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USA Today
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Alexander Skarsgård says he retired from acting at 13 after early fame: 'It was rough'
Alexander Skarsgård revealed how his first taste of fame as a teenage TV star in Sweden turned him off from acting for years. The "True Blood" alum, 48, opened up on the July 21 episode of the "Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard" podcast about feeling "incredibly self-conscious" after his breakout role in the 1989 Swedish movie "Hunden som log." "It was rough. I didn't like being recognized. I didn't like going to school and kids at school being like, 'I saw the movie!'" Skarsgård told Shepard and cohost Monica Padman. "My confidence was down the drain." He continued: "I was like, 'This is terrible. And I've (only) done one 50-minute made-for-TV movie. I don't want to keep doing this.'" That was nearly the end of his acting career, which has since seen Skarsgård earn Emmy and Golden Globe awards. "I retired, threw in the towel at 13," he added. Alexander Skarsgård on his first role: 'Classic case of nepotism' Skarsgård first acted as a 7-year-old in 1984's "Ake and His World." This happened due to a "classic case of nepotism," he admitted on the podcast, explaining that his dad's friend, the late actor and director Allan Edwall, offered him the gig. Skarsgård's father is Stellan Skarsgård – of "Good Will Hunting," "Mamma Mia!" and "Dune" fame – and three of his seven younger siblings – brothers Gustaf, Bill, and Valter Skarsgård – are also actors. "Even though my dad was an actor, my younger brother, from when he was like 5, 6, he was adamant about 'I'm going to be an actor.' And I wasn't," Skarsgård said on the podcast. "I'd done a couple of odd jobs here and there, but it wasn't like I was pursuing it." "It wasn't a difficult decision," he explained of quitting acting as a teen. "I was like, 'I don't want to be an actor; I just want to drive a Saab. So I just kind of stopped doing it." He went in the opposite direction from his "bohemian" parents and eventually enlisted in the Swedish Navy. 'Stupid choice': Alexander Skarsgård regrets painful 'Murderbot' full body waxing "My teenage years, (I was) adamant about not following Dad and becoming an actor," Skarsgård said. He'd thought at the time: "You know what? I'm going to go off and be out all on my own on an island in the archipelago far from all the Skarsgårds," he said, adding: "And I hated it. I don't recommend doing it." He later continued: "You don't want to have to join the military for a year and a half to get independent. I don't recommend it." 'Zoolander' got Alexander Skarsgård back into acting Skarsgård briefly attended New York City's Marymount Manhattan College and then returned to Stockholm, where he worked "odd jobs" at a coffee shop, a clothing store, and as a busboy. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, he booked several Swedish TV shows and movies. He found his way to Hollywood when another opportunity landed in his lap courtesy of his famous father. His father's manager sent him out to an audition for "Zoolander," Skarsgård said. "And I booked that baby." "I was just like, 'Oh, I guess this is how Hollywood works. You walk into a room and Ben Stiller's sitting there and you're like, all right!'" he joked.
Time of India
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Alexander Skarsgard on cahllenges he faced in acting career, recalls "crying in the shower" after bad auditions
Actor Alexander Skarsgard opened up on the challenges he faced in Hollywood in the initial years of his career, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Actor Alexander Skarsgard opened up on the challenges he faced in Hollywood in the initial years of his career, according to The Hollywood Reporter. During a recent appearance on Jesse Tyler Ferguson 's Dinner's on Me podcast, the actor recalled "crying in the shower" after bad auditions, before his 2008 breakout year with his roles in Generation Kill and True Blood, as per the outlet. "I found those experiences -- they were horrible -- when you go in for something that you know you're not right for, and you're not connecting with a character at all, but you're at a place where you feel like you can't say no to the audition," Skarsgard said of his struggles with the audition process, even after he starred in 2001's Zoolander. "I was always on the cusp of being fired by my agents," the Pillion actor added. "If I say no to this audition, they're probably gonna drop me, so I gotta go in, but I don't connect to the role. I'm completely wrong for it." He admitted he gets "a little PTSD" thinking about that time in his career, "because I remember the feeling of coming back to my little shitty apartment in L.A., you know, crying in the shower after a day like that. I just felt filthy in my soul and, like, zero confidence. I was like, 'I'm the worst actor in the world, and I also have no dignity because I go in and audition for this stuff. I'm wasting their time.' It's a rough feeling," according to The Hollywood Reporter. A son of actor Stellan Skarsgard , he began acting at age seven but quit at age thirteen. After serving in the Swedish Navy, Skarsgard returned to acting and gained his first role in the US comedy film Zoolander (2001). After appearing in films such as Melancholia (2011), Battleship (2012) and The Legend of Tarzan (2016), Skarsgard starred in the drama series Big Little Lies (2017-2019) as an abusive husband, which earned him a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award. He went on to appear in the films Long Shot (2019), Godzilla vs. Kong (2021), Passing (2021), The Northman (2022), which he also produced, and Infinity Pool (2023).
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Yahoo
Sweden's Stealth Navy: Visby Corvettes and Gotland Submarines
Sweden favors stealth over brute force—and nowhere is that more apparent than in its two naval marvels: the Visby-class corvette and the Gotland-class submarine. Engineered for one of the most complex maritime environments in the world, these platforms embody the Swedish Navy's philosophy of striking silently, surviving unpredictably, and defending decisively. The Visby-class corvette is one of the most radar-evading warships ever built. Its angular, carbon-fiber hull dramatically reduces its radar cross-section, while integrated weapons and sensors help it operate undetected in littoral zones. Despite its sleek profile, the Visby is packed with anti-submarine, anti-ship, and mine warfare capabilities—tailored for the Baltic's tight, shallow waters. Beneath the surface, the Gotland-class submarine is a master of silent operations. It was the first operational sub to feature air-independent propulsion (AIP), allowing it to remain submerged for weeks without surfacing. Its quiet diesel-electric engines and stealthy profile once allowed it to 'sink' a U.S. aircraft carrier during a training exercise—without ever being detected. Together, the Visby and Gotland represent a highly strategic blend of innovation and geography. They're not built to dominate oceans—they're built to disappear in narrow seas and reappear with deadly precision. Quiet, agile, and nearly invisible—this is Sweden's naval edge.
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Reported Russian 'shadow fleet' oil tanker, detained over damaged undersea cables, allowed to leave Finland
The Eagle S oil tanker, which is thought to be part of Russia's "shadow fleet," was allowed to leave Finland's waters after it was detained on suspicion of sabotaging undersea Baltic cables, the Agence France-Presse news agency reported on March 2. Finnish authorities announced that there were "no longer grounds" to continue detaining the Russian-linked vessel Eagle S, though their criminal investigation remains ongoing. Three of the eight suspected individuals from the ship's crew have been barred from leaving Finland as authorities continue to probe the incident. In January, the Swedish Navy found an anchor at the site of the sabotaged cables in the Baltic Sea. Finnish authorities suspect the Eagle S intentionally dragged its anchor along dozens of kilometers of the Baltic seabed, according to AFP. The vessel is believed to be part of Russia's so-called "shadow fleet," a network of ships that Moscow allegedly uses to circumvent Western sanctions and continue exporting oil and gas. These vessels operate under opaque ownership structures, making them difficult to track and raising significant security and environmental concerns. In mid-January, senior officials from three nations said that recent damage to undersea cables was likely the result of accidents rather than deliberate sabotage by Russia. However, some analysts and officials believe the damage is potentially linked to Russia's broader hybrid warfare strategy—a blend of cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and covert operations to stir discord in the West. Read also: Russia's growing shadow fleet sends a dangerous signal, expert warns We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
