NEW behind-the-scenes image of Randall Flagg (Alexander Skarsgård) whispering in Frannie’s (Odessa Young) ear in series finale of ‘The Stand’ by still photographer Robert K. Falconer.
Shared on Instagram (@robertkfalconer) and his website 4/19/2021. The first is my edit, the second is the original.
From punishing landscapes to brutal fight scenes, learn how The Northman pushed Robert Eggers and Alexander Skarsgård to their limits on the first episode of After The Movie with Dave Karger. ️
Watch the film and then join the conversation: watchthenorthman.com
Uploaded May 17, 2022 on Focus Features YouTube page
Deciding first on a Viking story was a major hurdle for actor and producer Alexander Skarsgård, although he knew that he wanted to do something with the Norse sagas. But The Northman wasn’t just any passion project for Skarsgård, who describes the Vikings as an “integral part of life in Scandinavia.” So much so that as a child, he suggested to his parents to name his younger brothers with Norse names when they were born, both of which stuck (if only as middle names). For his brother Gustaf, Alexander suggested orm, or “snake,” and for his other brother Sam, the Norse ice giant Ymer felt appropriate. Although there were moments that both physically and mentally required every last bit of self-perseverance, the hope of achieving anything close to Eggers and Jarin’s storyboard was just the motivation he needed to keep going and to create a“really beautiful scene.”
Alexander Skarsgård and Robert Eggers interview with Laura Harding about THE NORTHMAN.
It appeared in several newspapers in the UK (this one was the Sunday Sun, dated April 17, 2022) and the interview also appeared on irishexaminer.com (below)
My digital scans. Photos by Michael Campanella and Jeff Spicer (Getty) and Aidan Monaghan / Focus Features.
Alexander Skarsgard: ‘I had never seen an epic Viking film told in an accurate way’
Alexander Skarsgård will star in “The Tiger” as the leader of a group of men tasked with protecting the endangered cats from poachers and loggers.
The actor recently headlined the blood-drenched viking epic “The Northman,” receiving a great deal of attention for his physical transformation into a chiseled Norse avenger. He will team here with Ukrainian filmmaker Myroslav Slaboshpytskyi, who wrote and will direct “The Tiger” based on the book by John Vaillant. Slaboshpytskyi previously directed 2014’s “The Tribe,”a critically-heralded story about a school for the deaf that was done entirely in Ukrainian sign language, with no subtitles.
NEW article – Alexander Skarsgård talks to ELLE ITALIA (April 13, 2022) about THE NORTHMAN
The feminist VIKING
by Silvia Locatelli (photos by Giulia Parmigiani and Aidan Monaghan)
The Northman is the film he has dreamed of for years. And if Alexander Skarsgård on the screen is a savage thirsty for revenge, in his life he loves routine and is proud of his country, Sweden, one of the most egalitarian in the world.
As there was a surplus of joy in the first encounters in the post-pandemic presence, perhaps even a different awareness; the fact is that it is immediately empathy.
Alexander Skarsgård is Swedish and certainly Jante’s law is also involved, that code of conduct that strongly conditions Scandinavians with teachings such as “You are not special, even if you are successful in Hollywood”. He smiles from the height of his 198 centimeters and it must not be easy to put a partner next to him in films, will it be because when he finds an actress over six feet like Nicole Kidman he holds her tight? «In fact … The truth is that we have been friends since the days of Big Little Lies. He is a huge football fan and comments on the recent common misfortunes: “It is more difficult for you to digest the elimination from the World Cup, you are the European champions, we did not have high expectations”. 45 years old, Stellan’s son, lives between Stockholm and New York. He is the protagonist of one of the most anticipated films of the season, The Northman directed by Robert Eggers who co-wrote it together with the Icelandic poet Sjón Sigurdsson (in the cast also Anya Taylor-Joy, Ethan Hawke and Kidman, in fact, in the hall from 21 April). Set in the 10th century AD, it is the raw, harsh, epic story of a kind of Viking avenger, Prince Amleth (the legend that also inspired Shakespeare) who witnesses the assassination of his father by his uncle, safe and returns as an adult to avenge him. An ambitious project of which “Alex” is also a producer: “It was all much more rewarding and exciting than usual because I was involved from the beginning”. It is the Viking film he has dreamed of making for about ten years, the mythological universe that fascinated him as a child.
NEW BOOK featuring new photos, interviews with Alexander Skarsgård and more of the creators of THE NORTHMAN and writer Simon Abrams
ScreenRant has a look at the new book ‘The Northman: A Call To The Gods Goes Inside The Viking Epic’ [EXCLUSIVE]
Set to be released on September 6, 2022 - you can pre-order it on Amazon.
PROFILE OF AN AWARD-WINNING DIRECTOR: Using acclaimed director Robert Eggers’ own firsthand account, The Northman: A Call to the Gods delivers a revealing profile of his inspirations, and his creative process.
EXCLUSIVE PHOTOGRAPHS: Explore dozens of photographs of the set, crew, director Robert Eggers, and the award-winning cast, including Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Ethan Hawke, Anya Taylor-Joy, Willem Dafoe, and Björk.
GO BEHIND THE SCENES: Delve into never-before-seen storyboards and set designs that give a glimpse into the fascinating art and craft of filmmaking.
PERFECT FOR FILM ENTHUSIASTS: The Northman: A Call to the Gods is the perfect gift for movie fans and anyone interested in Viking legend and lore.
photos via screenrant.com; the final book cover is yet to be revealed. Photographs by Aidan Monaghan / Focus Features
This was recorded live after a screening of THE NORTHMAN on Thursday, April 21, 2022 at 92nd Street Y in New York City. The interview was on Josh’s ‘Happy Sad Confused’ podcast.
Besides encouraging everyone to see and support The Northman, Josh showed clips from ZoolanderandTrue Blood and also asked him about rexdanger on Instagram.
NEW/old video of Alexander Skarsgård and co-star Adriyan Rae on set in Paris, France. They shot the season 3 finale of ‘ATLANTA’ there. You can stream the episode on Hulu. (The episode, 3.10 ‘Tarrare” originally aired on May 19, 2022 on FX.)
NEW photo! Alexander SkarsgårdandAdriyan Rae on set of ATLANTA in Paris, France
Alex appears as (a parody) of himself in episode 3.10 ‘Tarrare’ which aired on May 19, 2022 on FX. You can stream the episode now on HULU.
Thanks to adriyanrae on Instagram, 5/20/2022. She said: 8. This happened. He said “This is too beautiful. Someone’s gotta get proposed to… “ Why is he as tall as me while on one knee
Additional photo & video shared today, May 23, 2022 by Adriyan on her Instagram
8. This video cracks me up every time =9. We aren’t engaged but it is all love. He’s pretty awesome 10. Muah Im pretty sure this was taken while Alex was somewhere in a leopard speedo .
*I posted a screen cap of the video, but will post the actual video in my next post.
reblogging for the new pics from Adriyan Rae. There will be a video in my next post.
NEW/old video of Alexander Skarsgård and Trainer Magnus Lygdbäck on set of THE NORTHMAN.
Video from magnuslydgback (shared May 20, 2022 on Instagram): People always ask me if sticking to a diet for a whole shoot is hard..To be honest, there’s not much to it ♂️
NEW photo! Alexander SkarsgårdandAdriyan Rae on set of ATLANTA in Paris, France
Alex appears as (a parody) of himself in episode 3.10 ‘Tarrare’ which aired on May 19, 2022 on FX. You can stream the episode now on HULU.
Thanks to adriyanrae on Instagram, 5/20/2022. She said: 8. This happened. He said “This is too beautiful. Someone’s gotta get proposed to… “ Why is he as tall as me while on one knee
Before the season premiered, Donald revealed Ryan Gosling was almost on the show. Was he supposed to play Alexander Skarsgård’s part?
Yes, this is the role we tried to get him to do — not to say that we settled for Alexander Skarsgård. I feel like there were like three people we were like, “Oh my gosh, it would be so perfect if we could [cast them.” Alex was one of them. Ryan Gosling was one of them. I forget who else might have been in the mix. But, we were so lucky to get Alex. Now watching the episode, it couldn’t have been anyone else but him. He commits so well to the comedy and self-deprecation. He’s so funny to watch, and I can’t wait for everyone to see him. [Laughs] Yeah, it’s pretty ridiculous.
In your mind, how does the Alexander Skarsgård character fit into what you wanted to explore in this episode but also in the season as a whole, because there have been several cameos?
There wasn’t anything deep to it other than we thought it would be funny. [Laughs]. That’s just one of the things where it’s like, “Wouldn’t it be funny if we don’t hear or see Van for a while and then we sort of crash-land into this new life that she’s made for herself and she’s friends with Alexander Skarsgård. How jarring and abrupt would that feel?” And the nature of their relationship being twisted and weird, and kind of unhealthy. That was just pure comedy. I think for a lot of those cameos, at least from my recollection, [came from asking], “Wouldn’t it be funny if?” And then we just write it and see if we can do it. What you see is what you get.
Bill Skarsgård is the latest of the Skarsgård clan to dramatically beef up for a role, following in the footsteps of older brother Alexander, who gained 20 to 30 pounds to play a Viking berserker in The Northman. (See before and after comparisons of the brothers’ journey from sinewy to beefy at the bottom of the post.)
In the forthcoming film Boy Kills World, described as a “dystopian fever dream action thriller,” Skarsgård plays Boy, a deaf mute with a vibrant imagination. When his family is murdered, he’s trained by a mysterious shaman to repress his childish fantasies and become an instrument of death.
“This was an incredible journey into something completely new for me,” the actor tells EW exclusively. “I had two months to learn how to pretend how to fight well. [Action coordinator] Dawe Szatarski is a wizard, and he might’ve just pulled it off. The abs I credit to another wizard, my main man Valdemar Fredriksson. I just showed up, slightly late.”
In the exclusive first look above, a buff, shirtless Skarsgård is featured with his fists up, ready to fight. The normally svelt actor underwent a two-month martial arts crash course with Szatarski, a renowned action and fight designer who trained under Jackie Chan’s longtime stunt guru, Brad Allan. Together, they developed “a unique movement style” for the 6 foot 4 actor, whose size and length “help make him an unconventional new-age action star,” a rep for the film tells EW, adding, “You’ve never seen an actor move like this in a movie.”
Other photos: Alexander (left) and Bill Skarsgård in leaner times | CREDIT: PAUL HAWTHORNE/GETTY; MATT CARR/GETTY; Bill (left) and Alexander Skarsgård bulked up for their various roles | CREDIT: GRAHAM BARTHOLOMEW; AIDEN MONAGHAN/FOCUS FEATURES
A release date for Boy Kills World has yet to be announced.
