Bill Istvan Günther Skarsgård (Swedish: [ˈbɪlː ˈskɑ̌ːʂɡoːɖ] ; born 9 August 1990) is a Swedish actor. He is known for portraying Pennywise in the horror films It (2017) and It Chapter Two (2019), based on Stephen King's novel of the same name. Other horror appearances were the series Hemlock Grove (2013–2015) and Castle Rock (2018–2019) and the film Barbarian (2022).
Bill Skarsgård | |
---|---|
Born | Bill Istvan Günther Skarsgård 9 August 1990 Stockholm, Sweden |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1999–present |
Partner | Alida Morberg |
Children | 2 |
Father | Stellan Skarsgård |
Relatives |
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Skarsgård has also appeared in the comedy Simple Simon (2010), the thrillers The Divergent Series: Allegiant (2016) and Atomic Blonde (2017), the drama Nine Days (2020), and the action movies John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023) and Boy Kills World (2023).
Early life
Skarsgård was born on 9 August 1990 in Vällingby, Stockholm, Sweden, the son of actor Stellan Skarsgård and doctor My Skarsgård.[1][2][3] He has seven siblings, including actors Alexander, Gustaf, and Valter.[4]
Career
Early work (2011–2016)
In 2011, Skarsgård was nominated for a Guldbagge Award for his leading role as Simon in Simple Simon.[5] At the age of 21, he won the European Film Academy's Shooting Stars Award in 2012.[6] Beginning in 2013, Skarsgård played the role of Roman Godfrey in the Netflix original Hemlock Grove.
In April 2014, Skarsgård featured on the cover of Hero – a bi-annual men's fashion and culture magazine, shot by Hedi Slimane. In the issue, he is interviewed by his father.[7] Skarsgård played Matthew in the science fiction thriller The Divergent Series: Allegiant (2016), his first major American film.[8]
Breakthrough (2017–present)
He played horror villain Pennywise the Dancing Clown in the 2017 film It and reprised the role in the 2019 sequel, directed by Andy Muschietti.[9] Speaking about what led him to casting Skarsgård, Muschietti said: "One second he can act all cute, and then the next, there's something ancestral and dark that just appears. His ability to transform is mind-blowing to me.”[10]
Skarsgård was a series regular on 2018's Castle Rock, as a young man with an unusual legal problem.[11] That same year, he portrayed Zeitgeist in Deadpool 2.[12] In 2020, he played Mateo in episode 4 of AMC's anthology series Soulmates. In 2021, he voiced the main antagonist Kro in Eternals.
In the 2022 Netflix miniseries Clark, Skarsgård portrayed Clark Olofsson, the notorious Swedish criminal whose involvement in the Norrmalmstorg robbery gave rise to the term Stockholm syndrome.[13]
Skarsgård played the lead villain role of Marquis de Gramont in John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023). He was the titular character in Boy Kills World.
He led the reboot of The Crow directed by Rupert Sanders.[14] Skarsgaard said: "I had a great shoot, a lot of night shoots. … You're kind of preoccupied in a bleak state of mind for a while. I like to be consumed by it when I'm doing it. Actually, we were working out a lot, I found it really helpful. There's nothing like being tired and sweaty to get the demons out."[15]
Upcoming
He has been cast as Count Orlok in the upcoming remake of Nosferatu.[16] Speaking on his experience portraying the titular role, Skarsgård said: "It was like conjuring pure evil. It took a while for me to shake off the demon that had been conjured inside of me."[10] He is also set to reprise his role as Pennywise/IT in the prequel TV series It: Welcome to Derry.[citation needed]
Personal life
Skarsgård is in a relationship with actress Alida Morberg.[17] In October 2018, the couple had their first child.[17][18] They had a second child in 2023.[19]
In February 2024, Skarsgård was arrested and fined for marijuana possession in Sweden.[20]
Filmography
Film
† | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2002 | Laura Trenter – Dad, the Policeman | Tony | 2 episodes |
2009 | Livet i Fagervik | Mårten | 1 episode |
2013–2015 | Hemlock Grove | Roman Godfrey | Main role |
2018–2019 | Castle Rock | Henry Deaver / The Kid (season 1) The Angel (season 2) |
Main role (season 1); guest star (season 2) |
2020 | Soulmates | Mateo | Episode: "Layover" |
2022 | Clark | Clark Olofsson | Main role |
2025 | It: Welcome to Derry | Pennywise the Dancing Clown | Main role; also executive producer[25] |
Awards and nominations
Year | Nominated work | Association | Category | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2011 | Simple Simon | Guldbagge Awards | Best Actor | Nominated | |
Young Artist Awards | Best Performance in an International Feature Film – Leading Young Actor | Nominated | |||
2012 | Himself | Berlin International Film Festival | Shooting Stars Award | Won | |
2017 | It | Fright Meter Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Won | |
Seattle Film Critics Awards | Best Villain | Nominated | |||
2018 | It | Saturn Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Nominated | [26] |
MTV Movie & TV Awards | Best Villain | Nominated | [27] | ||
Teen Choice Awards | Choice Movie Villain | Nominated | |||
2020 | It Chapter Two | Fright Meter Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Nominated | |
Best Ensemble Cast | Won |
References
- ^ On my radar: Bill Skarsgård's culturala highlights Archived 3 August 2017 at the Wayback Machine; The Guardian, 20 July 2014
- ^ Lindholm, Peter (22 March 2009). "Bill Skarsgård: Stellan är min största förebild". Metro International. Archived from the original on 21 September 2010. Retrieved 20 September 2010.
- ^ "Stellans exfru talar ut om missbruket". Aftonbladet. Archived from the original on 13 June 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
- ^ "Skarsgård-barnen – så lever de i dag". Expressen. 27 August 2019. Archived from the original on 14 September 2019. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
- ^ Pehanick, Maggie. "Meet Bill Skarsgard, the Guy Terrorizing You as Pennywise". POPSUGAR Celebrity. Archived from the original on 26 September 2017. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
- ^ "BILL SKARSGÅRD SELECTED AS SHOOTING STAR 2012 – TrustNordisk". Trustnordisk.com. Archived from the original on 29 September 2017. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
- ^ ""HERO 11: Shift Zero"". Archived from the original on 6 July 2014.
- ^ Close, Murray. "Bill Skarsgård portrays Matthew in The Divergent Series: Allegiant". Edmontonjournal.com. Archived from the original on 15 December 2018. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
- ^ Kit, Borys; Siegel, Tatiana (2 June 2016). "Stephen King's 'It' Adaptation Finds Its Pennywise the Clown (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 8 January 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
- ^ a b Bill Skarsgård Likes It Darker
- ^ Wagmeister, Elizabeth (10 July 2017). "'It' Star Bill Skarsgård Joins Stephen King Hulu Series 'Castle Rock'". Variety.com. Archived from the original on 20 April 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
- ^ Sharf, Zack (27 April 2018). "Bill Skarsgård Makes 'Deadpool 2' Debut: 'It' Actor Confirmed as X-Force Mutant Zeitgeist — First Look". Indiewire. Archived from the original on 30 April 2018. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
- ^ Bill Skarsgard: I Dare you to Watch Clark. Radio Times. Archived from the original on 20 April 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
- ^ Kroll, Justin (1 April 2022). "'The Crow': Bill Skarsgard Tapped To Play Eric Draven In New Reimagining From Rupert Sanders". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 3 April 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
- ^ Bill Skarsgard on His "Bleak State of Mind" While Filming 'The Crow': "I Like to Be Consumed by It"
- ^ a b Kroll, Justin (30 September 2022). "Bill Skarsgard & Lily-Rose Depp To Star In 'Nosferatu', Robert Eggers' Follow-Up To 'Northman' For Focus". Deadline. Archived from the original on 1 October 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
- ^ a b "Bill Skarsgård to become a father". Aftonbladet. 20 July 2018. Archived from the original on 20 September 2019. Retrieved 9 September 2019. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
- ^ "Bebislycka för Bill Skarsgård och Alida Morberg". Aftonbladet. 8 October 2018. Archived from the original on 4 May 2019. Retrieved 9 September 2019. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
- ^ Risberg, Moa (16 August 2023). "Bill Skarsgård och Alida Morbergs dotters ovanliga namnval". Hänt (in Swedish). Retrieved 13 November 2024.
- ^ "Bill Skarsgård Arrested For Marijuana Possession in Sweden". TMZ. 15 February 2024. Archived from the original on 16 February 2024. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
- ^ "Bill Skarsgard Joins Alicia Vikander in Voice Cast for 'Moomins' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 7 August 2017. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
- ^ Kroll, Justin (1 April 2022). "'The Crow': Bill Skarsgard Tapped To Play Eric Draven In New Reimagining From Rupert Sanders". Deadline. Archived from the original on 3 April 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
- ^ Squires, John (30 May 2023). "Filming on the Robert Eggers 'Nosferatu' Remake Has Reportedly Wrapped in Prague". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on 30 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
- ^ McNary, Dave (18 August 2014). "TORONTO: Sophie Cookson Starring Opposite Adrien Brody in 'Emperor'". Variety. Archived from the original on 18 August 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (30 May 2024). "'Welcome To Derry': Bill Skarsgård To Reprise Pennywise Role In 'It' Prequel On Max". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 30 May 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
- ^ McNary, Dave (15 March 2018). "'Black Panther,' 'Walking Dead' Rule Saturn Awards Nominations". Variety. Variety Media, LLC. Archived from the original on 16 March 2018. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
- ^ Nordyke, Kimberly (3 May 2018). "MTV Movie & TV Awards: 'Black Panther,' 'Stranger Things' Top Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 3 May 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2018.