Sexy actor Alexander Skarsgård and director Jonas Åkerlund talk about the Swedish conquest of Hollywood, national differences in etiquette, and why Swedes get so much sex in the new travel issue of Out Magazine. Here are the highlights:
On TV culture in America:
Skarsgård: And that always strikes me as weird because parents in the States freak out if their kids see a nipple or a butt cheek, but at the same time they’re OK with their kids watching people bash each other’s heads in with baseball bats. I notice in interviews in the U.S. all people want to talk about is nudity. You have a half-hour interview, and you spend 25 minutes talking about the nude scenes, and of course, if it makes sense as a scene, I’ll do it. I don’t even think someone — some guy who doesn’t know any gay people or black people, who may have all these prejudices — if that guy watches the show and thinks, I really like this character, then you’ve done something pretty good.
On Musicians in Sweden:
Skarsgård: Also, I think part of the reason why there are so many musicians coming out of Sweden is you’re encouraged to play an instrument, or to sing and be creative, from a very early age, and it’s free. It’s a combination of a good school system and the long, dark winters. Because that means people sit in their garages and play music for five months because it’s too cold and dark to be outside.
Åkerlund: That’s the boning season. [Laughter] And then it’s spring, and that’s also boning season. And summer’s the best boning season.
Skarsgård: And that’s also why we’re so liberal and so cool with our sexuality — because we fuck a lot [laughter].
Åkerlund: How much time can you spend playing the drums?
Skarsgård: When you’re bored, just have sex.
Read the full interview via OUT MAGAZINE
