STELLAN SKARSGARD
INTERVIEW BY DAVID FINCHER
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDREAS OHLUND @LUNDLUND
ASSISTED BY THERESE ZETTERHOLM
STYLING BY NIKE FELLDIN @ AGENT BAUER
ALL CLOTHES STYLISTS OWN + VINTAGE
—
It’s official: Sweden is hot. From the fresh musical stylings of Robyn and Lykke Li (interviewed on page 110) to Stieg Larsson’s best-selling Millennium trilogy, right now the world is feeling the need for Swedes and that’s quite alright as far as Stellan Skarsgård is concerned. A Scandinavian native hailing from Gothenburg, the accomplished actor has been embracing that international love for quite some time with roles in Good Will Hunting, Angels & Demons, Thor and two of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies as crustacean-coated villain Bootstrap Bill Turner. He’s currently keeping his American blockbuster status in check, filming scenes for The Avengers, but this winter fans will see him return to his homeland in David Fincher’s interpretation of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – the first of Larsson’s books. Set in Stockholm and the hoary Swedish countryside, Skarsgård plays a suspicious CEO at the heart of the thriller opposite Daniel Craig’s investigative journalist. Fincher was more than happy to catch up with Skarsgård for The Lab and ask him all about his process, their shared work ethic, and of course what they both love about Sweden.
David Fincher—How and where are you?
Stellan Skarsgård—I’m very well. I’m in Sweden right now, but I have a small role in that Avengers film so I’m flying back and forth to Albuquerque [New Mexico] for filming, which is an interesting place.
DF—That’s a very polite choice of words.
SS—Is this a safe line?
DF—I think we’re good. I wanted to talk to you mostly about your process, because I would love more actors to be like you.
SS—I wouldn’t like that competition.
DF—How can you exist with so little insecurity and so much ease? How do you do it?
SS—I’m incredibly insecure and afraid. For a couple of years I had total camera fright. I couldn’t function in front of the camera. That was about thirty years ago. Sometimes this panic cloud can come over you then you freeze up – it’s really horrifying. So I spend a lot of energy not being afraid.
DF—How does that work? Do you decide I’m just going to go to the office today in my underwear, so to speak?
SS—Sometimes I imagine myself without pants on, because if I’m that ridiculous nothing is dangerous anymore. But basically, I prepare a lot and I don’t spend that much time in my trailer. I’m on the set because I want to become a part of the process of making the film, part of the crew.
DF—I loved that and I think it’s infectious for everyone. There’s so little time in the process of making movies to actually spend time making the movie. So being around on set a lot does create community.
SS—It also builds the focus around what we’re actually there to do. It heightens the importance of what we’re doing. I feel I’m a part of this huge organism, which is the film crew and the project and that makes me feel safer.
Continue Reading This Article 1 2 3 4
