Swedish actor Alexander SkarsgĂ„rd — son of Stellan — is quickly starting to rack up the frock flick credits. He’s known for his abs, but hey, if he wants to bring those into historical movies and TV shows, I’m all for it!
Ake and His World (1984)
What appears to be a sad story about a struggling family in the 1920s. SkarsgÄrd plays the central character, six-year-old Ake.
The Last Drop (2006)
A British-Romanian World War II film. SkarsgĂ„rd plays a “renegade” German soldier.
Drunk History (2016)
He’s in one episode, called “Heroines,” which includes Mandy Moore as Civil War nurse Clara Barton.
The Legend of Tarzan (2016)
As the legendary man raised by apes in Africa, who then meets up with some English people. This version appears to be set in the late 1880s or early 1890s. I’ve never seen it, but I need to, because I will never forget the joy of the greatest movie review ever courtesy of Emily Writes:
“At one point he comes up behind whoever the actress was and I let out this like guttural noise like I was dying and the guy next to me gave me a filth look and I was like fuck you what are you even doing here. Alexander Skarsgard is Tarzan and he belongs to the women of the world.”
The Aftermath (2019)
I was surprised to enjoy him as a German trying to survive just-past-World War II while hooking up with Keira Knightley.
Passing (2021)
He plays the white husband of a white-passing Black woman in this 1920s drama.
The Northman (2022)
Sarah raved about the costumes in this Viking/Norse action/thriller film set in 895 CE. I’m interested, although I’m wondering if it’s more hacking than I’m up for?
What’s your favorite of Alexander SkarsgĂ„rd’s frock flick roles?
He also had some good period costume moments in True Blood; though some of them do involve him in Nazi uniforms so your mileage may vary. Also too late for the site rules but he manages to make 1970s men’s clothing look very good (flared collars and all) in the Little Drummer Girl with Florence Pugh.
Kat, I adore Le Carre but felt Drummer Girl was a potboiler. Ditto the terrible movie with blech, Diane Keaton. How is this version? I do believe a good movie version can always redeem a bad book. Thanks. (Kendra, hope this brief hijack is kosher with you!).
It’s definitely not as strong as someone of his other works (if the source material is lacking somewhat, I always feel adaptations have an uphill battle). But even though I was not a fan of Florence Pugh in Little Women, she sells Charlie’s naivete well (without coming across so naive that you’re left cursing at the screen at all her dumb choices). And of course Skarsgard puts in a solid performance, as does Michael Shannon. Plus the costumes are believably 1970s on the cusp of 1980s without looking like a) a 2000s interpretation of what people in the 1970s wore or b) the most garish fashion from the time the costume designer could find. In particular Florence gets some very nice kaftan-adjacent evening wear.
Also forgot, the director is Park Chan-wook who has done some great detective dramas so he really knows how to depict realistic spycraft onscreen without making it seem too flashy or Sherlock-adjacent.
Thank you for the link to that review. That girl speaks for us all â„ïž
He not only reads, he looks cute in glasses, and isn’t a bad actor, either.
Oof, that V.
OH MY GOD—————-When it comes to this man…..there are NO WORDS. But I will try to find a few for this response. HELL YES to him and his abs in—anything–Frock Flick, toothpaste commercial, you name it. He IS a good actor, not only yummy to look at. As to your Tarzan comment about, “We know the V is underneath the clothes,” I thought, “Yes, and it’s highlighted by the inverted V in his costume!!” And re the last picture–I think that’s from a photo shoot he did for British GQ or something. (Don’t ask me how/why I know this….) Once again….HELL YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That poor man. How long did he have to go without water to showcase those abs and V? Prepping for and shooting those topless scenes must have been awful.
He’s got a lovely face too đ Pity to cover it with whiskers. I’ve got a thing for chin dimples.
Your review quote sums up my feelings nicely.
Thanks for that review link- solid gold.
I really enjoyed the clothing in The Northman (and that everyone was clean, for the most part) but if you are worried about violence I would say stear clear- there was an extended scene in the first half of the movie that was just brutal (including murder of children) and my partner fast-forwarded it once I started crying. So just… yeah. ALL the content warnings for that one.
yes, but that fight scene at the end more than makes up for it ;)