Mads Mikkelsen Talks 'The Hunt' and 'Royal Affair'

Interviews

by Anne Thompson
September 8, 2012 6:07 PM
2 Comments

Mads Mikkelsen

Danish star Mads Mikkelsen combines a rare set of skills: the athleticism of a trained dancer, acrobat and gymnast and the sensitivity of a theater actor. After graduating from drama school at age 30 he starred in fellow Dogma believer Nicolas Winding Refn's "Pusher" films, and later in the almost silent "Valhalla Rising" (he'd like to work with the director again). He broke out in two Susanne Bier films, "Open Hearts" and "After the Wedding," which earned an Academy Award nomination.

He went on to play a Bond villain in "Casino Royale," and survived fighting green-screen scorpions in "Clash of the Titans," the mark of a true star. He can be dangerous and violent, deranged and funny, mighty warrior or tender lover. He likes to strip away extra layers to the lean meat of a performance. After nine years as a dancer, "emotional stuff gets in my body somehow," he says. "I see so many cases where if you chase the dream you can't catch it but if the dream is in the work, you will sleep a happy man."

Mads Mikkelsen in "The Hunt"

"Everything I've done is a stepping stone to what I do today," he told LAT's John Horn at a Telluride Q & A right before moving with his family to Toronto for a year's shooting on the new TV series "Hannibal." "We get away with a lot," he promised.

He's performed credibly in Danish, French, Russian and English. Now Mikkelsen is on the cusp of global stardom, winning the Best Actor prize at Cannes for playing a school teacher falsely accused of being a pedophile in Thomas Winterberg's "The Hunt" (2013) and earning a well-deserved tribute at the Telluride Film Festival. His latest film, the Danish hit "A Royal Affair" (November) tells the true history of an enlightened intellectual doctor who not only took care of his country's addlepated king, but slept with his wife. Both Magnolia pick-ups are playing at the Toronto Fest.

I sat down with the actor at Telluride, below.

Interviews

More: Interviews, The Hunt, Mads Mikkelsen, Interviews, Telluride Film Festival, Telluride, Toronto International Film Festival, Toronto, Festivals, festivals

2 Comments

| Reply
Thomas | November 26, 2012 7:47 AMReply

I'm pretty sure Nicolas Winding Refn wouuld hate to be called a "Dogma believer". :)
Trish | September 9, 2012 12:56 PMReply

One of the best actors out there today. Simply superb.

Mads Mikkelsen Talks 'The Hunt' and 'Royal Affair'

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Mads Mikkelsen Talks 'The Hunt' and 'Royal Affair'

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