creator, Alan Ball. He sent an audition tape for a different vampire role. That role went to another actor, but Skarsgård was cast as Eric Northman. Eric is a very old Nordic vampire. This role made Skarsgård very famous. True Blood was on HBO from 2008 to 2014.

In 2009, Skarsgård appeared in the music video for Lady Gaga's song "Paparazzi". He also voiced a character in the 2009 animated film Metropia. In 2010, he played a gay Norwegian man in the British mockumentary Beyond the Pole. He also appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine with his True Blood co-stars.

Recent Film and TV Success

Skarsgård at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con

In 2011, Skarsgård starred in Melancholia, a film directed by Lars von Trier. He played a newlywed husband in the movie, which also featured his father. That same year, he was in Straw Dogs, a remake of an older film.

In 2012, Skarsgård was in Battleship with Taylor Kitsch and Rihanna. He also appeared in What Maisie Knew and Disconnect. In 2013, he starred in The East. In 2015, he was in The Diary of a Teenage Girl. He played a character who makes some questionable choices. Skarsgård was excited to play a complex role.

In 2016, he starred as Tarzan in The Legend of Tarzan. He worked out for seven months to get ready for the part. His performance in the film was praised. He also played a police officer in the black comedy film War on Everyone.

Skarsgård at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival

From 2017 to 2019, Skarsgård starred in the drama series Big Little Lies. He played a challenging character named Perry Wright. His performance was highly praised, and he won a Primetime Emmy Award for the role in 2017. He also won a Golden Globe Award in 2018 for the same role.

In 2018, he starred in the science fiction film Mute. Later that year, he was in The Little Drummer Girl, a miniseries about political events in 1979. In 2019, he played a German architect in The Aftermath. He also had a small but memorable role as the Prime Minister of Canada in the romantic-comedy Long Shot.

Skarsgård starred in The Stand (2020–2021), a miniseries based on a Stephen King novel. He played a charming but evil character named Randall Flagg. In 2021, he was in the monster film Godzilla vs. Kong, which was very successful. He also had a recurring role in the TV series Succession as a tech billionaire named Lukas Matsson. For this role, he was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards.

In 2022, he played Amleth in the epic film The Northman, which he also helped produce. In 2023, Skarsgård starred in the thriller Infinity Pool. He also returned as Lukas Matsson for the final season of Succession, earning another Emmy nomination.

Personal Life and Interests

Alexander Skarsgård is a big fan of football. He supports a club called Hammarby Fotboll, which is from his hometown of Stockholm. In 2010, he donated items to a fundraiser for the club.

In 2011, he received an honorary degree from Leeds Metropolitan University, where he had studied briefly. Skarsgård has also stated that he believes in feminism.

Skarsgård was an ambassador for the American team in a fundraising event called "Walking With The Wounded". This event helped wounded soldiers. He trekked to the South Pole in 2013. He was part of a team that included Prince Harry and actor Dominic West. They all successfully reached the South Pole together on December 13, 2013.

Skarsgård is in a relationship with Swedish actress Tuva Novotny. They had their first child together in 2022.

Filmography

Film

Television

Music videos

Awards and Nominations

See Also

In Spanish: Alexander Skarsgård para niños