The Burden of the Antihero
Paraphrasing the saying that behind every successful man stands a woman, one could say that behind every successful cinematic monster stands the acting talent of its performer. In this sense, the young Swedish actor Bill Skarsgård is practically unrivalled.
At the end of August, 30 years after the release of the original film, director Rupert Sanders completed the gothic superhero thriller The Crow, based on James O'Barr's comic book series. This time, Bill Skarsgård embodies the dramatic story of Eric Draven, a former drug addict who tries to break free from his destructive habits, only to find himself caught in the midst of criminal show-business dealings, leading to his demise. However, as many are willing to sell their souls to reach the pinnacle of musical success, Eric returns to the world of the living, seeking vengeance for himself and his lost love while also aiding the devil in collecting dues from those who have made deals with him.
Some critics have already compared Skarsgård's new performance to Heath Ledger's Joker in Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy. Regardless, the new character in the dark superhero universe certainly surpasses its previous incarnation, originally portrayed by the late Brandon Lee, who tragically died during the filming of the old Crow. This is no coincidence, as Skarsgård excels in dark roles, whether as villains, fanatical zealots, or otherworldly monsters.
Bill Istvan Günther Skarsgård is one of the many children of renowned Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård (favourite of Lars von Trier and also known for his roles in blockbusters like Pirates of the Caribbean, Thor, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Dune). Of Stellan’s children, four—Bill, Gustaf, Valter, and Alexander—pursued acting, but so far, only Bill has managed to create the most striking characters in cinema. However, the other three brothers have also built successful film careers, especially Alexander (Melancholia, The Legend of Tarzan, Big Little Lies, Godzilla vs. Kong). As Bill often jokes in interviews, "If you need a Skarsgård for a film and one of us is unavailable, you just say: 'How about this one?'"
Although by the time he filmed what is currently his most iconic role as the clown Pennywise, Bill already had a significant filmography behind him, including roles in popular films and series such as Divergent, Atomic Blonde, and the mystical series Hemlock Grove, his breakthrough came in 2017.
Few have contributed as many memorable monsters and villains to global pop culture as the King of Horror, American author Stephen King. From the fanatical nurse in Misery to the werewolf priest in Silver Bullet, the demon-possessed Plymouth in Christine, the mad writer in The Shining, and, finally, one of the most terrifying cinematic villains, the clown Pennywise in the It duology. The previous TV adaptation from 1990, although quite close to the source material, was not particularly successful—technical limitations hampered the special effects, and the actor portraying the monster lacked charisma. Then, in 2017, a new adaptation emerged, where Skarsgård's performance was so intense that, according to him, during the filming of certain scenes involving his character, child extras cried out of fear. Critics were unanimous: the ancient monster disguised as a children's clown, portrayed by Bill Skarsgård, is the best on-screen embodiment of King's wild imagination. The demonic clown's maniacal dances, his terrifying piercing laugh, and sadistic grin cannot be replaced by any special effects. Skarsgård admitted that the role was challenging—immersing himself in the character, he would frighten his houseguests with the hellish laughter and received hate messages from King's fanatical detractors who claimed he couldn't handle such an iconic role. However, Skarsgård's Pennywise is now considered a canonical monster, akin to Robert Englund's Freddy Krueger or Gary Oldman's Dracula. In 2025, we will see the return of Skarsgård's character in a prequel series to It titled Welcome to Derry, which will explore how the ancient evil first appeared in the small American town.
Following Castle Rock, Skarsgård took on an equally complex and dramatic role as a soldier who loses his faith, mercy, and sanity after the death of his wife in the thriller The Devil All the Time. And at the end of 2024, we can look forward to a remake of the cult German expressionist film Nosferatu by renowned horror filmmaker Robert Eggers. In this loose adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula, featuring a star-studded cast including Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Willem Dafoe, Bill Skarsgård will play the ancient vampire Count Orlok. During the filming of this project, Skarsgård had to endure hours of makeup and even worked with an opera singer to learn how to lower his voice to the deepest possible pitch.
Rejecting roles of handsome protagonists in favour of complex, corrupt, and repulsive characters could soon lead Skarsgård to a role in the James Bond franchise—his candidacy is seriously being considered for one of the upcoming villains in the project about the indestructible super-spy. All that remains is to await the reboot of the franchise and enjoy another brilliant performance from the now-iconic Swedish actor.