Stellan Skarsgård comes from a family of actors. His two sons have managed to become major stars: Alexander Skarsgård led 2022’s The Northman, while Bill Skarsgård (Pennywise in the recent It duology) has been brought onto the upcoming Nosferatu and The Crow Remakes. With such famous sons, it’s noteworthy that Stellan has maintained his own modest reputation as an actor-of-choice for directors around the world. He seems to be deeply selective when it comes to choosing roles, but his range and ability make it possible for him to excel in just about any genre. With experience on Star Wars and Marvel projects now under his belt, let’s take a look back on Stellan Skarsgård’s career as we rank his all-time best performances.
8 Dancer in the Dark (2000)
If you decide to tackle Lars von Trier's musical melodrama Dancer in the Dark, you'll be in for a rough time. It's a fantastic but almost absurdly sad film, led by musical artist Björk, David Morse, and Peter Stormare. Skarsgård and von Trier frequently collaborate on movies, and Dancer in the Dark is no exception. Skarsgård plays a small part as the doctor who works with Björk's character Selma and her son. Björk may be the star here, but Skarsgård plays his part believably, helping to move the story along in key scenes.
7 Andor (2022)
The most recent release on this list, Andor is the latest in a series of Star Wars shows that debuted on Disney + in 2022. It's a Rogue One prequel, which means we get to follow Cassian Andor on his adventures before the mission to steal the Death Star plans. Stellan Skarsgård plays the role of Luthen Rael, a member of the Rebel Alliance (masquerading as an antiques dealer) who sends Cassian on his first Rebellion-sponsored mission. As Inverse shows, he's a more important character than he seems, and Skarsgård's performance is one of the best in the series.
6 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)
Based on a novel by Stieg Larsson, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo details the efforts of a journalist and computer hacker to investigate the 40-year-long disappearance of a rich businessman’s daughter. Skarsgård plays one of this businessman’s enigmatic relatives, Martin Vanger, who turns out to be a crazed Nazi sympathizer. He doesn’t wear his dark secrets on his sleeve, but you can read them, subtly, on his face.
5 Good Will Hunting (1997)
Skarsgård plays a small but important role in Good Will Hunting as Professor Gerald Lambeau, one of the figures who sets Will Hunting's story in motion. Lambeau recognizes that, despite his quarrelsome attitude and penchant for trouble, Hunting has great potential as a mathematician. He helps get Hunting out of trouble with the law, under an agreement that he meet with a therapist. Skarsgård's performance is subdued, naturalistic, and his concern for Hunting feels genuine.
4 Chernobyl (2019)
One of HBO’s most celebrated miniseries, Chernobyl is a five-part drama chronicling the events of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster. It’s a masterful dramatization of a historical tragedy, anchored by strong performances. Skarsgård plays Boris Shcherbina, who was the Soviet government official sent to determine the severity of the disaster and report back to his superiors (per All That's Interesting). Skarsgård displays his chameleon-like acting abilities in the part, and his portrayal is one of the most believable in the series.
3 Dune (2021)
With Dune, Skarsgård proved that he could play a truly monstrous villain. As Baron Harkonnen, his performance is skin-crawlingly good as he schemes, bathes in what looks to be oil, and floats about uncannily using antigravity technology. It's a part with relatively few lines, and yet it may be the most memorable in the film. Thankfully, we haven't seen the last of the Baron, as Skarsgård will play him onscreen once again when Dune: Part Two releases this November.
2 Insomnia (1997)
Skarsgård had been acting long before the Norwegian thriller Insomnia released in 1997. But playing the starring role as police detective Jonas Engström was a breakthrough moment in his career. Though Swedish, he's an actor perfectly suited to the film's Norwegian Arctic setting, with its cold blue light and its thick fog. Skarsgård has acted in plenty of English-language movies, but he wasn't brought on for Christopher Nolan's American remake of the same name. His performance of the insomnia-stricken Engström is stellar nonetheless, and few actors can wear trouble on their face like Skarsgård can.
1 Breaking the Waves (1996)
Sandrew Metronome
Breaking the Waves is another collaboration between Lars von Trier and Skarsgård, and this time the actor takes center stage as Jan Nyman, an oil worker paralyzed in an accident. As Jan's condition deteriorates, Skarsgård must continually alter his performance to show greater weakness, suffering, and resilience. Playing a paralyzed character is no easy task, but Skarsgård brings it off admirably. He's the perfect stoical counterpoint to co-star Emily Watson, who plays his wife, Bess McNeill. The couple practices an unexpected form of love, which we won't spoil here, and both actors give career-best performances.