Alexander Skarsgård

Biography

Alexander Johan Hjalmar Skarsgård (born August 25, 1976) is a Swedish actor. Born in Stockholm, he began acting at age seven but quit at 13. After serving in the Swedish military, Skarsgård returned to acting and gained his first role in the US film comedy Zoolander. In 2008, he played Marine Brad Colbert in the miniseries Generation Kill. Skarsgård's breakthrough came when he portrayed vampire Eric Northman in the television series True Blood (2008–2014). After appearing in films such as Melancholia (2011), Battleship (2012) and The Legend of Tarzan (2016), Skarsgård starred in the drama series Big Little Lies (2017–2019) as an abusive husband, which earned him a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Critics' Choice Television Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. From 2019 to 2022, he appeared in the films Long Shot (2019), Godzilla vs. Kong (2021), Passing (2021), and The Northman (2022) as well as playing Randall Flagg in the miniseries The Stand (2020–2021).

Known For

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

Late Night with Seth Meyers

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

The Daily Show

The Kelly Clarkson Show

The Graham Norton Show

Saturday Night Live

All Movies (60)

• Wicker2026
• The End2026 · as (voice)
• The Moment2026 · as Johannes
• Pillion2025 · as Ray
• Eric LaRue2025 · as Ron LaRue
• Lee2024 · as Roland Penrose
• Svensken bakom Hollywoodkroppen2023 · as Himself
• Infinity Pool2023 · as James Foster
• Creation of the Kingdom of Exodus2022 · as Self / The Swedish Lawyer
• The Northman2022 · as Amleth
• Passing2021 · as John Bellew
• Godzilla vs. Kong2021 · as Nathan Lind
• The Kill Team2019 · as Sergeant Deeks
• Long Shot2019 · as Prime Minister James Steward
• The Hummingbird Project2019 · as Anton Zaleski
• The Aftermath2019 · as Stefan Lubert
• Hold the Dark2018 · as Vernon Slone
• Mute2018 · as Leo Beiler
• War on Everyone2016 · as Terry Monroe
• The Legend of Tarzan2016 · as John Clayton / Tarzan
• Zoolander 22016 · as Adam
• Hidden2015 · as Ray
• The Diary of a Teenage Girl2015 · as Monroe Rutherford
• The Giver2014 · as Father
• The East2013 · as Benji
• What Maisie Knew2013 · as Lincoln
• Disconnect2013 · as Derek Hull
• Battleship2012 · as Commander Stone Hopper
• Straw Dogs2011 · as Charlie Venner
• Melancholia2011 · as Michael
• Trust Me2010 · as Alex
• Behind the Moomins2010 · as Self
• 132010 · as Jack
• Beyond the Pole2010 · as Terje
• Metropia2009 · as Stefan (voice)
• Black Island Sisters2007 · as Stefan
• Leende Guldbruna Ögon2007
• Score2006 · as Micke
• Exit2006 · as Fabian von Klerking
• The Last Drop2006 · as Jergen Voller
• Kill Your Darlings2006 · as Geert
• Never Be Mine2006 · as Christopher
• About Sara2005 · as Kalle Öberg
• Double Shift2005 · as Nisse
• Heartbeat2004 · as Piloten
• The Dog Trick2002 · as Micke
• Zoolander2001 · as Meekus
• Kites Over Helsinki2001 · as Robin Åström
• Wings of Glass2000 · as Johan
• White Water Fury2000 · as Anders
• The Diver2000 · as Ingmar
• Hundtricket2000 · as Micke
• D-Day2000 · as Lise's papsøn
• Happy End1999 · as Bamse Viktorsson
• The Dog That Smiled1989 · as Jojjo
• Idag Röd1987 · as The Boy
• Åke and His World1984 · as Kalle Nubb
• The Pack—
• The Wolf Will Tear Your Immaculate Hands—
• The Tiger— · as Vanzin

All TV Shows (29)

• Variety & CNN Actors on Actors2025 · as Self
• Murderbot2025 · as Murderbot
• Mr. & Mrs. Smith2024 · as Other John
• The Stand2020 · as Randall Flagg
• The Kelly Clarkson Show2019 · as Self
• On Becoming a God in Central Florida2019 · as Travis Stubbs
• What We Do in the Shadows2019 · as Eric Northman
• The Little Drummer Girl2018 · as Gadi Becker
• Succession2018 · as Lukas Matsson
• GQ Presents: Iconic Characters2018 · as Self
• Big Little Lies2017 · as Perry Wright
• Atlanta2016 · as Alexander Skarsgård
• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert2015 · as Self - Guest
• Documentary Now!2015 · as Rainer Wolz
• Late Night with Seth Meyers2014 · as Self - Guest
• The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon2014 · as Self
• The Jonathan Ross Show2011 · as Self
• Uppsala Doctor's2009 · as Andersson Nilsson
• Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen2009 · as Self - Guest
• Eastbound & Down2009 · as Adult Toby Powers
• True Blood2008 · as Eric Northman
• Generation Kill2008 · as Brad Colbert
• The Graham Norton Show2007 · as Self
• The One Show2006 · as Self
• White Lies1997 · as Marcus Englund
• The Daily Show1996 · as Self
• The Kingdom1994 · as Svensk advokat
• LIVE with Kelly and Mark1988 · as Self - Guest
• Saturday Night Live1975 · as Self - Host