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).
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Biography from TMDB.
- August 25, 1976 (50)
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Actor, also producer
- 48 on MovieCove · 75 credits in all
What are Alexander Skarsgård's films like?
Across their 39 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.
Genres
Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 1 · Wry 3 · Earnest 28
Light 3 · Serious 9 · Dark 20
A split, not a type: Grounded 15 · Stylized 9 · Heightened 8
Gentle 0 · Charged 11 · Intense 21
Steady 7 · Shifting 18 · Whiplash 7
Straight-faced 22 · Some laughs 7 · Funny 3
Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 21 · Relentless 3
Casual 7 · Engaged 20 · Full focus 5
A split, not a type: Easy watch 5 · Affecting 9 · Heavy 18
Resolved 13 · Open-ended 13 · Ambiguous 6
Roles they play
Usually the Shadow: 10 of 35 analyzed roles.
Show the 35 rolesHide the roles
- Tricksteras Geert in Kill Your Darlings (2006)
- Shadowas Fabian von Klerking in Exit (2006)
- Shadowas Eric Northman in True Blood (2008)
- Heroas Sgt. Brad 'Iceman' Colbert in Generation Kill (2008)
- Heroas Moomintroll in Moomins and the Comet Chase (2010)
- Shadowas Charlie in Straw Dogs (2011)
- Threshold guardianas Derek Hull in Disconnect (2012)
- Mentoras Lincoln in What Maisie Knew (2012)
- Allyas Commander Stone Hopper in Battleship (2012)
- Shadowas Benji in The East (2013)
- Heroas Ray in Hidden (2015)
- Shapeshifteras Monroe in The Diary of a Teenage Girl (2015)
- Threshold guardianas Chief Mbonga in The Legend of Tarzan (2016)
- Heroas Det. Terry Monroe in War on Everyone (2016)
- Heroas John Clayton / Tarzan in The Legend of Tarzan (2016)
- Allyas Anton Zaleski in The Hummingbird Project (2018)
- Heroas Leo in Mute (2018)
- Shapeshifteras Gadi Becker in The Little Drummer Girl (2018)
- Shadowas Vernon Slone in Hold the Dark (2018)
- Shadowas Sergeant Deeks in The Kill Team (2019)
- Shadowas Stephen Lubert in The Aftermath (2019)
- Shadowas Randall Flagg in The Stand (2020)
- Threshold guardianas John in Passing (2021)
- Allyas Nathan Lind in Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)
- Heroas Amleth in The Northman (2022)
- Heroas James Foster in Infinity Pool (2023)
- Threshold guardianas Roland Penrose in Lee (2023)
- Shadowas Ron LaRue in Eric LaRue (2023)
- Shadowas Ray in Pillion (2025)
- Heroas Murderbot in Murderbot (2025)
- Tricksteras Murderbot in Murderbot (2025)
- Mentoras Ray in Pillion (2025)
- Shapeshifteras Ray in Pillion (2025)
- Allyas Wicker Husband in Wicker (2026)
- Mentoras ? in The Moment (2026)
Moods and endings
- Happy6
- Bittersweet19
- Tragic2
- Ambiguous11
- Cyclical1
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch Alexander Skarsgård's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 35 of their 48 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.
- MovieSphere+, show their 4 titles on MovieSphere+
- ViX, show their 2 titles on ViX
- Cinemax, show their title on Cinemax
- Howdy, show their title on Howdy
- Magnolia Selects, show their title on Magnolia Selects
- Monsters and Nightmares, show their title on Monsters and Nightmares
- Sony Pictures Core, show their title on Sony Pictures Core
Subscription and free streaming for Alexander Skarsgård's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
75 credits, 48 with a MovieCove page; 16 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.
Wicker(2026)
Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
The End (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)
The Moment(2026)
Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
Pillion(2025)
Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
Murderbot(2025)
Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows
Eric LaRue(2023)
Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
Lee(2023)
Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
Mr. & Mrs. Smith(2024)
Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all shows
Infinity Pool(2023)
Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
The Northman(2022)
Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
Passing(2021)
Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films
Godzilla vs. Kong(2021)
Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
The Stand(2020)
Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all shows
The Kill Team(2019)
Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows
Long Shot(2019)
Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows
The Hummingbird Project(2018)
Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films
The Aftermath(2019)
Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
The Little Drummer Girl(2018)
Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows
Hold the Dark(2018)
Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films
Succession(2018)
Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows
Mute(2018)
Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films
Big Little Lies(2017)
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows
War on Everyone(2016)
Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films
Atlanta(2016)
Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows
The Legend of Tarzan(2016)
Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films
Zoolander 2(2016)
Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films
Hidden(2015)
Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
Documentary Now!(2015)
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows
Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films
The Giver(2014)
Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
The East(2013)
Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films
What Maisie Knew(2012)
Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
Disconnect(2012)
Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
Battleship(2012)
Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films
Straw Dogs(2011)
Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
Melancholia(2011)
Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
Trust Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)
13(2010)
Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films
Beyond the Pole (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)
Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
Metropia(2009)
Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all filmsUppsala Doctor's (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)
Eastbound & Down(2009)
Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows
True Blood(2008)
Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows
Generation Kill(2008)
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows
Black Island Sisters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)
Leende Guldbruna Ögon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)
Score (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
Exit(2006)
Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films
The Last Drop(2006)
Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films
Kill Your Darlings(2006)
Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all filmsNever Be Mine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
About Sara (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)
Double Shift (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)
Heartbeat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
To Kill a Child (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
The Dog Trick (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)
Zoolander(2001)
Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
Kites Over Helsinki (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)
Wings of Glass (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
White Water Fury (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
The Diver (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
D-Day (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
Hundtricket (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
Happy End (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)
White Lies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
The Kingdom(1994)
Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows
The Dog That Smiled (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)
Idag Röd (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)
Åke and His World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)
The Pack (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
The Tiger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
The Wolf Will Tear Your Immaculate Hands (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Career shape
Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 74 titles, 71 of them dated from 1984 to 2026; peak year 2022.
Biggest box office
Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)
Highest rated
Generation Kill (2008)
Most popular right now
True Blood (2008)
Film career
Peak 2022 · at the high point of their film career. Top draw in 27 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.
- 2000Screen debut· D-Day
- 2008Screen Actors Guild Award nomination· True Blood
- 2015First top-billed film· Hidden
- 2017Primetime Emmy win· Big Little Lies
- 2018Primetime Emmy nomination· Succession
- 2021Career best· Godzilla vs. Kong
Show 1 more milestoneShow fewer
- 2025Best so far· Murderbot
Billing
Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.
Awards
a Primetime Emmy, a Golden Globe, 2 Screen Actors Guild Awards and 1 other major award from 11 major nominations, 2010–2026.
- Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Actor in a Comedy Series
- Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role on Television
- Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series
- Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
- Golden Globe, won · Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
- Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series
+1 other major body · 1 win
- Critics Choice Award, won · Best Supporting Actor in a Movie Made for Television or Limited Series
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
- Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.
How do Alexander Skarsgård's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 52nd percentile, the median of all 34; across their 32 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 51st percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up17
- 50th to 74th14
- 25th to 49th12
- Below 25th5
Shape of the crowd
20 of their 48 titles are Crowd Pleasers.
- Universally Loved8
- Crowd Pleaser20
- Broadly Agreed6
- Mixed14
Reviewers score the acting 72/100 in their films, across 32 reviewed titles; fans 80, detractors 46. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Is Alexander Skarsgård's work okay for kids?
Across up to 31 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.
Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.
Who does Alexander Skarsgård work with?
People who share at least 2 of Alexander Skarsgård's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Andrea Riseborough shares the most, 3.
Writers
- John ColleeShared titles: Lee (2023), The Legend of Tarzan (2016)See all 2 shared titles with John Collee
- Liz HannahShared titles: Lee (2023), Long Shot (2019)See all 2 shared titles with Liz Hannah
Actors
- Andrea RiseboroughShared titles: Lee (2023), Hidden (2015), Disconnect (2012)See all 3 shared titles with Andrea Riseborough
- Michael ShannonShared titles: Eric LaRue (2023), The Little Drummer Girl (2018), 13 (2010)See all 3 shared titles with Michael Shannon
- Gustav LindhShared titles: Wicker (2026), The Northman (2022)See all 2 shared titles with Gustav Lindh
- Tessa ThompsonShared titles: Passing (2021), War on Everyone (2016)See all 2 shared titles with Tessa Thompson
Composers
- Marco BeltramiShared titles: Long Shot (2019), The Giver (2014)See all 2 shared titles with Marco Beltrami
- David JulyanShared titles: Hidden (2015), The Last Drop (2006)See all 2 shared titles with David Julyan
Producers
- Michael BloomShared titles: Wicker (2026), Infinity Pool (2023)See all 2 shared titles with Michael Bloom
- Ryan HellerShared titles: Wicker (2026), Infinity Pool (2023)See all 2 shared titles with Ryan Heller
- Mark GooderShared titles: Pillion (2025), The Kill Team (2019)See all 2 shared titles with Mark Gooder
- Noah SegalShared titles: Infinity Pool (2023), The Hummingbird Project (2018)See all 2 shared titles with Noah Segal
Mixed roles
- Rebecca HallShared titles: Godzilla vs. Kong (2021), Passing (2021)See all 2 shared titles with Rebecca Hall
