Mikael Persbrandt

Biography

Mikael Åke Persbrandt, born 25 September 1963) is a Swedish actor. In Swedish films, he is perhaps best known for playing Gunvald Larsson in the Beck series of movies. He is internationally known for his starring role in the Academy Award-winning feature, In a Better World, directed by Susanne Bier. His performance earned him a 2011 European Film Award nomination for Best Actor. Other parts include the role of Carl Hamilton from the novels by Jan Guillou, Beorn in The Hobbit, as well as Jakob Nyman in the English TV series Sex Education. He has performed onstage with the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm and in numerous film and TV roles. Persbrandt is well known for his role as the hardboiled police inspector Gunvald Larsson, in the Beck series of films. He won the Guldbagge Award for Best Actor in a leading role twice, the first in 2009 for Everlasting Moments and the second in 2014 for Nobody Owns Me. In 2015, Persbrandt reported that he would quit starring in his popular role of Gunvald Larsson. In 2019, Persbrandt began playing Jakob Nyman in the Netflix comedy drama Sex Education. He was a leading actor in the film The Salvation.

Known For

Sex Education

Foundation

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Beck

Rederiet

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword

The Kingdom

All Movies (96)

• Marie Göranzon - När rampljuset slocknar2026 · as Gunvald Larsson (archive footage)
• Odyssey2025 · as Mysterious Viking
• Beck - bakom kulisserna2024 · as Gunvald Larsson (archive footage)
• Hammarskjöld: Fight for Peace2023 · as Dag Hammarskjöld
• Creation of the Kingdom of Exodus2022 · as Self / Helmer Jr
• Till Sun Rises2021 · as Peder
• Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga2020 · as Victor Karlosson
• Carl och spelreklamshelvetet2019 · as Self (archive footage)
• X&Y2018 · as The Famous Actor
• The Girl in the Spider's Web2018 · as Alexander Zalachenko
• Bergman: A Year in a Life2018 · as Self
• The Cake General2018 · as Hasse P
• King Arthur: Legend of the Sword2017 · as Greybeard
• The Siege of Jadotville2016 · as Dag Hammarskjold
• Alone in Berlin2016 · as Prall
• Sjöwall & Wahlöö - Berättelsen om ett brott2016 · as Self (archive footage)
• Beck 31 - Gunvald2016 · as Gunvald Larsson
• Beck 30 - The Hospital Murders2015 · as Gunvald Larsson
• Beck 29 - Invasion2015 · as Gunvald Larsson
• Beck 28 - The Family2015 · as Gunvald Larsson
• Beck 27 - Room 3022015 · as Gunvald Larsson
• The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies2014 · as Beorn
• The Salvation2014 · as Peter Jensen
• Someone You Love2014 · as Thomas Jacob
• The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug2013 · as Beorn
• Nobody Owns Me2013 · as Hasse
• The Hypnotist2012 · as Erik Maria Bark
• Hamilton 2: But Not If It Concerns Your Daughter2012 · as Carl Hamilton
• Hamilton: In the Interest of the Nation2012 · as Carl Hamilton
• Somewhere Else2011 · as Stefan
• Stockholm East2011 · as Johan
• In a Better World2010 · as Anton
• Beck 26 - Buried Alive2010 · as Gunvald Larsson
• Beck 25 - The Eye of the Storm2009 · as Gunvald Larsson
• Everlasting Moments2008 · as Sigfrid Larsson
• Heaven's Heart2008 · as Lars
• The Kautokeino Rebellion2008 · as Carl Johan Ruth
• Beck 24 - In the Name of God2007 · as Gunvald Larsson
• Solstorm2007 · as Tomas Söderberg
• Beck 23 - The Silent Scream2007 · as Gunvald Larsson
• One Eye Red2007 · as Mikael Persbrandt
• Wonderful and Loved by All2007 · as Mikael Persbrandt
• Beck 22 - The Weak Link2007 · as Gunvald Larsson
• Beck 21 - The Japanese Painting2007 · as Gunvald Larsson
• Gangster2007 · as Thomas
• Beck 20 - The Lawyer2007 · as Gunvald Larsson
• Beck 19 - The Vulture2007 · as Gunvald Larsson
• Beck 18 - The Girl in the Root Cellar2006 · as Gunvald Larsson
• One Way2006 · as Tomas Gaal
• No Tears2006 · as Lars
• Search2006 · as Björn
• Beck 17 - The Scorpion2006 · as Gunvald Larsson
• The Lovelife of a Fat Thief2006 · as Priest
• Miss Julie: 100 Years in the Limelight2006
• Lovisa och Carl Michael2005 · as Westman
• Bang Bang Orangutang2005 · as Åke
• Double Shift2005 · as Jocke
• Den starkare2004 · as X
• Day and Night2004 · as Thomas
• Three Suns2004 · as Ulf
• Playing with Fire2004 · as Axel
• At Point Blank2003 · as Frank
• Gunnar Govin - en man, en röst, en resa2003 · as Kurt
• Now2003 · as Adam (young)
• Everyone Loves Alice2002 · as Johan
• Beck 16 - The Last Witness2002 · as Gunvald Larsson
• Beck 15 - The Boy in the Glass Ball2002 · as Gunvald Larsson
• Beck 14 - The Advertising Man2002 · as Gunvald Larsson
• Beck 13 - Sender Unknown2002 · as Gunvald Larsson
• Beck 12 - The Loner2002 · as Gunvald Larsson
• Beck 11 - The Cartel2001 · as Gunvald Larsson
• Dragonflies2001 · as Kullman
• Beck 10 - The Man Without a Face2001 · as Gunvald Larsson
• Beck 09 - The Price of Vengeance2001 · as Gunvald Larsson
• Gossip2000 · as Åke Frigårdh
• Adult Behaviour… It's All in the Mind1999 · as Georg
• Deadly Drift1999 · as Andreas Persson
• Fatimas tredje hemlighet1999 · as The paramedic
• Hela härligheten1998 · as Glenn
• Beck 08 - Trails in Darkness1998 · as Gunvald Larsson
• Beck 07 - The Money Man1998 · as Gunvald Larsson
• Beck 06 - The Monster1998 · as Gunvald Larsson
• 102 Years in the Heart of Europe: A Portrait of Ernst Jünger1998 · as Reader (voice)
• Beck 05 - The Boarding House Pearl1998 · as Gunvald Larsson
• Beck 04 - Eye for an Eye1998 · as Gunvald Larsson
• The Last Contract1998 · as Roger Nyman
• Beck 03 - White Nights1998 · as Gunvald Larsson
• Beck - The Man with the Icons1997 · as Gunvald Larsson
• Beneath the Surface1997 · as Roffe
• Beck 01 - The Decoy Boy1997 · as Gunvald Larsson
• Nature's Warrior1997 · as Hjorth
• 9 millimeter1997 · as Konstantin
• Ellinors bröllop1996 · as C-O
• Between Summers1995 · as Peter
• Cop Killer1994 · as Police 1
• Nigger1990 · as Svante

All TV Shows (25)

• Mauri och Morberg - på en liten resa2025 · as Self
• Kidnapping2025 · as Markus
• Reindeer Mafia2023 · as Stagge
• The Unlikely Murderer2021 · as Hans Holmér
• Foundation2021 · as The Mule
• Expeditionen2019 · as Self
• Invisible Heroes2019 · as Harald Edelstam
• Sex Education2019 · as Jakob Nyman
• Tillsammans med Strömstedts2017 · as Himself
• Vänligen: Lars Lerin2016 · as Self
• Ett jobb för Berg2015 · as Self
• Plura's Kitchen2011 · as Self - Guest
• Söndagsparty med Filip & Fredrik2009
• Innocently Convicted2008
• Kaotokeino-opprøret (TV-serien)2008 · as Carl Johan Ruth
• The 7 Deadly Sins2007 · as Himself
• Ett herrans liv2006 · as Self
• Medicinmannen2005 · as Martin Holst
• Beck1999 · as Gunvald Larsson
• Anna Holt1996 · as Jocke
• The Kingdom1994 · as Helmer Jr.
• Svensson, Svensson1994
• Anna Holt - Den vite riddaren1994 · as Hellman
• Rederiet1992 · as Ola Simonsson
• Enemy's Enemy1990 · as Vanchaufför