Alexander Skarsgård

Alexander Johan Hjalmar Skarsgård (born 25 August 1976) is a Swedish actor. A son of actor Stellan Skarsgård, he began acting at the age of seven but quit at thirteen. After serving in the Swedish Navy, Skarsgård returned to acting and gained his first role in the American comedy film Zoolander. He played Brad Colbert in the miniseries Generation Kill (2008) and had his international breakthrough portraying vampire Eric Northman in the television series True Blood (2008–2014).

After appearing in films such as Melancholia (2011), Battleship (2012) and The Legend of Tarzan (2016), Skarsgård starred in the drama series Big Little Lies (2017–2019) as an abusive husband, which earned him a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award. He went on to appear in the films Long Shot (2019), Godzilla vs. Kong (2021), Passing (2021), The Northman (2022), which he also produced, Infinity Pool (2023), and Pillion (2025). He also played Randall Flagg in the miniseries The Stand (2020–2021) and tech mogul Lukas Matsson in the drama series Succession (2021–2023), for which he was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award. He currently stars in the science-fiction comedy series Murderbot (2025–present).

Early life and education Skarsgård was born on 25 August 1976 in Stockholm, Sweden. He is the eldest son of actor Stellan Skarsgård and physician My Skarsgård. His parents are divorced. He has five younger siblings: Gustaf, Sam, Bill, Eija and Valter, and two half-brothers, Ossian and Kolbjörn, from his father's second wife, Megan Everett. Gustaf, Bill, Valter, and Kolbjörn are also actors.

A friend of his father's, a director, gave Skarsgård his first film role when he was seven years old, playing Kalle Nubb in Åke and His World (Åke och hans värld). In 1989, his lead role in the Swedish television production Hunden som log (The Dog That Smiled) earned him praise and brought him to prominence in Sweden at age 13. Uncomfortable with the fame, he quit acting at that same age.

At 19, Skarsgård applied for his national service. He served for 18 months in the Swedish Navy's SäkJakt ("protect and hunt") unit that dealt with anti-sabotage and anti-terrorism in the Stockholm archipelago. After completing his service in 1996, he left Sweden and attended Leeds Metropolitan University in England for six months. He enrolled to study English but admits he did not study much and "had a blast" instead.

Career 2000s: Career beginnings and television breakthrough

On his return to Sweden, Skarsgård began landing roles in film, television and theatrical productions. his first role in an American film. His break came when he was cast as US Marine Brad Colbert in the HBO miniseries Generation Kill. An adaptation of journalist Evan Wright's book of the same name, Generation Kill follows the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion of the United States Marine Corps during the early part of the Iraq War. Director Susanna White wanted to cast him, but executive producer David Simon was not convinced he could do a convincing American accent. After four auditions in three cities, Skarsgård learned the role was his just 36 hours before he had to board a plane for Namibia where the project was filming. The cast and crew spent seven months in the desert there, shooting six days a week. Skarsgård worked with a dialect coach to master the American accent.

Just before leaving to shoot Generation Kill, Skarsgård heard about the development of True Blood, an HBO series based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries novels by Charlaine Harris, which chronicle the coexistence of humans and vampires in a town in Louisiana. Though initially reluctant about playing a vampire, he sent an audition tape for the role of Bill Compton on learning that screenwriter Alan Ball was behind the project. and the role brought Skarsgård to prominence. To inform his portrayal, he studied the work of actors Max Schreck and Bela Lugosi and the film Nosferatu (1922). He said that playing Northman appealed to his preference for characters who were not simply diabolical or righteous. receiving mixed reviews. 2010s: Film and television success

In 2010, Skarsgård portrayed Terje, a gay Norwegian trekking to the North Pole, in the British mockumentary Beyond the Pole. Suit-maker Hickey Freeman chose Skarsgård to model a new look it debuted in 2010. Annie Leibovitz photographed the ad campaign, which appeared in The Wall Street Journal Magazine, GQ and Details. Skarsgård appeared on the cover of the September 2010 issue of Rolling Stone with his True Blood co-stars Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer.

In 2011, Skarsgård starred in Melancholia, a film directed by Lars von Trier. He portrayed a newlywed alongside Kirsten Dunst as his wife in the film, which premiered at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival and also co-stars his father. That same year, he appeared in Straw Dogs, a remake of the 1971 film of the same name, as Charlie Venner. The remake's director, Rod Lurie, transferred the small town setting from Cornwall to Mississippi and described Venner as "an ex-football star gone to seed". The film co-starred James Marsden and Kate Bosworth, and was released 16 September 2011. Negatively reviewed by critics, the film had a dismal performance at the box office. He also appeared alongside Julianne Moore and Steve Coogan in Scott McGehee and David Siegel's film What Maisie Knew, an adaptation of the Henry James novel of the same name. He was also part of the ensemble cast in Henry Alex Rubin's thriller Disconnect, playing opposite Paula Patton. Skarsgård starred alongside Brit Marling and Elliot Page in Zal Batmanglij's 2013 film The East. He appeared in the film The Diary of a Teenage Girl as a man who begins an affair with his girlfriend's underage daughter. The film did not generate success at the box office. It received mixed reviews, with Skarsgård's performance garnering praise. He next portrayed a deviant policeman in the black comedy film War on Everyone, which was released that same year. He described his character as violent due to internal conflicts involving his insecurities about needing his wife. Reviewing the first-season finale, The Hollywood Reporters Daniel Fienberg found Skarsgård's performance "utterly chilling". Skarsgård won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie in 2017 for the role. He starred in the science fiction film Mute as a silent bartender in a futuristic society, which was released in February 2018. It received positive reviews. In 2019, he portrayed a sensitive German architect in The Aftermath, a film set in 1946 post-war Hamburg. He appeared in the romantic-comedy Long Shot as the prime minister of Canada. Critics were fond of the film, with The Guardians Kristy Puchko commending Skarsgård in the minor role and how he "makes a meal out of it". Released in May 2019, it had an unsuccessful commercial performance.

2020s: Continued success

Skarsgård starred in The Stand, a CBS All Access miniseries based on the 1978 novel of the same name by Stephen King, portraying Randall Flagg, a charming demon. It ran from December 2020 to February 2021. He next starred in the 2021 monster film Godzilla vs. Kong, which earned positive reviews and commercial success. Skarsgård recurred during the third season of the comedy-drama series Succession as tech mogul Lukas Matsson, for which he received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. He portrayed Amleth in the epic film The Northman. Released in April 2022, the film garnered favorable reviews, with Richard Lawson of Vanity Fair deeming Skarsgård "a fine vessel for the film's opulent menace". In 2023, Skarsgård starred in the thriller Infinity Pool, and returned as Lukas Matsson for the fourth and final season of Succession. For his role as Matsson, Skarsgård was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2023.

In 2025, he played the title role in the science-fiction comedy series Murderbot on Apple TV+, and stars as a sexually dominant gay biker in the British film Pillion.

Skarsgård hosted the 1,000th episode of Saturday Night Live on 31 January 2026 with rapper Cardi B as the musical guest.

Personal life Skarsgård is an atheist, and a feminist. A football fan, Skarsgård supports Hammarby Fotboll, a club based in Stockholm, his birth city. In October 2010, he donated several autographed items to "Bajen Aid", the club's fundraising auction. In July 2011, he received an honorary degree from Leeds Metropolitan University, which he had attended.

Skarsgård was the Ambassador for the American team for a Walking with the Wounded fundraising event for wounded soldiers. He trekked to the South Pole against Team UK (Prince Harry, Ambassador) and Team Canada / Australia (actor Dominic West, Ambassador). A few days into the trek, it was decided that the competition part would be cancelled due to hazardous terrain and weather conditions, so the teams combined forces and continued together, and all three successfully reached the South Pole on 13 December 2013.

Skarsgård lived in the United States for 20 years; first in New York, then in Los Angeles while he was filming True Blood for seven years until he moved back to New York. who lives in Denmark.

Filmography Film

Year Title Role Notes 1984 Åke and His World Kalle Nubb 1989 The Dog That Smiled Jojjo 1999 Happy End Bamse Viktorsson 2000 The Diver Ingmar White Water Fury Anders Wings of Glass Johan 2001 Kites Over Helsinki Robin Åström Zoolander Meekus 2002 The Dog Trick Robinson-Micke 2003 To Kill a Child Man Short film; co-directed with Björne Larson 2004 Heartbeat The Pilot Short film 2005 Double Shift Nisse Om Sara Kalle Öberg 2006 The Last Drop Lt. Jergen Voller Never Be Mine Christopher Kill Your Darlings Geert Score Micke Exit Fabian von Klerking 2007 Järnets änglar Stefan 2009 Metropia Stefan (voice) Beyond the Pole Terje 2010 Trust Me Alex Moomins and the Comet Chase Moomintroll (voice) 13 Jack 2011 Straw Dogs Charlie Venner Melancholia Michael 2012 Battleship Commander Stone Hopper What Maisie Knew Lincoln Disconnect Derek Hull 2013 The East Benji 2014 The Giver Jonas' Father 2015 Hidden Ray The Diary of a Teenage Girl Monroe Rutherford 2016 Zoolander 2 Adam Cameo War on Everyone Terry Monroe The Legend of Tarzan Tarzan / John Clayton 2018 Mute Leo Beiler The Hummingbird Project Anton Zaleski Hold the Dark Vernon Slone 2019 The Aftermath Stefan Lubert Long Shot Prime Minister James Steward The Kill Team Sergeant Deeks 2021 Passing John Bellew Godzilla vs. Kong Nathan Lind 2022 The Northman Amleth Also producer 2023 Infinity Pool James Foster Also executive producer Eric Larue Ron LaRue Lee Roland Penrose 2025 Pillion Ray 2026 The Moment Johannes Godwin Wicker Wicker Husband Also executive producer The Wolf Will Tear Your Immaculate Hands The father

Television

Year Title Role Notes 1987 Idag röd Fred Television film 1999 Vita lögner Marcus Englund 10 episodes2000 D-dag Lise's Stepson Television film Judith Ante Lindström Episode: "Del 2" 2005 Revelations Gunnar Eklind Miniseries 2006 Cuppen Micke Television film 2007 Golden Brown Eyes Boogey Knights Singer 2 episodes 2008 Generation Kill Brad "Iceman" Colbert Miniseries; 7 episodes 2008–2014 True Blood Eric Northman 76 episodes 2013 Eastbound & Down Adult Toby Powers Episode: "Chapter 29" 2017–2019 Big Little Lies Perry Wright Main role2018 Drunk History James Dunn Episode: "Heroines" The Little Drummer Girl Gadi Becker 6 episodes 2019 On Becoming a God in Central Florida Travis Stubbs Episode: "The Stinker Thinker" 2020–2021 The Stand Randall Flagg Main role 2021–2023 Succession Lukas Matsson Recurring role (season 3), main cast (season 4) 2022 Atlanta Himself Episode: "Tarrare" The Kingdom Svensk advokat 2 episodes Documentary Now! Rainer Wolz Episode: "Soldier of Illusion, Parts 1 & 2" 2024 Mr. & Mrs. Smith Other John Episode: "First Date" What We Do in the Shadows Vampire Episode: "Come Out and Play" 2025–present Murderbot Murderbot Main role 2026 Saturday Night Live Himself (host) Episode: Alexander Skarsgård/Cardi B

Music videos Year Title Role Artist 2009 "Paparazzi" Boyfriend Lady Gaga 2013 "Free Your Mind" Cult Leader Cut Copy 2025 "A Season in Hell" Running Man These New Puritans

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result 2003 Odense International Film Festival Grand Prix To Kill a Child Press Award Guldbagge Awards Best Supporting Actor Hundtricket — The Movie 2009 Scream Awards Best Villain True Blood Best Television Ensemble 2010 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Saturn Awards Best Supporting Actor in Television NewNowNext Awards Brink of Fame: Actor Scream Awards Best Television Performance Best Horror Actor 2011 Teen Choice Awards Choice Vampire Scream Awards Best Horror Actor Best Ensemble Hamptons International Film Festival Breakthrough Performer Melancholia 2012 Robert Awards Best Supporting Actor (Årets mandlige birolle) Melancholia Fangoria Chainsaw Awards Best Supporting Actor Straw Dogs 2017 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Television Movie Big Little Lies Satellite Awards Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries or Film – Television Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Supporting Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries 2020 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series 2022 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series Succession 2024 Golden Globe Awards Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries, or Television Film Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series Canadian Screen AwardsBest Lead Performance in a Drama FilmInfinity Pool 2025 Gotham Independent Film Awards Outstanding Supporting Performance Pillion British Independent Film Awards Best Supporting Performance New York Film Critics Online Awards Best Supporting Actor London Film Critics Circle Awards Supporting Actor of the Year Stockholm International Film Festival Stockholm Achievement Award Himself Critics' Choice Awards Best Actor in a Comedy Series Murderbot