The Skarsgård family is a force to reckon with in Hollywood, bursting with talent and good looks – old and new.
From the the patriarch of the family Stellan Skarsgård to his eight children – Alexander, Gustaf, Sam, Bill, Eija, Valter, Ossian and Kolbjörn, success and stardom is a way of life for the Skarsgårds who seem to be taking over Hollywood, one blockbuster hit at a time.
Stellan, an acclaimed actor in Sweden and the United States has appeared in over 100 films throughout his illustrious career of over five decades. His latest outing, Dune: Part Two, where he played Baron Harkonnen, goes on to prove that he refuses to slow down even in his 70s.
That said, the Skarsgård family tree extends its branches far and beyond with its legacy being passed down to the next generation and hopefully the next. Six of Stellan’s seven sons have followed in his footsteps and become successful actors and the youngest two are being touted to take on the same path.
With so much talent running in the Skarsgård genes, one might expect fierce competition within the family. Surprisingly, that’s not the case, according to the Vikings actor Gustaf. In an interview with Sweden’s Schön! magazine in 2018, he revealed that they find humour in their friendly competition, keeping scores and enjoying a good laugh.
Agreeing with his son, Stellan echoed a similar sentiment with The Daily Beast in 2021. He stated, “There’s no competition, really. There’s some joking competition at the dinner table, but I know they’re better than me, so I’ve given up.”
With this legendary brood showing no sign of rivalry or shadowing one another’s career path, here’s deconstructing the Skarsgård family tree and bringing attention to the individual accolades of all eight siblings.
Decoding the Skarsgård family tree
The Skarsgård brothers are nothing without their dad. So before we deconstruct Hollywood’s most talented pack of actor siblings, let’s talk about how and where it all began…
Stellan Skarsgård: The patriarch
This is where it all started. Stellan Skarsgård, was born on 13 June 1951, in Gothenburg, Sweden. He had started acting gigs in his teens and his breakthrough role came in 1968 when he was cast in the hit Swedish TV show Bombi Bitt. The show made Stellan a teen sensation in no time.
Later in his career spanning over 5 decades, Skarsgård appeared in blockbuster hits like Good Will Hunting, Chernobyl, Pirates of the Caribbean and more recently Denis Villeneuve’s Dune movies.
What is House Harkonnen planning? #DuneMovie pic.twitter.com/yDvxByyXjX
— DUNE (@dunemovie) January 7, 2022
He is also celebrated for his role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Professor Erik Selvig, the astrophysicist who boldly ran around naked in Thor: The Dark World.
On the personal front, Stellan has been married twice. First to actor My Skarsgård from 1975 until their divorce in 2007 and then to film producer Megan Everett in 2009. Stellan shares six children – Alexander, Gustaf, Sam, Bill, Eija and Valter – with his first wife and two more sons – Ossian and Kolbjörn with the second.
Stallan is very proud of both his wives and the brood of eight children they have made him build. “I’ve had two beautiful wives — and very smart wives — and that’s helped a lot. I’m not going to take much credit for anything,” Stellan told The Daily Beast talking about the legendary Skarsgård family.
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Alexander: The eldest of the Skarsgård brothers
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Moving on to the Skarsgård siblings, Alexander, the eldest Skarsgård brother was born on 25 August 1976, in Stockholm.
Much like his dad, Alexander started his acting career pretty early on and got his first film role when he was just seven. He starred alongside Stellan in 1984’s Åke och hans värld and later followed it up with the lead role in the 1989 Swedish hit Hunden Som Log.
But to everyone’s surprise, Alexander quit acting after a few films and joined the Swedish Armed Forces at 19, only to return to the movies after a few years.
One of the most iconic roles of Alexander was when he played the bad boy vampire Eric Northman on HBO’s True Blood where he also created headlines by going fully nude in the season finale. David Yates’ 2016 film, The Legend of Tarzan, saw Skarsgård deliver a box-office smash hit alongside Margot Robbie. His last notable big screen outing was the 2022 film The Northman
An HBO mainstay, the heartthrob was also seen in the hit show Succession playing the reckless tech CEO Lukas Matsson, and turned heads with his Emmy-winning villainous run in Big Little Lies.
Alexander is currently dating Swedish actor Tuva Novotny and welcomed his first child with her in 2023.
Gustaf Skarsgård: The second actor sibling
Gustaf Skarsgård, born on 12 November 1980, in Stockholm, much like his elder brother displayed an early passion for acting. He started attending drama school in Sweden at six, clearly hinting at his desire to follow in his father’s footsteps.
In an interview with Interview Magazine, Gustaf expressed how a child’s first exposure to potential occupations often comes from their parents. He admitted that he was immediately drawn to his father’s profession, stating, “I was appealed to my dad’s occupation from the get-go.”
During his teenage years, Gustaf declined roles in soap operas and instead enrolled at the Swedish National Academy of Mime and Acting. In his own words during the same interview, he explained that he had a certain level of pretentiousness and expressed his determination to attend drama school to truly learn the craft.
His early career primarily revolved around theatre, with notable performances at the Royal Dramatic Theater in Stockholm. However, it wasn’t until 2003 that he landed a significant role in the Swedish horror film Evil.
Gustaf’s breakthrough in the United States came with the 2010 film The Way Back. Nevertheless, it is his work in TV that brought him the most recognition. From 2013 to 2020, he portrayed Floki on the History Channel series Vikings. In 2018, he achieved his “dream role” in the second season of HBO’s Westworld.
Additionally, he starred in the 2020 Netflix series Cursed and played Hans Bethe in Oppenheimer (2023).
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On the personal front, Gustaf dated actress Hanna Alström from 1999 to 2005. He is currently in a relationship with Caroline Sjöström and the two have a three-year-old daughter.
Sam Skarsgård: The doctor brother
Sam Skarsgård was born on 5 June 1982 in Sweden. He chose a different career path from his father and older brothers. Instead of pursuing acting, he followed in his mother My’s footsteps and became a doctor. In a 2013 interview with The Inquirer, Alexander shared that their mother managed to go through medical school while raising six kids and taking care of the household.
In a conversation with Interview magazine in 2017, Alexander and his younger brother Bill discussed Sam’s medical career. Alexander highlighted that Sam works in an ICU and saves lives on a daily basis. Bill echoed this sentiment, expressing that their mother and brother’s careers in medicine hold more significance than the family’s involvement in Hollywood. He admitted feeling a sense of embarrassment regarding the nature of acting, stating, “We have a mom and a brother who literally save lives.”
Bill Skarsgård: The poster boy of unsettling roles
Next up in the Skarsgård family tree is the fourth son born to Stellan and My – Bill Skarsgård. Bill was born on 9 August 1990 and like his dad, he also took up acting as a career path.
Moving up from the Divergent series to Deadpool 2 (2018), he had a rapid ascent in Hollywood. He rose to fame through his role as Pennywise in Stephen King’s It (2017) and is now known for his ability to portray eerie and unsettling characters in both TV and film. From his villainous role in Barbarian (2022) to his intense showdown against Keanu Reeves himself in John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023), audiences are constantly kept on their toes, unsure whether he will frighten or enchant.
Next up on the work front for Bill is a captivating performance in the 2024 remake of The Crow and the action thriller film, Boy Kills World.
As for his personal life, Bill is not married but has been in a committed relationship with actor Alida Morberg and shares a daughter with her.
Eija Skarsgård: The only sister in the Skarsgård brood
Eija Skarsgård, the only daughter in the Skarsgård clan, was born on 27 February 1992, in Sweden. She enjoys being the solitary sister in the family. In 2015, her dad disclosed to The Guardian that during each of his subsequent wives’ pregnancies, Eija would express her hope for a boy so that she could continue being the solitary sister amongst the Skarsgård siblings. Stellan described Eija as remarkably strong, surpassing the boys in many ways, and embracing her unique position.
Unlike her siblings, Eija is not involved in acting but has dabbled in modelling. She is also the only Skarsgård offspring to be married currently. In December 2011 at a nightclub, she crossed paths with her now-husband, Zeke Tastas. Their wedding took place in August 2019 and Eija expressed her gratitude and affection for Zeke in a heartfelt tribute on Instagram, declaring herself fortunate to have found her dream come true.
Valter Skarsgård: The sixth lovechild of Stellan and My
Valter Skarsgård, born on 25 October 1995, is the youngest child of Stellan and My. Like his older siblings and father, he has pursued a career in acting. Dubbed as the ‘Twitter King’ by Entertainment Weekly, Valter consistently exudes a sense of effortless cool.
In addition to his appearances in Swedish shows and films, you may have seen Valter in BBC’s Black Lake or the 2018 horror-thriller Lords of Chaos.
On the relationship front, Valter is currently single. For those wondering what’s next for him in his filmography, Valter is gearing up for the Swedish crime drama Beck.
In 2023, he portrayed NHL great Börje Salming in a six-part hockey biopic, which also explains his hockey photos on social media.
Ossian Skarsgård: Stellan and Megan’s first child
Stellan welcomed his seventh child, Ossian Skarsgård, in 2009 with his wife Megan Everett. Despite being a teenager, Ossian has already followed his family’s legacy and entered the entertainment industry. He starred alongside his older brother Bill in the 2022 Swedish film Bränn Alla Mina Brev, which translates to Burn All My Letters.
Over the years, Ossian has also accompanied his famous family on the red carpet, attending the Stockholm premieres of It Chapter 2 in 2019 and Netflix’s Clark in 2022.
Kolbjörn Skarsgård: The youngest nut in the Skarsgård family tree
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Last up on the Skarsgård family tree is Kolbjörn, the youngest member of the Skarsgård family. Kolbjörn was born in 2012 and much like his father and most of his older siblings, he is next in the line to become famous and chart a career in acting.
He made his debut appearance alongside his brother Bill in the Netflix series Clark, which premiered in 2022. Additionally, as mentioned on his mother’s Instagram, he portrayed the character Mio in the Swedish TV show Kenny Starfighter.
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(Header and feature image courtesy: Instagram/Valter Skarsgård/Gustaf Skarsgård)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
– How many Skarsgård siblings are there?
There are a total of eight Skarsgård siblings.
– Who are Stellan Skarsgård’s parents?
Stellan Skarsgård was born to Jan Skarsgård, Gudrun Larsson on 13 June 1951, in Gothenburg, Sweden.
