Mads Mikkelsen

2019

Actor

Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen was the 2019 recipient of the Nordic Honorary Dragon Award. Mikkelsen attended the festival to accept the honorary prize, deliver a Masterclass, and attend the Swedish premiere of Arctic, directed by Joe Penna.

– “It feels amazing. I grew up watching all the Swedish children’s programmes and fantastic Swedish films. Back then, I had no dreams of becoming an actor. So, to now receive a Nordic honorary award from the Göteborg Film Festival feels surreal. Göteborg Film Festival was the first film festival I ever attended. We were there with Flickering Lights, and it was a very special experience,” said Mads Mikkelsen.

Mads Mikkelsen is undoubtedly one of the Nordic region’s most prominent actors, with a thriving career both in his home country of Denmark and internationally. His breakthrough came with his feature film debut in Nicolas Winding Refn’s Pusher. He went on to play a significant role in the success Danish cinema experienced in the early 2000s, with memorable performances in films such as Flickering Lights, Open Hearts, and The Green Butchers.

His career has continued to shine with a remarkable range of roles, from arthouse dramas to blockbuster films such as Casino Royale, Rogue One, and Doctor Strange. In 2012, Mikkelsen starred in Thomas Vinterberg’s The Hunt, a performance that earned him multiple awards, including the Best Actor prize at the Cannes Film Festival.

Photo: Carla Orrego Veliz