“Because I am a Swede, not an Englishman or an American, the parts I’m offered are always foreigners. He even played Satan in 1993’s Stephen King adaptation “Needful Things.” No, which he turned down in favor of the Christ role in “The Greatest Story Ever Told”).
He also played the title role in the philosophical but bizarre film adaptation of Herman Hesse’s “Steppenwolf,” in 1974, and he racked up more bad-guy roles in “Three Days of the Condor” (menacing assassin), “Flash Gordon” (comicbook supervillain) and the James Bond film “Never Say Never Again” (it is said von Sydow had been offered the role of Dr. He was the central figure in William Friedkin’s 1973 blockbuster “The Exorcist” and would reprise the role of Father Merrin in “Exorcist II: The Heretic,” directed by John Boorman in 1977. He was cast, somewhat strangely, in the central role of Christ in Stevens’ 1965 widescreen epic “The Greatest Story Ever Told,” and for several years in villain-type roles in films such as “The Quiller Memorandum,” “Hawaii,” “The Kremlin Letter” and “The Night Visitor.” He continued to appear onstage in Sweden and appeared briefly on Broadway twice: in 1977 in the Strindberg portrait “The Night of the Tribades,” which also starred Bibi Andersson and Eileen Atkins, and in 1982 opposite Anne Bancroft in “Duet for One.”ĭespite such stage work, however, von Sydow worked regularly in English-language films, becoming one of the few foreign actors to do so. He starred in “The Magician” and “The Virgin Spring” (a heart-breaking performance) and had a small role in “Wild Strawberries.” Von Sydow also starred in Bergman’s more personal, contemporary films such as “Hour of the Wolf,” “Shame,” “Through a Glass Darkly,” “Winter Light,” “The Passion of Anna” and “The Touch.” His clouded countenance expressed Bergman’s spiritual anguish with modern life. Von Sydow became Bergman’s on-screen alter ego and a regular Bergman player along with Gunnar Bjornstrand, Ingrid Thulin, Bibi Andersson, Gunnel Lindblom and Liv Ullman. In 1955, the young actor was spotted by Bergman, for whom von Sydow worked onstage for a year before starring in “The Seventh Seal,” the film that put the director on the international map. Abrams’ continuation of the “Star Wars” saga, “Episode VII - The Force Awakens” as Lor San Tekka. He also appeared in “Kursk: The Last Mission” (2018) and “Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens” (2017). Most recently, the actor starred in “Game of Thrones” as the Three-Eyed Raven. Von Sydow worked for other Scandinavian directors as well, drawing an Oscar nomination for his role in Bille August’s “Pelle the Conqueror” and starring in Jan Troell’s acclaimed two-part epic “The Emigrants” and “The New Land.”
0 kommentar(er)
