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Mads Mikkelsen has played some of the most well-known villains throughout his career in Hollywood. The Danish actor, who will turn 58 in November, is best known in the United States for his roles as the titular serial killer in NBC’sHannibaland the antagonist (Le Chiffre) in the 2006James BondfilmCasino Royale.
This year, he played Nazi Jürgen Voller in James Mangold’sIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, adding another villain to his personal rogues’ gallery.The BAFTA-nominated actor playing a fantastic villain is by no means new, but Mikkelsen’s contribution to a film of this stature is surprisingly noteworthy.
Despite playing villains most of the time, the actor is positive and enthusiastic in real life.
Also Read:“I really avoided him”: Jodie Foster Was Petrified Of Hannibal Actor Anthony Hopkins, Went Out Of Her Way To Never Meet Him On Set
What Did Mads Mikkelsen Note About Denmark’s Anti-Smoking Campaign?
Mads Mikkelsendiscovered that Denmark developed an innovative and creative strategy to combat smoking in a world where its cessation campaigns often fall short of their goals. But it appears that not even one of the extraordinarily gifted and multifaceted actors was able to resist the allure of cigarettes.
In an interview withGQ, the actor—who gained recognition in Denmark for his performances as Tonny in the first twoPushermovies—discussed one of the country’s most effective anti-smoking campaigns:
“They didn’t mind dying brutally, but just getting the skin a little older, that makes them sweat!”
Although he claimed he would love to quit smoking, he felt“stuck”.
Mikkelsen then puffed on a cigarette in a cinematic manner, tilting his head to one side.He took a slow breath, looked back at the table, and then continued thinking about acting. He observed and toldGQ:
“The whole idea of the main character is that we will learn bit by bit why the person is how the person is, and that’s not the case with the other characters—the sidekick, or the bad guy. The camera is not telling my story. It is not going to bed with me and waking up with me the next day.”
Also Read:“He’s like a fallen angel”: Mads Mikkelsen Gets Nostalgic AboutHannibalWhile Fans Clamor to Get Season 4 Green-Lit After Series Cancellation
Mads MikkelsenOn His Status As A Bad Boy In Hollywood
Mads Mikkelsen is famous for playing antagonists, whether it is in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) filmDoctor Strangeor theJames BondfilmCasino Royale,but he is okay with being seen as the bad guy because European audiences have a different perception of him. He told the U.K.’sMetrothat he enjoyed playing villains on screen and that it was one of his passions:
“Also, I have a different world that’s called Europe that has definitely seen me with different eyes throughout my career! So I’m not starving … I’ve never been starving in the sense of like, ‘Oh, why do people always see me this way?’ I think, actually, I’ve been seen by numerous people with very different eyes. So I embrace it. If the alternative is not to do anything in America, I take it!”
In his career as an actor, Mikkelsen has never shied away from challenges. He relished the chance to examine the complexities of villainous figures, whereas many actors may be afraid of being stereotyped. What made him enjoy playing villains so much?He explained toEsquire:
“Why not? They have cool stuff! They say cool stuff! They’re radical, in the sense that they’re in love with their goal. They don’t care so much about the means. That’s something we all hope we could do. They skip morals. We wish we could do that, but we can’t. That’s why we’re human.”
Mikkelsen has delivered a variety of roles, from Le Chiffre inCasino Royaleto Dr. Hannibal Lecter in the television seriesHannibal. He expertly walked the fine line between empathy and wickedness, giving his characters a real depth that enthralled audiences everywhere. He believed that (viaEsquire):
“A villain is serving a purpose. The villain is a mirror reflection of the hero. There’s something in that mirror he recognizes, something he hates. This is his battle. So I think that’s a very smart move in this film and in general to give the villain some good cuts, some good points, so we don’t go, ‘Take him away!’ It’s more like, ‘Wait a minute, he’s on to something.’ That, I think, is important.”
Mikkelsen’s recent appearances were in the James Mangold-directed action-adventureIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destinyand the Nikolaj Arcel-helmed historical dramaThe Promised Land.
We will next see him in the horror thrillerDust Bunny, which also stars Sigourney Weaver.
Also Read:“Too much, guys. It’s too obvious”: Mads Mikkelsen’sHannibalAlmost Got His Romantic Happy Ending, Had Scene Deleted For A Surprising Reason
Source-GQ;Metro;Esquire
Siddhika Prajapati
Senior Journalist & Content Head
Articles Published :3310
With over 3,300 articles carved into the digital walls of FandomWire, Siddhika Prajapati excels at creating, curating, and elevating engaging stories. She takes pride in giving these stories a home and, of course, she’s got a Google Knowledge Panel to prove it!Whether it’s reviewing the latest drop on Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Apple TV+, or analyzing the cultural echoes of a streaming hit on Paramount+ or Max, Siddhika is always writing three steps ahead of the discourse.
