Bill Skarsgård

❧

Wikipedia

Bill Skarsgård
Skarsgård at the 2018 San Diego Comic Con
Born
Bill Istvan Günther Skarsgård

(1990-08-09) 9 August 1990 (age 35)
Stockholm, Sweden
EducationSödra Latin
OccupationActor
Years active1999–present
PartnerAlida Morberg
Children2
FatherStellan Skarsgård
Relatives

Bill Istvan Günther Skarsgård (Swedish: [ˈbɪlː ˈskɑ̌ːʂɡoːɖ] ⓘ; born 9 August 1990) is a Swedish actor. He is best known for portraying Pennywise in the horror films It (2017) and It Chapter Two (2019) and the television series It: Welcome to Derry (2025–present) and Count Orlok in Nosferatu (2024). Skarsgård’s roles as monsters and other non-human characters have led him to be described as a creature actor by media sources.[1][2][3] He has received multiple awards and nominations, including a Satellite Award and a Berlinale Award. Films in which he has appeared have grossed over $1.8 billion worldwide.[4]

Skarsgård started his career as a child actor, starring in White Water Fury (2000), alongside his brother Alexander. After pursing an education at Södra Latin, he landed his first major role in Simple Simon (2010). He gained international recognition as main role in Hemlock Grove (2013–2015). His first major American role was in the Robert Schwentke-directed dystopian The Divergent Series: Allegiant (2016).

Skarsgård won multiple nominations for his role as Pennywise in It (2017), including a nominated Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor, a nominated MTV Movie Award for Best Villain, and a nominated Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Villain.[5][6]

Skarsgård had starred in two films produced by Sam Raimi: Boy Kills World (2023) and Locked (2024).[7]

Early life

Skarsgård was born on 9 August 1990 in Vällingby, Stockholm, Sweden, the son of actor Stellan Skarsgård and doctor My Skarsgård.[8][9][10] He has seven siblings, including actors Alexander, Gustaf, Valter, and Kolbjörn.[11][12]

Career

2011–2016: Early work

Skarsgård at the 2013 San Diego Comic-Con

In 2011, Skarsgård was nominated for a Guldbagge Award for his leading role as Simon in Simple Simon.[13] At the age of 21, he won the European Film Academy's Shooting Stars Award in 2012.[14] Beginning in 2013, Skarsgård played the role of Roman Godfrey in the Netflix original Hemlock Grove.

In April 2014, Skarsgård featured on the cover of Hero – a bi-annual men's fashion and culture magazine, shot by Hedi Slimane. In the issue, he is interviewed by his father.[15] Skarsgård played Matthew in the science fiction thriller The Divergent Series: Allegiant (2016), his first major American film.[16]

2017–present: Breakthrough

He played horror villain Pennywise the Dancing Clown in the 2017 film It and reprised the role in the 2019 sequel and the prequel series It: Welcome to Derry, directed by Andy Muschietti.[17] Speaking about what led him to casting Skarsgård, Muschietti said: "One second he can act all cute, and then the next, there's something ancestral and dark that just appears. His ability to transform is mind-blowing to me.”[18]

Skarsgård was a series regular on 2018's Castle Rock, as a young man with an unusual legal problem.[19] That same year, he portrayed Zeitgeist in Deadpool 2.[20] In 2020, he played Mateo in episode 4 of AMC's anthology series Soulmates. In 2021, he voiced the main antagonist Kro in Eternals.

In the 2022 Netflix miniseries Clark, Skarsgård portrayed Clark Olofsson, the notorious Swedish criminal whose involvement in the Norrmalmstorg robbery gave rise to the term Stockholm syndrome.[21]

Skarsgård played the lead villain role of Marquis de Gramont in John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023). He was the titular character in Boy Kills World.

He led the reboot of The Crow directed by Rupert Sanders.[22] Skarsgaard said: "I had a great shoot, a lot of night shoots. … You're kind of preoccupied in a bleak state of mind for a while. I like to be consumed by it when I'm doing it. Actually, we were working out a lot, I found it really helpful. There's nothing like being tired and sweaty to get the demons out."[23]

He was cast as Count Orlok in the remake of Nosferatu.[24] Speaking on his experience portraying the titular role, Skarsgård said: "It was like conjuring pure evil. It took a while for me to shake off the demon that had been conjured inside of me."[18]

Personal life

Skarsgård is in a relationship with actress Alida Morberg.[25] In October 2018, the couple had their first child.[25][26] They had a second child in 2023.[27]

In February 2024, Skarsgård was arrested and fined for marijuana possession in Sweden.[28]

Filmography

Film

Key
† Denotes film or TV productions that have not yet been released
Year Title Role Notes
2000 White Water Fury Klasse
2008 Pigan brinner! Tonårs-Nosferatu
Arn – The Kingdom at Road's End Erik
2009 Kenny Begins Pontus
2010 Simple Simon Simon
Behind Blue Skies Martin
2011 The Crown Jewels Richard Persson
Simon & the Oaks Simon
2012 Anna Karenina Captain Makhotin
2013 Victoria Otto
2016 The Divergent Series: Allegiant Matthew
2017 Atomic Blonde Merkel
Do You Like the Taste of Beer Man
It Pennywise the Dancing Clown
Battlecreek Henry Pearl
Moomins and the Winter Wonderland Moomintroll Voice[29]
2018 Assassination Nation Mark
Deadpool 2 Axel Cluney / Zeitgeist
2019 Villains Mickey
It Chapter Two Pennywise the Dancing Clown
2020 Nine Days Kane
The Devil All the Time Willard Russell
2021 Naked Singularity Dane
Eternals Kro Voice
2022 Barbarian Keith Toshko Also executive producer
Burn All My Letters Sven Stolpe
2023 John Wick: Chapter 4 Marquis Vincent de Gramont
Boy Kills World Boy
2024 The Crow Eric Draven / The Crow[30]
Nosferatu Count Orlok [24][31]
2025 Locked Eddie Barrish
Dead Man's Wire Tony Kiritsis
TBA Emperor † Philip II of Spain Completed[32]
The Death of Robin Hood † Post-production[33]
The Mosquito Bowl † Filming[34][35]

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2002 Laura Trenter – Dad, the Policeman Tony 2 episodes
2009 Livet i Fagervik Mårten 1 episode
2013–2015 Hemlock Grove Roman Godfrey Main role
2018–2019 Castle Rock Henry Deaver / The Kid (season 1)
The Angel (season 2)		 Main role (season 1); guest star (season 2)
2020 Soulmates Mateo Episode: "Layover"
2022 Clark Clark Olofsson Main role
2025–present It: Welcome to Derry Pennywise the Dancing Clown Main role; also executive producer[36]

Awards and nominations

Year Nominated work Association Category Result Ref.
2011 Simple Simon Guldbagge Awards Best Actor Nominated
Young Artist Awards Best Performance in an International Feature Film – Leading Young Actor Nominated
2012 Himself Berlin International Film Festival Shooting Stars Award Won
2017 It Fright Meter Awards Best Supporting Actor Won
Seattle Film Critics Awards Best Villain Nominated
2018 Saturn Awards Best Supporting Actor Nominated [5]
MTV Movie & TV Awards Best Villain Nominated [37]
Teen Choice Awards Choice Movie Villain Nominated
2020 It Chapter Two Fright Meter Awards Best Supporting Actor Nominated
Best Ensemble Cast Won
2024 Nosferatu 8th Astra Film Awards Best Performance in a Horror or Thriller Film Nominated
Seattle Film Critics Awards Best Villain Nominated
2025 Satellite Awards Best Cast – Motion Picture Won

References

  1. ↑ Coman, Monica (14 November 2024). "'A Mutual Kind of Attraction': Bill Skarsgard Explains Picking Dark Roles Like Pennywise and Nosferatu". CBR. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  2. ↑ Lund, Anthony (18 November 2024). "Bill Skarsgård Never Planned to Be a "Go-To Monster Actor", but Is Not Afraid of Typecasting Either". MovieWeb. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  3. ↑ George, Joe (27 December 2024). "Nosferatu Proves Bill Skarsgård Is a Movie Monster Icon Worthy of the Silent Era". Den of Geek. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  4. ↑ "Bill Skarsgård - Box Office".
  5. 1 2 McNary, Dave (15 March 2018). "'Black Panther,' 'Walking Dead' Rule Saturn Awards Nominations". Variety. Variety Media, LLC. Archived from the original on 16 March 2018. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
  6. ↑ Nordyke, Kimberly (3 May 2018). "MTV Movie & TV Awards: 'Black Panther,' 'Stranger Things' Top Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 3 May 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  7. ↑ Vlessing, Etan (15 August 2024). "David Yarovesky, Christopher Leone, Sergio Navarretta Titles Tapped for Toronto Film Festival Sales Market". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  8. ↑ On my radar: Bill Skarsgård's culturala highlights Archived 3 August 2017 at the Wayback Machine; The Guardian, 20 July 2014
  9. ↑ Lindholm, Peter (22 March 2009). "Bill Skarsgård: Stellan är min största förebild". Metro International. Archived from the original on 21 September 2010. Retrieved 20 September 2010.
  10. ↑ "Stellans exfru talar ut om missbruket". Aftonbladet. Archived from the original on 13 June 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
  11. ↑ "Skarsgård-barnen – så lever de i dag". Expressen. 27 August 2019. Archived from the original on 14 September 2019. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  12. ↑ "The Skarsgård Family: Everything to Know". People.com. Retrieved 20 October 2025.
  13. ↑ Pehanick, Maggie. "Meet Bill Skarsgard, the Guy Terrorizing You as Pennywise". POPSUGAR Celebrity. Archived from the original on 26 September 2017. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
  14. ↑ "BILL SKARSGÅRD SELECTED AS SHOOTING STAR 2012 – TrustNordisk". Trustnordisk.com. Archived from the original on 29 September 2017. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
  15. ↑ ""HERO 11: Shift Zero"". Archived from the original on 6 July 2014.
  16. ↑ Close, Murray. "Bill Skarsgård portrays Matthew in The Divergent Series: Allegiant". Edmontonjournal.com. Archived from the original on 15 December 2018. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
  17. ↑ Kit, Borys; Siegel, Tatiana (2 June 2016). "Stephen King's 'It' Adaptation Finds Its Pennywise the Clown (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 8 January 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  18. 1 2 "Bill Skarsgård Likes It Darker". Esquire. 29 May 2024.
  19. ↑ Wagmeister, Elizabeth (10 July 2017). "'It' Star Bill Skarsgård Joins Stephen King Hulu Series 'Castle Rock'". Variety.com. Archived from the original on 20 April 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
  20. ↑ Sharf, Zack (27 April 2018). "Bill Skarsgård Makes 'Deadpool 2' Debut: 'It' Actor Confirmed as X-Force Mutant Zeitgeist — First Look". Indiewire. Archived from the original on 30 April 2018. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  21. ↑ Bill Skarsgard: I Dare you to Watch Clark. Radio Times. Archived from the original on 20 April 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  22. ↑ Kroll, Justin (1 April 2022). "'The Crow': Bill Skarsgard Tapped To Play Eric Draven In New Reimagining From Rupert Sanders". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 3 April 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
  23. ↑ Thompson, Jaden (21 August 2024). "Bill Skarsgard on His "Bleak State of Mind" While Filming 'The Crow': "I Like to Be Consumed by It"". The Hollywood Reporter.
  24. 1 2 Kroll, Justin (30 September 2022). "Bill Skarsgard & Lily-Rose Depp To Star In 'Nosferatu', Robert Eggers' Follow-Up To 'Northman' For Focus". Deadline. Archived from the original on 1 October 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
  25. 1 2 "Bill Skarsgård to become a father". Aftonbladet. 20 July 2018. Archived from the original on 20 September 2019. Retrieved 9 September 2019. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  26. ↑ "Bebislycka för Bill Skarsgård och Alida Morberg". Aftonbladet. 8 October 2018. Archived from the original on 4 May 2019. Retrieved 9 September 2019. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  27. ↑ Risberg, Moa (16 August 2023). "Bill Skarsgård och Alida Morbergs dotters ovanliga namnval". Hänt (in Swedish). Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  28. ↑ "Bill Skarsgård Arrested For Marijuana Possession in Sweden". TMZ. 15 February 2024. Archived from the original on 16 February 2024. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  29. ↑ "Bill Skarsgard Joins Alicia Vikander in Voice Cast for 'Moomins' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 7 August 2017. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  30. ↑ Kroll, Justin (1 April 2022). "'The Crow': Bill Skarsgard Tapped To Play Eric Draven In New Reimagining From Rupert Sanders". Deadline. Archived from the original on 3 April 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
  31. ↑ Squires, John (30 May 2023). "Filming on the Robert Eggers 'Nosferatu' Remake Has Reportedly Wrapped in Prague". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on 30 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  32. ↑ McNary, Dave (18 August 2014). "TORONTO: Sophie Cookson Starring Opposite Adrien Brody in 'Emperor'". Variety. Archived from the original on 18 August 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  33. ↑ Vlessing, Etan (7 February 2025). "Bill Skarsgard, Murray Bartlett, Noah Jupe Join 'The Death of Robin Hood'". The Hollywood Reporter.
  34. ↑ "See Behind-the-Scenes Photos from Director Peter Berg's The Mosquito Bowl". Tudum. Archived from the original on 16 September 2025. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
  35. ↑ Grobar, Matt (15 April 2025). "Nicholas Galitzine & Bill Skarsgård To Star In Netflix's 'Mosquito Bowl' From Director Peter Berg". Deadline. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
  36. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (30 May 2024). "'Welcome To Derry': Bill Skarsgård To Reprise Pennywise Role In 'It' Prequel On Max". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 30 May 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  37. ↑ Nordyke, Kimberly (3 May 2018). "MTV Movie & TV Awards: 'Black Panther,' 'Stranger Things' Top Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 3 May 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2018.