Alexander Skarsgård

## Cast Member

**Alexander Johan Hjalmar Skarsgård** is a Sweedish actor who portrays Eric Northman on HBO's *True Blood*.

## Biography

Alexander Skarsgård was born in Stockholm, Sweden. He is the eldest son of actor Stellan Skarsgård and his first wife, My Agnes, a physician. He has five younger siblings: Gustaf, Sam, Bill, Eija and Valter, and two half-brothers, Ossian and Kolbjörn. Gustaf, Bill, Sam, and Valter are also actors. A friend of his father, who was a director, gave Skarsgård his first film role when he was seven years old. He played Kalle Nubb in Åke och hans värld (Åke and His World). In 1989, the lead role in the Swedish television production Hunden som log (The Dog That Smiled) made him famous in Sweden at the age of thirteen. Uncomfortable with being recognized, he quit acting for the next seven years. At age 19, he applied to do his national service. He served in the Swedish military for 18 months, in a unit that dealt with anti-sabotage and anti-terrorism in the Stockholm archipelago. After completing his service in 1996 he left Sweden and attended Leeds Beckett University in England for six months. He enrolled to study English but admits he did not study much and "had a blast" instead. After seven years away from acting, he started to consider it again. In 1997, he enrolled in a theater course at Marymount Manhattan College and moved to New York City. He returned to Stockholm after six months, but the time he spent studying theater showed him that he wanted to act.

He has been in a relationship with British model and fashion journalist Alexa Chung since 2015. Skarsgård is a fan of Swedish football and supports Hammarby IF, a club based in Stockholm, his birth city. In October 2010, he participated in "Bajen Aid" by donating several items he had autographed and auctioning them off to raise money for the Hammarby football club. In July 2011, Skarsgård received an honorary degree from Leeds Metropolitan University where he was formerly a student.[30] Skarsgård was the US Ambassador for the American team for a Walking With The Wounded fundraising event for wounded soldiers. He trekked to the South Pole against Team UK (Prince Harry, Ambassador) and Team Canada/Australia (The Wire actor Dominic West, Ambassador). A few days into the trek, it was decided that the competition part of the race would be cancelled due to hazardous terrain and weather conditions, so the teams combined forces and continued. Alongside Prince Harry, West and several wounded soldiers, he successfully made it to the South Pole on December 13, 2013.

## Trivia

* Voted the sexiest man in Sweden in 1999.
* Five times voted the sexiest man in Sweden.
* His mother is a doctor.
* He lives in an apartment in Stockholm, Sweden, near his parents.
* Supports the Stockholm based football club Hammarby IF
* Son of actor Stellan Skarsgård and My Skarsgård.
* Older brother of Gustaf Skarsgård, Sam Skarsgård, Bill Skarsgård, Eija Skarsgård, and 'Valter Skarsgård' , and two half-brothers, Ossian and Kolbjörn.
* His favorite actress is Isabelle Huppert in the movie The Piano Teacher (2001).
* His favorite movie is Duck Soup (1933).
* Favorite actor is Gary Oldman.

## Appearances

 **Appears**
 "Don't You Feel Me":

 *Credit Only*
 "Karma":
 **Appears**

## References

1. ↑ http://styl-gwiazd-populada.pl/news-stellan-skarsgard-krakow-pokochala-moja-zona,nId,1841937
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/7938942/Alexander-Skarsgard-interview-True-Blood-lust.html
3. ↑ http://www.aftonbladet.se/nojesbladet/article5563380.ab
4. ↑ http://www.newsweek.com/2009/09/10/alexander-skarsgard-is-a-neck-man.html
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 http://www.ifc.com/news/2010/05/alexander-skarsgard.php?page=1
6. ↑ http://www.lastbroadcast.co.uk/tv/interviews/v/9412-alexander-skarsgard-true-blood-interview.html
7. ↑ http://www.gq.com/entertainment/movies-and-tv/201106/alexander-skarsgard-gq-june-2011-cover-story
8. ↑ http://www.bizarremag.com/entertainment/interviews/8998/alexander\_skarsgrd.html
9. ↑ http://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/news/celebrity/2015/02/19/alexa-chung-and-alex-skarsgard-dating-and-relationship-news
10. ↑ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3554990/Alexa-Chung-boyfriend-Alexander-Skarsgard-smitten-display-lock-hands-following-intimate-lunch-date.html
11. ↑ http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/1696/andrea-canales/2009/07/31/1413980/canales-daily-keeping-the-faith-in-the-feeders
12. ↑ http://www.hammarbyfotboll.se/se/aktuellt/artiklar/?articleid=36179
13. ↑ http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20773352,00.html