Skip to Content

10 Famous Swedish Actors and Actresses

Who are the most famous Swedish actors and actresses?

Introduction

When it comes to the entertainment industry, countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and France often come to mind. However, Sweden has produced a variety of talented actors and actresses that have made a significant impact on the world of cinema.

From their unique acting styles to their stunning performances, Swedish celebrities have become household names in the industry.

Today, we will talk about the top Swedish actors and actresses that have made their mark in Hollywood and beyond.

List Of 10 Famous Swedish Actors and Actresses:

#1 Hanna Alström

Hanna Alström

@Getty

She is a Swedish actress who is best known for starring in Kingsman: The Secret Service. Hanna later reprised the role in its sequel ‘Kingsman: The Golden Circle’ which was released in 2017.

Alström was born and raised in Stockholm, Sweden, alongside her sister Sara.

She began her career at the young age of 5, initially appearing in stage plays. When Hanna was 6, she appeared in Staffan Götestam’s play Gränsland at Puckteatern and at the Gröna Lund Theatre. Alström later began her career in film with her debut role in the 1988 film Gull-Pian.

In addition, Hanna played wonderful roles in other movies and series including:

  • Real Humans;
  • Welcome to Sweden;
  • Crimes of Passion;
  • A Place in the Sun;
  • Dreams;
  • Love 3000;
  • My Wife’s First Lover;
  • Aspiranterna;
  • Nya Tider;
  • Vita lögner;
  • Children of the Luna.

In 2018, Hanna played Ann Zacharias in Hannes Holm’s film ”Ted – För kärlekens skull.”

Alström was married to actor Gustaf Skarsgard from 1999 until 2005.

#2 Vera Vitali

Vera Vitali

@Getty

She is a Swedish actress and playwright who has acted in films such as Cornelis (2010), Hela havet stormar (2009), Människor utan betydelse.

Additionally, Vera acted in Bonusfamiljen and in Arne Dahls A-gruppen.

In 2008, Vera made her film debut in the Ruben Östlund film “De ofrivilliga.” In 2009, Vitali wrote the comical monologue Vilja vara Vera Vitali. Vitali acted in the premiere of the play “Bageriet” in 2007 at the Orionteatern.

Vera studied acting at Stockholms Elementära Teaterskola, and she also studied in New York. Her brother Max Vitali is also an actor.

She grew up in Stockholm into a film family. Interestingly, Vera visited the set in London when Stanley Kubrick’s film Full Metal Jacket was done, as her father Leon worked as Kubrick’s production assistant and as well as an actor in his last films.

#3 Tuva Novotny

Tuva Novotny

@Getty

She is a Swedish director, actress, and singer. Tuva is the daughter of Swedish artist Barbro Hedström and Czech film director David Jan Novotný.

Her work as an actor includes:

  • Annihilation (2018);
  • Borg vs McEnroe (2017);
  • A War (2015);
  • Eat Pray Love (2010).

Novotny was born in Stockholm and was raised in Åmot, Brunskog, outside Arvika.

She was in a band called “Rambo Allstars.” In 2000, Tuva was voted Sweden’s most beautiful woman in Café. In the same year, she was voted Sweden’s sexiest woman in Slitz magazine. In 1998, Tuva was voted Sweden’s second most beautiful woman in the Slitz magazine.

#4 Malin Akerman

Malin Akerman

@Getty

She is a Swedish-Canadian model, actress, and singer who gained her first starring roles in the feature films 27 Dresses (2008) and The Heartbreak Kid (2007).

Malin was raised in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada, and attended York University, studying psychology.

In the early 2000s, Malin had many television and film parts, including Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004) and The Utopian Society (2003).

In 2006, Akerman was named #80 in FHM magazine’s “100 Sexiest Women in the World 2006” supplement.

However, Malin became best known after appearances in several Canadian productions. She is currently the lead singer of a rock band named Ozono, who later changed their name to “The Petal Stones.”

#5 Alicia Vikander

Alicia Vikander

@Getty

She is a Swedish actress who gained wider recognition in 2012 for playing Queen Caroline Mathilde in the Danish film A Royal Affair and Kitty in Joe Wright’s adaptation of Anna Karenina.

In 2011, Vikander was named as one of the European films’ Shooting Stars by European Film Promotion.

In 2010, she made her feature film debut in Pure, for which she won the Guldbagge Award for Best Actress. Alicia began her professional acting career by appearing in Swedish television series and short films and first gained recognition for her role as Josefin Björn-Tegebrandt in the drama series Andra Avenyn.

She trained as a ballet dancer at the Royal Swedish Ballet School in Stockholm and the School of American Ballet in New York. Also, Alicia began acting as a child in minor stage productions at the Gothenburg opera house.

READ MORE: Famous Telecaster Players

#6 Dolph Lundgren

Dolph Lundgren

@Getty

He is a Swedish actor, screenwriter, director, martial artist, and film producer who has starred in over 40 films, almost all of them in the action genre.

In 1982, Dolph won the Australian Heavyweight Karate Championship.

His breakthrough came in 1985 when he starred in Rocky IV as the imposing Soviet Union boxer Ivan Drago.

From 1980 to 1981, Lundgren was European Heavyweight Karate Champion.

#7 Lena Olin

Lena Olin

@Getty

She is a Swedish actress who starred in the Swedish sitcom Welcome to Sweden.

Olin has a daughter Tora Hallström (b. 1995) with husband Lasse Hallström. Also, Lena has a son F. Auguste Rahmberg (b. 1986) with former boyfriend Örjan Ramberg.

Some of her well-known films include:

  • The Reader (2008);
  • Casanova (2005);
  • Queen of the Damned (2002);
  • Chocolat (2000).

Olin has been nominated for several acting awards, including an Academy Award for Enemies, A Love Story (1989) as well as a Golden Globe for The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988).

READ MORE: List Of Trombone Players

#8 Stellan Skarsgård

Stellan Skarsgård

@Getty

He is a Swedish actor who is known for his roles in the following movies:

  • The Grand Duke in Cinderella (2015);
  • Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015);
  • Thor: The Dark World (2013);
  • The Avengers (2012);
  • Dr. Erik Selvig in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Thor (2011);
  • Martin Vanger in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011);
  • Commander Maximilian Richter in Angels and Demons (2009);
  • Bill Anderson in Mamma Mia! (2008) and the sequel Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018);
  • Bootstrap Bill Turner in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006) and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007);
  • Prof. Gerald Lambeau in Good Will Hunting (1997);
  • Captain Tupolev in The Hunt for Red October (1990);
  • Jan Nyman in Breaking the Waves (1996).

In 1968, Stellan released the single “Bombi Bitt/Ler Mot Dej.” In 1994, Skarsgård was considered for the part of Oskar Schindler in Schindler’s List.

READ MORE: List Of Cello Players

#9 Ingrid Bergman

Ingrid Bergman

@Getty

She was a Swedish actress who is best remembered for her roles as Alicia Huberman in Notorious (1946) and Ilsa Lund in Casablanca (1942).

In 1933, Bergman enrolled at the Royal Dramatic Theatre School in Stockholm but later changed to films instead.

During her career, Ingrid won many accolades, including:

  • a Tony Award;
  • a BAFTA Award;
  • four Golden Globe Awards;
  • two Emmy Awards (Primetime);
  • three Academy Awards.

READ MORE: Famous Argentinian Soccer Players

#10 Alexander Skarsgård

Alexander Skarsgård

@Getty

He is a Swedish actor who rose to fame through HBO’s True Blood.

Skarsgård lives in an apartment in Stockholm, Sweden, near his parents. His mother is a doctor. Alexander was voted five times the sexiest man in Sweden.

Skarsgård also starred in the network’s hit series Big Little Lies.

Here’s a quick recap of the 10 famous Swedish actors and actresses:

  1. Hanna Alström
  2. Vera Vitali
  3. Tuva Novotny
  4. Malin Akerman
  5. Alicia Vikander
  6. Dolph Lundgren
  7. Lena Olin
  8. Stellan Skarsgård
  9. Ingrid Bergman
  10. Alexander Skarsgård

READ THIS NEXT: Famous Clarinet Players