The Swedish actor stars in ‘The Man from the North’, a legendary Viking story directed by Robert Eggers
Fans of Viking stories are going to get an extra dose with the premiere of ‘The Man from the North’. Signed by the brilliant director Robert Eggers (‘The Lighthouse’, ‘The Witch’), the film features Alexander Skarsgard (Stockholm, 1976) leading a stellar cast. Based on a medieval Scandinavian legend, the story begins when the Viking prince Amleth (Skarsgard) witnesses his father being killed. At that moment he starts a journey of revenge that takes him to the limits of himself. The star cast also includes Nicole Kidman, Ethan Hawke, Anya Taylor-Joy, Björk, Elliott Rose and Willem Dafoe. The eldest of five children born to actor Stellan Skarsgard and doctor My Skarsgard, Alexander grew up in a working class neighborhood of Stockholm dreaming of acting. When he was seven years old, a friend of his father, a film director, gave him his first role on the big screen, but it was the series ‘True Blood’ that gave him international fame.
-In this film you are forced to enter a primitive space of the human being. Is it possible to get a character of these characteristics out of your head?
-The day to day of filming was a very difficult experience because I felt captive of the character. Living as a wolf was cathartic, because I was forced to connect with the animal side that we carry inside. For any fair-minded Swede, as I consider myself, it is difficult to behave in such a wild way, but it was a great opportunity to let out those hidden emotions that, after all, connect us with nature.
-Do you consider that ‘The Man from the North’ is a real representation of Viking culture?
-There are very representative scenes. I think this film is Eggers’ vision, and that’s how the audience should understand it. The way this director works allows you to admire the scene in its entirety, because he doesn’t like to cut. Let the camera record from various angles with long shots. Even those violent sequences, which are usually more elaborate, had to be shot that way.
-Without a doubt, the Vikings are very present in today’s Hollywood. How did this story come about?
-This trip began almost a decade ago, when Robert began to write the script. From the beginning, his idea was to create an epic adventure about a representative chapter of Scandinavian history. It is not a precise document, because it is a story that has been passed down orally for generations. It is impossible to know to what extent what we are reporting is real, but there are many aspects of Viking culture that are part of my identity and appear on screen.
-Do you feel represented by this film?
-Fiction and reality overlap, but as far as possible we wanted to transport the public to the Viking Age. It is not a modern version of a Viking movie. Our goal was always to do something that felt true to the old Icelandic sagas, but do it in a big way, to entertain the audience. I was born and raised in Sweden, however researching for ‘The Northman’ made me realize how little I knew about the Vikings and the times in which they lived. I was surprised to discover my little knowledge about the relationship of Norse mythology with the spirits that surrounded them. It was fascinating to deepen your understanding of Amleth, to the point of being able to understand the world from his perspective. This film has helped me believe and understand that integral part of my origins.
-They say that Rob Eggers is very demanding. How was his relationship with him?
-When I met Rob, he had just returned from Iceland from meeting Sjon and Bjork, with whom he wrote the screenplay for the film. I was so surprised by his fascination with Norse mythology that I gave in to his offer. After meeting him, I decided to see ‘The Witch’ and I thought it was absolutely stunning. Rob is a filmmaker who pays attention to detail and we needed that precision to shoot a historical film. I think his way of working is very specific, exhausting and demanding, and I admire him for staying true to himself.
-The tape is also loaded with sex.
-It’s true. The public has the opportunity to sit down and enjoy because it is a film that shows many aspects of the human being.
Are you attracted to extreme situations?
-Yes, because, like my character, there is something self-destructive inside me. I have a tendency to look for trouble and I shouldn’t get too close to people who, like me, are also self-destructive.
An image of ‘The Man from the North’.
-He started working at a very young age. Did you always want to be an actor?
-The doors were always open for me in the Swedish industry and I took advantage of that opportunity. I grew up in Sweden, I was educated there, I am not a Hollywood actor who already wanted to be a star at the age of five. The first film I made came about because the director was a friend of my father and he needed a child with my characteristics. I didn’t even want to work, but when I shot the film I got excited about acting. I am happy that my father shared his profession with me, because otherwise I would not be an actor today.
-Is it true that you were inspired by a documentary about wolves to create your character?
-I was fascinated with the way wolves behave. I thought it would be interesting to show a werewolf, letting the mystery of him always be there.
-It has become an erotic symbol. Do you like the label?
-I see myself as a normal person, I have good days and bad days. I think my image has changed a lot since I shot ‘True Blood’. I just hope that the public enjoys my character in ‘The Man from the North’. I’m not interested in characters that are just to look physical, I’ve always tried to find roles that were real, that had substance. I think it’s artistic suicide to be too vain.
-What do you miss about Stockholm in Los Angeles?
I grew up there, it means a lot to me. My family, my childhood friends and a very different lifestyle are still there. I’m happy in Los Angeles, but Stockholm is wonderful because I don’t need a car to get from one place to another. The lifestyle develops within a community and life is more spontaneous. Here it seems that one lives inside a bubble.
#Alexander #Skarsgard #selfdestructive