In the middle of the Cold War, a Soviet submarine ran aground outside Karlskrona. This means that Sweden is suddenly at the center of events. It’s about “Whiskey on the rocks”, SVT’s new series which premieres on December 25.
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Soviet submarine ran aground off Karlskrona
The series is inspired by the real events that took place in October and November 1981. On the night of October 28, the Soviet submarine U-137, of the so-called Whiskey class, ran aground on Torhamnaskär in the Blekinge archipelago.
The Soviet submarine U 137 aground in Gåsefjärden. Photo: Jan Collsiöö/TT
At this time, the Cold War was at its most intense, and in the satirical drama series “Whiskey on the rocks” an alternative version of the course of events that shook Sweden is depicted.
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“Whiskey on the rocks” is broadcast on SVT
Starring as Thorbjörn Fälldin we see Rolf Lassgaard. The then Prime Minister Thorbjörn Fälldin was in the middle of the world’s spotlight when the incident occurred. The series is a co-production between SVT, Disney+ and Skyverse, and is released in six episodes.
Thorbjörn Fälldin in 1985. Photo: SvD/TT
For News24 Rolf Lassgård has previously told about how he went about portraying Thorbjörn Fälldin as realistically as possible.
– Bosse Parneviks imitation of Thorbjörn Fälldin is something that we have very much on the retina, so my first thought was actually to get away from it. Through both biographies and a lot of clips with Thorbjörn alive, it wasn’t that simple that he just slurred. It wasn’t that simple. But rather it was a rather cunning way to buy time and think about what to answer simply.
Photo: Henrik Montgomery/TT
And it turns out that Rolf Lassgård and Thorbjörn Fälldin actually have a certain aspect in common.
– It is a novel that I made into a theater in the late 80s called “The Great Wrath”, which was incredibly significant for Thorbjörn Fälldin and also for me, says Rolf Lassgård.
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Rolf Lassgård plays former Prime Minister Thorbjörn FälldinPhoto: Henrik Montgomery/TT
Thorbjörn Fälldin was prime minister for two terms from October 1976 to October 1978, and from October 1979 to October 1982. The former prime minister and center party died in August 2016 and was 90 years old. But how well had Rolf Lassgård, who plays him in the new series, coped with the role of prime minister?
– Yes, it would probably have been difficult. But I’m glad we had him as Prime Minister during these days. A man who really stood with both feet on the ground. I would be more nervous today.
Photo: Audrius Solominas/SVTPhoto: Audrius Solominas/SVT
In the series, Rolf Lassgård is often seen with a pipe in the corner of his mouth, just as Thorbjörn Fälldin lived in real life. And for everyone who has wondered how smoking actually happens during a film shoot, Rolf Lassgård has the answer. Is it a real pipe, or is it just “movie magic”? It turns out that a certain detail is actually not true to life, when it comes to the portrayal of Thorbjörn Fälldin’s pipe smoking.
– No, it’s a real pipe but it’s some form of nicotine-free tobacco, you could say, reveals Lassgård.
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