Facts: Gustaf Skarsgård
42 years. After several child and youth roles, he had his breakthrough in the film “Förortsungar” (2006), for which he received a Guldbagge. He has filmed in Swedish in, among others, “Patrik 1.5” (2008), “The Library Thief” (2011, TV), “438 days” (2019) and “The Immigrants” (2021).
Internationally, he has appeared in the TV series “Vikings” (2013-2020) and “Cursed” (2020) as well as in the films “Kon-Tiki” (2012) and “Air” (2023).
Gustaf Skarsgård has also done several major theater roles, such as “Den varvarsamma leken” and “Hamlet” at Kulturhuset Stadsteatern in Stockholm and most recently “Tröstrapporter” at Dramaten.
After the blockbuster “The Emigrants”, Gustaf Skarsgård returns to the same era, the 1850s. But Småland and North America are exchanged for upper Tornedalen when Disney+ adapts Mikael Niemi’s novel “Koka björn” as its first Nordic drama series.
Gustaf Skarsgård plays the provost Lars Levi Læstadius who, together with the Sami boy Jussi, investigates a mysterious death in the summer of 1852.
– Then in this universe there is also Norrland and religion and the priest and his revival movement. But it is the detective story that drives the story forward, says Gustaf Skarsgård.
1850s, yes please!
The Norwegian Trygve Allister Diesen directs the film. Disney has not yet announced the other names in the cast.
For Gustaf Skarsgård, it will be a throwback to the 1850s. He played the main role as Karl-Oskar in the new film adaptation of “The Immigrants” this year.
— Yes! 1850s union. Don’t call me if it’s not set in the 1800s, says Gustaf Skarsgård and laughs.
— No, but jokes aside. I really enjoy doing historical dramas. Most of my roles have not been in the present tense. And I could do a doctorate in dirty make-up on film.
Lars Levi Læstadius lived between 1800 and 1861.
Lars Levi Læstadius founded the revival movement Læstadianism and was a very controversial person during his lifetime.
— He wrote a great deal and was an extremely intellectual theologian. There is nothing that is deepened in this story. But it’s a lot of fun as an actor to have access to the character’s own thoughts.
“Oppenheimer”
The recording starts in the days. This summer, Gustaf Skarsgård is also featured in director Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster “Oppenheimer”, about the father of the atomic bomb, Robert Oppenheimer. That film premieres on July 21.
– That was unbelievable. Now it’s like you shouldn’t blink twice, because then you might miss me… But it was incredibly exciting just to be there even on a corner. And watch these masters at work.
Gustaf Skarsgård plays the German scientist Hans Bethe who helps the Americans develop the atomic bomb. He was impressed by his co-workers on the film set.
— Everyone knows they are there because they are the best in the world at what they do, which creates a very relaxed atmosphere. It created some kind of community that you otherwise experience at a free group theatre.