9 Fun Facts About True Blood Breakout Alexander Skarsgård
If we've learned anything from Lost and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, it's that the blond bad boy always comes out ahead in a genre love triangle. Perhaps, then, it shouldn't be a surprise that Alexander Skarsgård popped this summer as True Blood's insinuating (but crucially restyled) vampire sheriff Eric Northman; to judge from the fan worship thrown his way online and at Comic-Con, I'm sure that Sookie's not the only one fantasizing about him.
Good thing that Movieline's a font of Skars-knowledge! Here are nine facts that should help you appreciate this 33-year-old Swedish "newcomer" even more:
1. In his first U.S. role, he played one of the ill-fated male model roommates in Zoolander. For the denizens of ONTD, who love Skarsgård and (in equal measure) making animated .gifs with heads pasted over the Zoolander "Jitterbug" sequence, the discovery was mindblowing: A True Blood "Jitterbug" .gif could be made that Skarsgård was already in!
2. He is the son of actor Stellan Skarsgård, who you may remember as the professor from Good Will Hunting. (No doubt, he'd rather you remember him from that than for his role as one of the potential fathers from Mamma Mia!)
3. Skarsgård rocketed to Swedish stardom at age 13 with his role as "Jojjo" in Hunden som log (The Dog Who Smiled). What's it about? Take it away, IMDb commenter Pamela from Malmö, Sweden: "[It] is about this boy Jojjo and his friends a blond male sexmaniac and a girl called Peggy. They travel town...goes to school sometimes, entertain themselves by switching mail between mailboxes and just chill. Jojjo's dog is getting old and one day bites Jojjo that gets really sad. This is quite hard to explain been a while since I saw it and it hasn't been on TV for a while." Sounds amazing!
4. Perhaps you've YouTubed his (surprisingly SFW) shower scene with two other men in the Swedish film Hundtricket? Incoming vampire queen Evan Rachel Wood certainly has! "I am not going to lie," she told E! when asked. "Yes I have."
5. Skarsgård was heavily tipped to be in the running for the title role in Marvel's Thor, and met several times with director Kenneth Branagh and Marvel head Kevin Feige, even going so far as to try on the costume for a screen test. Sadly, the role went to Chris Hemsworth. MTV reporter Larry Carroll recently told Skarsgård he was surprised by the outcome, as he thought Skarsgård had the perfect look for Thor; the Swede responded simply, "So did I."
6. Still, at least we can all agree that Skarsgård had the perfect look to play a suicidal trannie in the straight-to-DVD film Kill Your Darlings (at right).
7. Skarsgård's U.S. career began to take off when he developed a relationship with HBO during the 2008 miniseries Generation Kill, where he played Iraq War sergeant Brad 'Iceman' Colbert. The network added him as a recurring character almost halfway into True Blood's first season, then upped him to a regular for season two.
8. Don't be fooled if you hear Skarsgård talking in a Southern accent (as he did during the True Blood panel at Comic-Con). He's just prepping for his role in Rod Lurie's upcoming Straw Dogs remake, where he plays a Southern jock who has a past with James Marsden's wife, Kate Bosworth.
9. When Skarsgård moved to New York to study acting, he rented a room from a 55-year-old Filipino fashion designer named René. (Who hasn't!) "Once when I got home and sat down to study he told me I looked tense and he wanted to give me a massage," Skarsgård recalled once. "I just couldn't stop laughing. He knew I was straight, but he was trying again and again. I told him: 'René, please. I will not suck your dick, you know this.'"
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Comments
Wow, trannie ASkars is a doppelganger for Rachel Griffiths.
I don't know whether to gasp, laugh, or claw my eyes out.
This is the only piece of Straw Dog remake related news that doesn't suck.
I thought it was the woman from the Twilight series.
Elizabeth Reaser?
‘René, please. I will not suck your dick, you know this.’”
Sadly, we do know this, Alexander. (Though, to be brutally honest, I don't actually go for the strapping Nordic type. Still wouldn't kick him out of bed.)
I know I'm probably absolutely the last person in the world who hadn't seen or heard, but I was shocked last night to see he's in a Lady Gaga video.
Knowing the gays as i do, I would imagine Alex had things just a little mixed up with Rene.
I was trying to figure out how butch Rene had to be for him to assume that was the intention.
Alex makes an attractive woman, except for the Adam's apple, 6'4" height, broad shoulders, no hips, big hands, muscular legs, 6 pack ads.......
Drool.. What was I saying?
I'm pretty happy to read that he's straight, I must say...
Alexander is a fabulous actor with an equally fabulous sense of humor. Not many actors are secure enough to play unusual roles. Glad to see he is not one of them. He is so much more than just a fabulous looking man. Let's see I've managed to use the word fabulous three times about Alexander Skarsgard.... FABULOUS!!
I had no idea this was Iceman in Generation Kill. He was excellent. I saw him at Comic-Con. He, and the rest of the cast, are even better looking in person. It's absurd. What a bastard.
I totally thought Rachel Griffiths (Six Feet Under) when I first saw the photo... Really happy he is straight and loved him in Generation Kill...
I'm intrigued, please continue...
It's about time everyone here has caught up with Alex/Eric's talent. We HBO wiki girls have known about and enjoyed the Hundtricket shower (as well as the one from "Om Sara"), the transvestite, the fabulous fantasy kiss from our favorite barista, Iceman, and his clever interview responses for over a year now. I mean really, how many women would have been quoting the guys and taking on military handles themselves for anything less? Havoc-Actual reporting for duty! How copy? Thank the gods of Aesir we have been introduced to this fabulous Swedish import.
He is just too good to be true! Funny, great looking and talented! There has got to be some dirt on him some where, but I hope no one finds it. Can't get enough of him! Why hasn't he been on the cover of People. Why hasn't he been voted the sexiest man alive??? I know he has in Sweden- but are Americans so blind???
"He is just too good to be true! Funny, great looking and talented! There has got to be some dirt on him some where, but I hope no one finds it"
I hate people who have it all. :-p I figure it would only be fair if he has a small penis
LOL According to Generation Kill commentary he does have it all.
yeah ... they say it's huge :))
Absolutely gorgeous!! I would like to take a bite out of (actually anyplace on him) YUM
I am with you on that Adrianna. Would love to bite, suck, and lick him all over. He is too gorgous. Plus he's talented and tall. It's a shame he wasn't chosen for Thor, he would be perfect for the role. At least we have his other films, TB, & GK to fall back on. Damn, Alexander is so fine. :o)>
I thought it was Kirsten stewart to! Lol
I got really upset with lady gaga since I'm a huge fan
But he's got big hands an big feet, so it definitely big....
Want to learn as much as I can about the Philippines. I am thinking to live there in a few years.
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