The Skarsgårds have been around for quite a while and are an acting legacy, beginning with the powerhouse that is Dune’s Stellan Skarsgård. Alexander Skarsgård is the eldest of Stellan’s four actor sons, and he has a resume of pretty epic roles himself. While he feels he's sometimes fallen into being type-cast as the “Dude who takes his shirt off” in the past (and certainly looks great in shirtless roles), the eldest Skarsgård brother has also proven his worth in Hollywood as a man with range and superb acting chops. We’ve compiled a list of some of the best Alexander Skarsgård movies and TV shows, and how you can watch them streaming at home or add them to your own permanent Skarsgård collection.
True Blood (2008 - 2014)
If you’re anything like me, you first fell in love with Alexander Skarsgård in HBO’s racy vampire drama, True Blood. Skarsgård plays the moody, bad boy Viking vampire who owns a popular vampire club in the series. His performance and character is top notch, and is one of the many favorites in the series.
Alexander Skarsgård is a pivotal character throughout True Blood, and the series pretty much a must-see for any fans of the actor. Not only is Skarsgård’s Eric Northman blood thirsty and completely alluring, but the series’ setting of Louisiana brings an entirely immersive experience to the series and really plays on that modern vampire aesthetic. 10/10 vampire series; would binge again.
Stream True Blood on HBO Max.
Buy/Rent True Blood digitally on Amazon.
Buy True Blood on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.
Kill Your Darlings (2006)
Not to be confused with Daniel Radcliffe’s later film of the same name, Kill Your Darlings centers around five very different individuals and their joint journey from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. Alexander Skarsgård plays a trans woman who, after attempting to light herself on fire, meets up with two other travelers heading to Sin City to see the very same celebrity psychiatrist.
If you were looking for a hidden gem of a performance from Alexander Skarsgård to even out the number of his impressive and well-known roles, Kill Your Darlings should fit the bill perfectly. Although set in America and spoken a fair amount in English, the film features a number of Swedish actors and was made by a Swedish director. It’s a niche movie and you’ll be hard pressed to find it streaming, but you can buy it pretty cheap on DVD - and it’s worth it.
Buy Kill Your Darlings on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.
The Legend of Tarzan (2016)
While it was kind of hard to get Disney’s animated version of Tarzan and Brendan Fraser’s George of the Jungle out of my head when thinking about shirtless, loincloth-clad men swinging through trees in a jungle, seeing Alexander Skarsgård completely dominate the role of Tarzan in The Legend of Tarzan certainly did the trick. This was made for a little bit of an older audience, and Skarsgård’s take on Edgar Rice Burroughs’ character totally stands up, and he’s backed by an all-star cast that includes the lovely Margot Robbie and Christoph Waltz.
Buy/Rent The Legend of Tarzan digitally on Amazon.
Buy The Legend of Tarzan on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.
The Northman (2022)
Alexander Skarsgård is close to his Scandinavian roots in The Northman, in which he plays a Viking prince set on avenging his murdered father. The Northman was brutal for the cast, especially Skarsgård, to film and that brutality certainly shows in the finished product.
The Northman is Alexander Skarsgård’s most recently released film and is currently available to watch in a theater near you. While it isn’t streaming just yet, according to The Wrap there is a good chance you’ll be able to catch it at home with a Peacock subscription once its theatrical window is over, as it is a Universal picture.
Big Little Lies (2017 - 2019)
Based on the best selling novel of the same name, Big Little Lies was a big deal. It had an enormous budget and cost pretty much the same as Game of Thrones to make, per episode. While Alexander Skarsgård is not one of the main characters, he is surrounded by some of Hollywood’s most renowned leading ladies, like Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman.
Big Little Lies is a dark, comedic series that centers on a murder in a high class, beach front neighborhood. It’s funny and dramatic, and with Season 1 having over 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, a pretty solid watch.
Stream Big Little Lies on HBO Max.
Buy Big Little Lies digitally on Amazon.
Buy Big Little Lies on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.
The Stand (2020 - 2021)
Who doesn’t love a good Stephen King film/TV adaptation? There have been a ton, and new ones are being made pretty much all the time. Paramount’s limited The Stand series is one of the handful of adaptations that have been made of King’s most lengthy stand alone work, and it’s definitely a must see for fans of both the horror writer and of Alexander Skarsgård.
Alexander Skarsgård plays the antagonist of The Stand, and his performance of Randall Flagg is pretty spot-on. Even with an all-star cast, Skarsgård stands out in the newest version of Stephen King’s The Stand. His character tends to pop up in other King novels as well, so the possibility for Skarsgård’s version of the character to live on in future projects is, to me, reason enough to hone in on Skarsgård’s Randall Flagg and check out the Paramount limited series.
Stream The Stand on Paramount+.
Buy The Stand digitally on Amazon.
Buy The Stand on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.
What Maisie Knew (2012)
While Alexander Skarsgård plays the brooding, morally gray character pretty often, his role in What Maisie Knew is refreshingly nice and very endearing. The film centers on the titular child of two freshly divorced parents who have new partners. Skarsgård is Maisie’s new caretaker and her mother’s new husband. The film is about Maisie and her new circumstances, and the relationship she forms with Skarsgård’s character.
Stream What Maisie Knew on Peacock.
Stream What Maisie Knew digitally on Amazon.
Buy What Maisie Knew on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.
Melancholia (2011)
Melancholia is a visually stunning film. While the movie is far from a feel-good watch, it’s moving nonetheless. Melancholia explores the depths of depression with the story of two sisters as the world hurdles to an end as a planet is set to crash into Earth. Alexander Skarsgård plays the groom of one sister, played by Kirsten Dunst, who are getting married amid the impending disaster. The interesting plot line mixed with how artistically the film is approached is reason enough to watch this movie, and the performances from the stars are on point, as well.
Stream Melancholia on Roku.
Buy/Rent Melancholia digitally on Amazon.
Buy Melancholia on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.
On Becoming A God In Central Florida (2019)
Alexander Skarsgård and Kirsten Dunst team ups are killer, as On Becoming a God in Central Florida is the second which to make the list. I can only describe this series as a wild ride from start to finish. Set in the early ‘90s, this dark comedy handles the toxicity of pyramid schemes and the unexpected happens at pretty much every turn.
Alexander Skarsgård is pretty much unrecognizable in the TV series, but he gives a spectacular performance. He is only really in the first episode, but he is very much memorable. It’s a must see, and you’ll probably stick around even after Skarsgård makes his exit; it’s that good.
Stream On Becoming a God in Central Florida on Showtime.
Buy On Becoming a God in Central Florida digitally on Amazon.
Buy On Becoming a God in Central Florida on DVD on Amazon.
Disconnect (2012)
While Disconnect came out 10 years ago, it’s still very much relevant today. The film centers around three stories as a group of people navigate solving very real problems that result from living in a world where the internet runs everything. It’s a reflective film and speaks to the dangers of having your whole life being online. Alexander Skarsgård is acting opposite Jason Bateman and a whole cast of fantastic performers.
Buy/Rent Disconnect digitally on Amazon.
Buy Disconnect on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.
While a lot of the Alexander Skarsgård performances in this “Best of” list showcase some serious talent in serious roles and prove he’s way more than just a man who takes his shirt off, the actor also has some wild range and does a great job in comedic roles as well. This can be seen in his smaller, yet awesome roles in Zoolander, Eastbound & Down, and Drunk History. They are totally worth checking out too, but just didn’t quite make the list.
With The Northman having recently hit theaters and gaining some massively positive attention for Alexander Skarsgård, I can’t help but think there may be some great things on the horizon for the actor. While he’s been in the business and in Hollywood for a good two decades, I can’t wait to see what the next ten years look like for the talent, as he, arguably, still has lots of places where he can go in what is sure to be a very long career.
