Swedish actor Alexander Skarsgård is much more than a tall glass of Scandinavian water; Skarsgård is a skilled, powerful actor unafraid to tackle challenging roles or subject matter. It's no wonder Skarsgård is part of a large acting family, which includes father Stellan and brother Bill – the latter of whom plays Pennywise in the recent remake of Stephen King's It.
Alexander Skarsgård's career includes both television and film, from big-budget action ventures to dark, independent features. Skarsgård's forthcoming films attest to his range: Adam Wingard's monster movie Godzilla vs. Kong and Rebeca Hall's racial period drama Passing. Skarsgård, it seems, dips his toes into all genres: comedy, horror, and science fiction included.
Monroe In The Diary of a Teenage Girl (2015) - 6.9
The Diary of a Teenage Girl tackles burgeoning sexuality from the perspective of a 15-year-old girl growing up in the bohemian San Francisco of the '70s. Based on the hybrid novel by Phoebe Gloeckner, the film stars Bel Powley as Minnie, an aspiring comic who develops an unhealthy sexual relationship with her mom's boyfriend.
Kristen Wiig plays Minnie's mom, Charlotte, and Skarsgård plays the boyfriend, Monroe. Thanks to its comic undertones, The Diary of a Teenage Girl handles its explicit and difficult subject matter with a licentious honesty.
Travis Stubbs In On Becoming a God in Central Florida (2019 - ) - 7.2
Showtime's new series On Becoming a God in Central Florida follows a group of central Floridians caught up in a pyramid scheme known as FAM – or Founders American Merchandise. Set in the early '90s, Kirsten Dunst and Skarsgård play Crystal and Travis Stubbs, a young couple with a baby taken for a ride by FAM organizers.
This dark comedy digs into classism, free-market capitalism, and the suburban dream in hilarious ways. Ted Levine co-stars as the delusional founder of FAM, Obie Garbeau II.
Michael In Melancholia (2011) - 7.2
Kirsten Dunst and Skarsgård share the screen again in Lars Von Trier's haunting science fiction film Melancholia. The pair play a newly married couple who soon realize the world is pitched against them, courtesy of controlling family members, mental illness, and a rogue planet on a collision course with Earth.
Melancholia might come across as a disaster movie, but it's really an extended metaphor for coping with a depressive episode. Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kiefer Sutherland, and Skarsgård's father Stellen co-star in the film.
Lincoln In What Maisie Knew (2012) - 7.4
What Maisie Knew is a family drama about a young girl caught between her narcissistic parents and their lovers. Steve Coogan and Julianne Moore play Maisie's father and mother: an international art dealer and a music icon, respectively. They engage in a lengthy custody battle over their daughter, yet neither seems like an especially attentive parent.
Skarsgård plays Lincoln, the new husband of Moore's character Susanna. Joanna Vanderham also stars as Maisie's nanny and the girlfriend of Coogan's character Margo. Soon, Lincoln and Margo form unique bonds with Maisie – and each other.
Gadi Becker In The Little Drummer Girl (2018) - 7.4
Espionage and intrigue run rampant in this miniseries inspired by a John le Carré novel. Set in 1979, The Little Drummer Girl stars Florence Pugh as an English actor who meets a charming, mysterious man while vacationing in Greece. Skarsgård plays the man, who turns out to be an Israeli intelligence officer named Gadi Becker.
Becker sucks Pugh's character, Charlie, into a plot to infiltrate a Palestinean group suspected of terrorism. Michael Shannon plays Martin Kurtz, an Israeli spymaster working behind the scene.
Derek Hull In Disconnect (2012) - 7.5
Disconnect examines humanity's obsessed with technology, especially as it relates to finding genuine connections in the world. Directed by Henry Alex Rubin, the ensemble drama unfolds through three interwoven stories.
Skarsgård and Paula Patton play Derek and Cindy Hull, a couple reeling from the loss of their son to SIDS two years earlier. When they discover their identities have been stolen online, they suspect the culprit may be a man Cindy communicated with on a grief message board. Jason Bateman, Hope Davis, and Andrea Riseborough are also featured in the movie.
Dr. James Dunn In Drunk History (2013 - ) - 7.7
Skarsgård tries his luck at comedy in season five of Comedy Central's unique series Drunk History. History buffs literally get loaded and recant their favorites annals from the past. Famous actors and comedians then reenact the narrator's story – word for intoxicated word.
The particular skit featuring Skarsgård tells the story of Red Cross founder Clara Barton (Mandy Moore), a pioneering Union Army nurse during The Civil War. Skarsgård's character Dr. James Dunn was a surgeon who worked alongside Barton during the deadly Battle at Antietam.
Eric Northman In True Blood (2008 - 2014) - 7.8
True Blood is a sultry supernatural HBO series set in the muggy swamps of Louisiana. While its first few seasons focus on vampires, the show evolves into a story about shapeshifters, werepanthers, fairies, and witches – to name a few. Oh, and it features plenty of sex and violence.
The sultry ancient vampire Eric Northman is brought to life by Skarsgård over the series' seven seasons. Northman participates in a bizarre love triangle with waitress Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) and fellow bloodsucker Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer).
Adult Toby Powers In Eastbound & Down (2009 - 2013) - 8.2
While technically a cameo, Skarsgård's memorable performance in the series finale of HBO's Eastbound & Down is iconic among fans of the show. After following the trials and tribulations of former baseball star Kenny Powers (Danny McBride) for four seasons, the show wraps up by envisioning a futuristic end to Kenny's life.
Lindsay Lohan plays the adult version of Kenny's daughter Shayna, and Skarsgård plays the older version of his son Toby. Of course, what transpires in the finale is straight from Kenny's imagination. The often unreliable and narcissistic Kenny decides to write a screenplay about his life, and viewers watch the preposterous script come to life on screen, blurring the lines between fact and fiction.
Perry Wright In Big Little Lies (2017 - 2019) - 8.5
Liane Moriarty's popular novel Big Little Lies, developed into an HBO series by David E. Kelly, tells the story of a group of well-off Monterey, California women involved in a murder investigation. The star-studded show features Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Zoë Kravitz, Meryl Streep, and Adam Scott.
Skarsgård plays Perry, the husband of Kidman's character Celeste, a controlling man who turns increasingly violent toward his wife. It becomes clear Perry is not the man he pretends to be.