20 Best Alexander Skarsgard Movie & TV Show Roles (Ranked)

Alexander Skarsgard is set to become one of the most talked-about actors when The Northman finally becomes available in theaters worldwide because early reviews about the movie have talked about how great it is. And a good part of what makes The Northman so great is the fact that Skarsgard acted his role to perfection.

That said, for those who are not familiar with Alexander Skarsgard, he has been in the movie industry for a long time already and became popular in the hit TV show True Blood. He even almost became Thor in the MCU, and we could only wonder what the character would’ve been like had he been given the role. That said, let’s look at some of the best Alexander movie and TV roles.

20. Zoolander (2001)

Even though Alexander Skarsgard started acting at an early age when he was still in Sweden, the very first acting role that he got in Hollywood was Zoolander in 2001, albeit it was only a small role. In this movie, he played a really good-looking model named Meekus, who is one of Ben Stiller’s character’s closest friends in the modeling industry. However, he died as a result of a gas station explosion.

Zoolander is a comedy movie that’s all about the titular character, who works as one of the best male models in the world. However, the fact that he had certain weaknesses in his modeling abilities forced him down the ladder as we see him getting taken advantage of by a fashion designer, who uses him as a sleeper agent to assassinate the Malaysian prime minister.

19. Eastbound & Down (2013)

Even though Alexander Skarsgard had already become quite famous in 2013, he still wasn’t a stranger to cameo appearances in movies. He actually made a cameo in HBO’s Eastbound & Down, specifically in the show’s series finale as the adult version of the character named Toby Powers.

What happened in this episode was that there was an envisioning of Kenny Powers’ life in the future as it was imagined that Skarsgard was the one portraying his son Toby. Nevertheless, everything about that scene was from Kenny’s imagination, as Alexander Skarsgard was happy enough to make a cameo for that episode only.

18. Zoolander 2 (2016)

After making a cameo appearance in Zoolander 15 years ago in his first Hollywood role, Alexander Skarsgard once again returned in a much smaller role that is actually quite different from his first role. This time, he plays Adam in a commercial about how Adam, Eve, and Steve. The movie didn’t even mind that he was playing a different character, considering that his original character was already dead.

In Zoolander 2, Zoolander and his former rival were lured into modeling again but were once again drawn into a large conspiracy that isn’t too different from the one we saw in the first movie. As such, the models now have to take part in something that could actually have larger and more serious implications.

17. The Giver (2014)

Alexander Skarsgard played a character named Father in The Giver. Yes, his name is Father because of the fact that this movie is actually quite odd in a sense he was not named and was often just called Father alongside Mother, who is played by Katie Holmes. Skarsgard plays a supporting role in this futuristic and somewhat dystopian movie.

The Giver follows the story of a community that’s seemingly perfect because there are no wars, pain, suffering, and anything bad because all of the memories of the past world have been erased from everyone’s mind but were kept in the memories of a man called the Giver, who was going to pass his role to a young boy who realized the true pain and pleasures of the real world after experiencing the memories of the old man.

16. Battleship (2012)

In Battleship, Alexander Skarsgard once again plays a supporting role as the older brother of the main character. He portrays Commander Stone Hopper, who was instrumental in straightening up his younger brother by allowing him to enter the Navy. However, Stone Hopper, as decorated as he was as an officer, died at the hands of the alien invaders in an attempt to defeat them onboard his destroyer ship.

Battleship follows the story of how aliens invaded the planet when a long-range signal was sent to outer space. The attack happened in Hawaii, as the aliens were able to put up a barrier that basically isolated a select part of the Hawaiian Islands from the rest of the world. It is now up to Lieutenant Hopper to defeat the aliens using the outdated battleship that was turned into a museum.

15. Straw Dogs (2011)

One of the most underrated yet very powerful performances that Alexander Skarsgard has ever had is his role as Charlie Venner in the 2011 Straw Dogs movie. In this role, he played the very same ruthless character he became famous for in True Blood. His then-girlfriend Kate Bosworth was even shocked at the very ruthless approach that he used in the infamous rape scene that you can watch in Straw Dogs.

Straw Dogs follows the story of a married couple, David and Amy, as they move to a small town. They planned on renovating Amy’s old home following the death of her father. However, the arrival of the couple stirred suspicion amongst the locals, especially in Charlie, who used to be Amy’s boyfriend. And this led to a violent confrontation that stemmed from the heightened tension.

14. The Diary Of A Teenage Girl (2015)

Alexander Skarsgard plays a supporting role in The Diary of a Teenage Girl. In this movie, he plays Monroe, who is Minnie’s mom Charlotte’s boyfriend. This is also a role that’s similar to Skarsgard’s roles in Zoolander in the sense that they are actually quite lighthearted and are made for laughs due to the comical approach of the movie. However, Skarsgard does end up having a sexual relationship with his girlfriend’s daughter named Minnie.

The Diary of a Teenage Girl is a coming-of-age story about a 15-year old girl growing up in the 70s version of San Francisco. However, as she explores her sexuality at a young age, she actually ends up having a sexual relationship with her mother’s boyfriend. Nevertheless, this movie uses a somewhat comical approach in telling the story of what’s supposed to be a controversial topic.

13. On Becoming A God In Central Florida (2019)

On Becoming a God in Central Florida allows us to see Alexander Skarsgard playing the role of a father to a baby as he is married to Kirsten Dunst’s Crystal in this movie. What happens in this series is that their baby was taken on a ride by the organizers of a pyramid scheme in Central Florida.

The series actually follows a group of people who got caught up in this pyramid scheme during the 90s. As serious as its undertone may be, it is actually a dark comedy that’s about classism and capitalism. And the best part is that the series was able to use a hilarious manner of portraying these themes.

12. Melancholia (2011)

Even though Alexander Skarsgard played alongside Kirsten Dunst in On Becoming a God in Central Florida, that was not their first movie together. They actually shared the same screen in a haunting sci-fi movie called Melancholia. They play a married couple who realize that the world is against them due to different factors like mental illness, controlling relatives, and a planet that’s on its way to colliding with Earth.

In a manner, Melancholia may seem like it’s a sad movie that’s all about the end of life as we speak. However, it’s actually a movie that’s about an episode of depression. This is a story that people who have been through episodes of depression should be able to relate to.

11. The Little Drummer Girl (2018)

The Little Drummer Girl features Alexander Skarsgard in a supporting role. In this spy series, he is actually an Israeli intelligence officer named Gadi Becker. He was originally a charming man that the main character met while on vacation in Greece, but he actually turned out to be someone that she didn’t expect him to be.

What happens in The Little Drummer Girl is that Becker pulls Florence Pugh’s character into a scheme that involves her having to infiltrate a Palestinian group that was suspected to be a band of terrorists.

10. Drunk History (2018)

Alexander Skarsgard once again gets featured in a comedy series in Comedy Central’s Drunk History series. He appeared in season 5, and he is featured in a skit wherein he is telling the story of Clara Barton, the founder of Red Cross and an important nurse who worked for the Union Army during the Civil War.

Drunk History is actually a great history series to watch if you’re into history with a twist. That’s because what happens here is that actors and comedians are brought to the show to get intoxicated. After that, they are tasked to recant their favorite historical stories while drunk.

9. What Maisie Knew (2012)

What Maisie Knew allows us to see Alexander Skarsgard in a different role because he is now playing a character in a drama movie instead of in a comedy story. That said, this is a good movie that allows us to see his role as Lincoln in a somewhat complicated yet still very dramatic movie.

The story of this movie follows a young girl who got caught between her parents and their lovers. Skarsgard is the new husband of the girl’s mother but ends up forming a bond with Maisie’s father’s girlfriend named Margo. Yes, it’s somewhat complicated, but it can also be easy to follow as long as you keep your eyes glued to the screen while watching the movie.

8. Hidden (2015)

Alexander Skarsgard plays the role of Ray in a movie that allows us to see him in the role of a protective yet playful father as he and his daughter hide inside a bomb shelter to stay protected from a plague that has been devasting the world. We see him playing a role of a father who never fails to stay optimistic in the middle of a situation where people would find it difficult to stay happy and positive.

Hidden follows the story of a family as they hold out inside a bomb shelter while waiting for the plague to pass. However, an accidental fire in the shelter causes the outside world to realize where they are. This forces them to try to escape their shelter through an air duct as he sacrifices his own safety to make sure that his family is able to stay out of harm’s way. And he even goes as far as breaking his own daughter’s shoulder just so she could fit inside the air duct.

7. Mute (2018)

In Mute, Alexander Skarsgard plays the role of a mute bartender at a strip club in the distant future version of Berlin. He is actually attracted to one of the girls working in the strip club as she remains the only reason for living. However, when the girl disappears, he ends up dealing with gangsters and shady personalities to get to the bottom of what happened to the love of his life.

Mute allows us to see Skarsgard in a role that’s different from what we’ve seen from him. In this movie, he is a compassionate man that is also quite vengeful to the point that he would go to any lengths just to get to the bottom of what happened to the girl that he loved. We also see him empathizing with people who are vulnerable themselves in a role that gives us a good idea of how good of an actor Alexander Skarsgard is.

6. The Legend Of Tarzan (2016)

In one of his biggest starring roles, Alexander Skarsgard portrays the role of Tarzan in the live-action version of the classic tale of the man who was raised by apes in the jungle. In this movie, Tarzan has actually already acclimated himself to the civilized world when he left the jungle to live with his wife, Jane.

However, they are asked to return to Africa to oversee the development happening there. But the problem was that they discovered a murderous plot, and that was when Tarzan was forced to return to his roots so that he could stop the plot and save his friends in the jungle.

5. Disconnect (2012)

Disconnect is a movie that features an ensemble cast that, of course, includes Alexander Skarsgard in the mix. This is a movie that allows us to see Skarsgard playing a role of a husband as he and his wife are grieving the loss of their son. Nevertheless, they had their identities stolen, and the culprit could be someone that they talked with on the internet while they were grieving.

This movie is actually a story that takes a good look at how modern society is becoming more and more obsessed with technology and how it has led to difficulties in people forming genuine connections with one another. Of course, it also takes a good look at how technology can be harmful, as Skarsgard’s character had his identity stolen because of a messaging board on the internet.

4. Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)

One of the biggest movies of 2021 is Godzilla vs. Kong, as it was able to earn well enough at the box office despite the fact that it was released during the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Of course, a battle of the ages between two of the mightiest giant monsters will always be a fun thing to watch, as fans were able to watch this movie through HBO Max and in theaters.

In Godzilla vs. Kong, Alexander Skarsgard plays a starring role as Dr. Nathan Lind, who was someone who was obsessed with finding the underground world where Godzilla and Kong must’ve come from so that he could search for a new power source. However, when he used Kong to look for this power source, he got sucked into a power struggle between two of the most powerful alphas on the planet.

3. The Stand (2020 – 2021)

Alexander Skarsgard is the star of a TV miniseries called The Stand, which is adapted from Stephen King’s novel. He plays the role of Randall Flagg, who ended up wreaking havoc in the post-apocalyptic world that was caused by a pandemic.

In The Stand, what happens is that a plague devastated the human population on the planet, and the survivors were drawn to Randall Flagg and Mother Abigail. This set up a confrontation between two opposing sides in this post-apocalyptic world. 

2. True Blood (2008 – 2014)

The role that put Alexander Skarsgard on the map was his portrayal of Eric Northman in True Blood, an HBO original series. He plays the role of a powerful vampire that’s over a thousand years old and holds a high position among the vampires in the locality where he lives. Skarsgard’s portrayal of the attractive, mysterious, yet brutal vampire allowed him to become as popular as he is, as Erick Northman was actually one of the most popular characters in the entire show.

True Blood follows the story of a world where vampires have revealed themselves to mankind in the hopes of finding a way to live in harmony with one another. This was made possible through a synthetic blood drink called True Blood. However, a local girl with mysterious abilities got drawn into a conflict involving vampires when she fell in love with a vampire that had just moved into town.

1. Big Little Lies (2017 – 2019)

Alexander’s best role is in Big Little Lies, where he played Perry, who is the husband of Nicole Kidman’s character in this HBO series. He actually won a Primetime Emmy for his performance in this series, despite the fact that he was only a supporting actor. Nevertheless, his acting prowess was on full display in this series as he was able to portray a husband who had become violent towards his wife.

Big Little Lies is set in a community in California, where a group of rich parents got involved in a murder. As such, they seek to cover their involvement in their crime. And this is a series you wouldn’t want to miss because it has a star-studded cast of Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Zoe Kravitz, Laura Dern, Shailene Woodley, and Adam Scott.