Egill Ólafsson

Egill Ólafsson (born 9 February 1953) is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, and actor. He is married to the actress Tinna Gunnlaugsdóttir.

Education Egill Ólafsson studied playing guitar and piano when he was young and was part of a boys' brass band under the direction of Karl Otto Runólfsson.

While he was a student at Hamrahlid College from 1970 until 1974, Egill Ólafsson sang in the choir of the school Kór MH.

1970 he started to study at the Tónlistarskólinn (music school in Reykjavík). The disciplines he was studying were singing and composing. In 1976 Egill Ólafsson graduated at Tónlistarskólinn In Reykjavík.

Professional life Among his compositions are music for choirs, brass band music and music for strings and trumpets. He has composed around 30 theatrical works. He composed for musicals Grettir, Eva Luna and Come Dance With Me, the latter having a run on off-Broadway in 1996. His works have been played by various ensembles like Spilverk þjóðanna, Stuðmenn, Hinn íslenski Þursaflokkur, Tríó Björns Thoroddsen, Blái hatturinn, Les Grand Tango and The Icelandic Sound Company. And just recently (2015–16) he's been working with the German group Strom & Wasser as a co-writer and musician. The product has been released by Traumton in Berlin, called "Reykjavik" (Double Album).

He has landed many stage roles in Icelandic Theatre and film roles in Icelandic, German and Scandinavian films.

Under the mononym Egill he released a number of albums mainly with Stuðmenn / Spilverk þjóðanna labels. He also co-wrote materials with Finnish artist Matti Kallio, a resident of Iceland.

Egill Ólafsson also is a musical-performer. Several times he was performing leading characters in the Icelandic productions of different musicals at the Icelandic National Theatre, for instance Evita (Perón), Carmen negra (Escamillo), Three Penny Opera (Peachum), Kiss me Kate (Fred Graham) and also in many of the plays he has written as composer.

He appeared as Javert in Vesalingarnir, the Icelandic adaptation of Les Misérables at the National Theatre, after having played the role of Jean Valjean in the same musical a quarter of a century earlier. At Les Misérables: The Dream Cast in Concert on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the opening of the Original West End production of the musical Les Misérables Egill Ólafsson was performing as one of the Seventeen Valjeans at the second encore. It was filmed in October 1995 at the Royal Albert Hall and released on DVD, VHS and LaserDisc distributed by Sony Pictures (US/CAN) and BBC Video (UK).

Ólafsson starred in the 2024 romantic drama Snerting for which he won the 2025 Edda Award for Best Leading Actor.

Personal life He is married to the actress and former artistic director at the National Theatre in Iceland (2005-2015) Tinna Gunnlaugsdóttir. Their children are Ólafur Egilsson, actor, director and writer and Gunnlaugur Egilsson, ballet dancer and Ellen Erla Egilsdóttir.

Before the Icelandic loan guarantees referendum, 2010 Egill Ólafsson was one of the Icelandic celebrities, who spoke out to vote "no".

At the elections for the Icelandic parliament Althing in April 2013, Egill Ólafsson was a candidate of Lýðræðisvaktin (Iceland Democratic Party).

In October 2013 his work was honored by FTT (Society Of Songwriters In Iceland).

On 17 June 2015 his work was honored by the President of Iceland. Egill Ólafsson was awarded with the Falcon Order Medal.

In October 2022, it was revealed that Egill had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

Work Discography Albums 1991: Tifa tifa 1992: Blátt blátt 2001: Angelus Novus / Nýr engill 2003: Brot...Músík úr leikhúsinu 2006: Miskunn dalfiska 2007: Hymnalög 2012: Vetur 2013: Örlög mín 2018: Fjall

Singles 2013: "Ekkert þras" (with Moses Hightower, Lay Low and Högni Egilsson)

Filmography Touch (2024, dir. Baltasar Kormákur) - Kristófer The Husky in Iceland - (2014) - Narration Team of the Way: Part 5 - Home (2012) - Narration Dream about the road part 3.- The Words (2012) - Narration Legends of Valhalla - Thor (2011) - Main Cast (Icelandic version) Steindinn okkar 2 (2011) - Supporting Cast Dream of the Way: Part 2 - Heritage (2011) - Narration The Magic Wardrobe (2011) - Supporting Cast Mannasiðir Gillz (2010) - Supporting Cast Court 2 (2010) - Supporting Cast Dream of the Way: Part 1 - Prelude (2010) - Narration Big Rescue, The (2009) - Supporting Cast Court (2008) - Supporting Cast Ahead of Time (2004) - Screenplay Ahead of Time (2004) - Main Cast Crossroads (2001) - Main Cast Dramarama (2001) - Supporting Cast Angels of the Universe (2000) - Supporting Cast Citizen Cam (1999) - Main Cast Honour of the House (1999) - Supporting Cast Vildspor (1998) - Main Cast Count Me Out (1997) - Supporting Cast The Viking Sagas (1996) - Hrut the bowman Private Lives (1995) - Supporting CastAgnes (1995) - Main Cast Der Gartenkrieg (1994) - Supporting Cast Wallpaper: An Erotic Love Story (1992) - Supporting Cast Men's Choir, The (original: Karlakórinn Hekla / Der Männerchor) (1992) - Main Cast Children of Nature (1991) - Supporting Cast The White Viking (1991) - Olaf Tryggvason Rust (1990) - Music Composer Rust (1990) - Main Cast Stalin Is Not Here - Main Cast Under the Glacier (1989) - Supporting Cast Magnus (1989) - Main Cast Pretty Angels (1989) - Main Cast In the Shadow of the Raven (1988) - Hjörleifur Hörthursson Cool Jazz and Coconuts (1985) - Screenplay Cool Jazz and Coconuts (1985) - Main Cast Black and Without Sugar (1985) - Music Composer When the Raven Flies (1984) - Thord's brother Golden Gate, The (1984) - Supporting Cast Inter Nos (1982) - Music Composer On Top (1982) - Main Cast Twins, The (1981) - Supporting Cast Twins, The (1981) - Music Performers Twins, The (1981) - Music Composer Silfurtunglið (1978) - Music Composer Silfurtunglið (1978) - Main Cast

Compositions

(Music composed for theatre)

The City Of Crooks 1976 The Theatre School Of Iceland The Beginners 1977 The National Theatre of Iceland Mr. Klemensson 1978 (Ballet) NT (Icel) The Cheery´s On The North - Mountain (Kabuki – Play) 1979 NT (Icel) /Det Norske Teater The Saga Of Grettir 1980 City Theatre in Iceland Schocklate For Silja 1982 NT (Icel) Ich tanze mit dir (Ballet) NT (Icel) 1987 The Steamship 1990 / The Theatre School Of Iceland Platanov 1992 City Theatre in Reykjavík/Malmö Statsteater Uncle Vanja 1992 City Theatre in Reykjavík Eva Luna (The Musical) 1994 (The Musical) City Theatre in Reykjavík Tears And Endearment (original Icelandic title: Þrek og tár) 1995 NT (Icel) As You Like It 1996 NT (Icel) Come Dance With Me 1997 Cernucini Teatre (Off – BRDW) Mice And Man Loftkastalinn 1998 Anna Karenina NT (Icel.) 1999 Day Of Hope City Theatre in Reykjavík 2006 Four Jews On Parnassus Neue Nationalgalerie Berlin - 3 November 2008 Viva la Vida/Frida Kahló NT (Icel) 2009 The Women Of The Parlament NT (Icel) 2013