Bill Skarsgård has already played one of the scariest modern horror villains, thanks to his performance as Pennywise in It. However, it seems like he may outdo himself, with his terrifying performance in the upcoming adaptation of Nosferatu. The newest take on the classic monster story will be one of the last major films to premiere on the 2024 movie schedule, and with the Swedish actor claiming he never wants to prep for or play something this scary again, it’s sure to be haunting.
The Barbarian alum, who plays Count Orlok in the film, has already been highlighted as a marvel in reviews for Nosferatu. However, preparing for and playing the part was not easy, as Skarsgård explained during an interview with Empire. Breaking down the details of prepping for this part, the It actor shared just how intense voice training was, saying:
The voice was the thing I worked the hardest at. For a month-and-a-half leading up to the shoot, I didn’t do much else than just record myself. And on set, I would keep doing these exercises. It sounds kind of like Mongolian throat-singing. It’s [insane].
Hearing about how much time went into this niche vocal training, recording it all, and reviewing it seems so isolating unto itself. However, Skarsgård’s dedication does seem like it will pay off in spades. Although, after hearing about all this, I can’t blame him for wanting to step out of these darker roles – he’s put more than enough time and effort into this genre.
The Crow alum also expanded on how figuring out the voice and the sinister aura of Orlok as well as wearing his prosthetics took a toll on him. So, now he says he is done with villainous characters, explaining:
When we were done with it, I was like, ‘I never want to play something this evil again. I never want to put on prosthetics again.’ It really affected me. Orlok is an occult sorcerer, and it did a number on me in terms of just trying to inhabit that space.
Again, the deep dive he’s done here is impressive, and it’s not surprising how much it affected the young actor.
However, truthfully, it’s a little jarring to hear just how impacted he was by Nosferatu, because the Boy Kills World star is no stranger to the horror genre. He’s shared that playing Orlok was scarier than portraying Pennywise, and that honestly has me quaking in my boots for what awaits us on Christmas day.
Overall, I am anxious and excited to see Nosferatu and Skarsgård's performance in this spooky and disturbing film, because if this horror king was impacted by it all, I'm positive I'll be horrified in the best way.
Now, when it comes to what's next for Skarsgård, I hope he finds some lighter material to dive into for his upcoming projects. Also, along with the new territory, I hope he’s able to take on some easier characters that require less hard prep and prosthetics.
Nosferatu will be playing in theaters on December 25.
