Stellan Skarsgård is a prolific actor with credits across Swedish, German, and American movies. Acclaimed for his roles in various blockbusters, the versatile actor has appeared in such films as Thor, The Avengers, Mamma Mia!, Breaking the Waves, and The Hunt For Red October among many others. Skarsgård ‘s rise to fame stemmed from playing several minor roles in Swedish television projects in his budding years.
An early bloomer, Stellan Skarsgård began his acting career early, garnering much experience in his teens and early 20s. Skarsgård has been aptly honored for his talent with accolades, including a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries, or Television Film for his role in the HBO miniseries Chernobyl (2019). He has also replicated his success in his personal life, grooming several actors to continue the Skarsgård legacy in the film industry. Read on for other interesting facts you probably didn’t know about the Good Will Hunting star.
1. Stellan Skarsgård Is Of Swedish Origin
While he is popular for his numerous appearances in Hollywood movies and TV shows, Stellan Skarsgård is a Swedish actor. He was born on June 13, 1951, in Gothenburg, Sweden, to Jan Skarsgård (father) and Gudrun Larsson (mother). It is not known if he grew up with any siblings but Skarsgård had an interesting childhood. Growing up in Sweden, his family moved to many places, including Helsingborg, Totebo, Kalmar, Marielund, and Uppsala. He leveraged the exposure to launch his entertainment career early. Skarsgård gathered experience in stage productions, film, and television projects, particularly appearing in Swedish screen projects in his early years.
2. The Actor Became A Father For The 8th Time At Age 61
Stellan Skarsgård is not your typical Caucasian celebrity when it comes to raising a family. The Swedish actor is a father of eight children born through his two marriages. His first marriage to Swedish doctor My Skarsgård produced six children – Alexander Skarsgård, Gustaf Skarsgård, Sam Skarsgård, Bill Skarsgård, Valter Skarsgård, and Eija Skarsgård. The marriage which began on April 27, 1975, ended in a a divorce on May 1, 2007.
On January 12, 2009, Stellan Skarsgård married for the second time to Megan Everett-Stellan Skarsgård and became a father for the seventh time with the birth of his son, Ossian Skarsgård on April 26, 2009. Skarsgård welcomed his eighth son Kolbjörn Skarsgård at the age of 61 on August 24, 2012, following which he had a vasectomy. Despite their global fame, the Skarsgård family still identifies with their Swedish origin. The family has a summer house on Öland island in Kalmar, Sweden.
3. Six Out Of His Eight Children Have Followed Stellan Skarsgård’s Footsteps Into The Film Industry
Stellan Skarsgård and his first wife have been active in the entertainment industry for decades and it only makes sense that their children would follow in their footsteps. Skarsgård’s first child is Alexander Skarsgård, a renowned Swedish actor known for his roles in such film and television projects as Battleship (2012), The Legend of Tarzan (2016), Big Little Lies (2017-2019), and Succession (2021–2023). The second child of the Skarsgård dynasty, Gustaf Skarsgård (born on November 12, 1980) is an actor known for his film roles in Evil (2003), The Way Back (2010), and Oppenheimer (2023). He has also appeared in television series like Cursed, and Vikings. Sam Skarsgård is the third child in the family known for his work as an actor and production manager.
Stellan Skarsgård’s fourth child, Bill Skarsgård (born 9 August 1990) is also a popular actor known for playing Pennywise in the horror films It (2017) and It Chapter Two (2019). Bill has appeared in other horror projects such as Barbarian (2022), Hemlock Grove (2013–2015), and Castle Rock (2018–2019). Other films he has appeared in include The Divergent Series: Allegiant (2016), Atomic Blonde (2017), Nine Days (2020), and John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023). Eija Skarsgård is the only daughter of Stellan Skarsgård and she has worked as a model, nightclub manager, and casting director. The last son of Skarsgård and his first wife is Valter Skarsgård and he is also an actor.
4. Alexander Skarsgård Is The Most Famous Among Stellan Skarsgård’s Children
While Stellan Skarsgård’s children have carved their own niche in the movie industry, Alexander Skarsgård stands out among his siblings as a highly acclaimed actor. The Swedish star is popular for his breakthrough role as Eric Northman in True Blood through which he won five awards. He also gained prominence for appearing in Big Little Lies and The Legend of Tarzan. For his depiction of an abusive husband in Big Little Lies, Alexander bagged a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Critics’ Choice Television Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
5. Stellan Skarsgård Has Acted In Seven Films Directed By Lars von Trier
Lars von Trier is Stellan Skarsgård‘s longtime collaborator. So far, Skarsgård has appeared in seven of the Danish director’s features namely: The Kingdom (1994), Breaking the Waves (1996), Dancer in the Dark (2000), Dogville (2003), Melancholia (2011), Nymphomaniac: Vol. I (2013) and Nymphomaniac: Vol. II (2013). He also has an amazing working relationship with Norwegian director Hans Petter Moland. Skarsgård and Moland have worked together in such films as Zero Kelvin, Aberdeen, and In Order of Disappearance. They share a close bond which has gotten stronger over the years.
