Bill Skarsgård hails from the talented Skarsgård family. The son of legendary Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård and actress My Skarsgård, Bill has been somewhat of a dark horse in the context of star ratings in recent times. At the young age of 33, the actor has appeared in a string of successful films, from installments in big-budget franchises like John Wick and It, to lower-budget indie flicks like Villains and Barbarian, all along building up a commendable body of work.
With 2024 looking to be another big year for the actor, what with him taking on leading roles in both Ruper Sanders's remake of The Crow and Robert Eggers's Nosferatu, now seems like as good a time as any to take a look back at some of Skarsgård's best movie performances.
Update December 8, 2023: This article has been updated with more great performances by Bill Skarsgård and where each title is streaming.
10 Anna Karenina (2012)
Based on Leo Tolstoy’s literary phenomenon of the 19th century, Anna Karenina revolves around the tragic romance between a wealthy socialite and a cavalry officer. The film explores the themes of betrayal, faith, and love, all abiding under the framework of Imperial Russian society. Skarsgård stars opposite Kiera Knightley, Jude Law, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Mathew Macfayden, playing the small part of a military captain named Makhotin.
Why It Makes the List
Though his role is little more than a cameo, with Anna Karenina, Skarsgård was, nevertheless, able to etch out a place for himself among a cast of acting heavyweights. His assured and charming turn here was, no doubt, detrimental to him securing larger roles later in his career.
Rent on AppleTV+
9 Nine Days (2020)
Nine Days
A reclusive man conducts a series of interviews with human souls for a chance to be born.
- Release Date
- July 30, 2021
- Director
- Edson Oda
- Rating
- R
Edson Oda’s feature debut, Nine Days, is a fantasy drama that addresses pertinent questions about existentialism and the meaning of life. The story revolves around a man named Will (Winston Duke), who resides in an isolated house with his assistant, Kyo (Benedict Wong) and whose job it is to interview souls that are hoping to be born on Earth. One of these souls is Kane, an observant introvert played by Skarsgård.
Why It Makes the List
Owing to the nature of the film's narrative, not much is known about the character of Kane beyond the fact that he is quiet and rational. This gives Skarsgård very little to work with. However, being the pro that he is, the actor still manages to deliver a memorable performance that perfectly compliments the work of his fellow cast members.
Stream on Starz
8 The Devil All The Time (2020)
In Netflix crime thriller The Devil All the Time, Skarsgård stars as Willard Russell, a marine who returns home to the States after serving in the Solomon Islands. Greeted with chaos and volatility, Russell goes to despicable means to survive against the backdrop of a post-war town, still reeling with the hangover of WWII. Based on the book of the same name by Donald Ray Pollock and directed by Antonio Campos, the film also stars Tom Holland, Sebastian Stan, Jason Clarke, and Robert Pattinson.
Why It Makes the List
The Devil All the Time is definitely a case of a mediocre film made better by decent performances from the cast. Though the likes of Pattinson and Holland shine, it's arguably Skarsgård who comes out on top. He excels as a broken and desperate man haunted by the grim and tragic things he has witnessed. It's a desperately sad and bleak performance, and Skarsgård, as always, fully commits.
Stream on Netflix
7 Deadpool 2 (2018)
2018's Deadpool 2 took all the chaos, violence, and self-aware humor of its predecessor and multiplied it by a hundred. It also introduced audiences to a whole host of new oddball characters, including Skarsgård's Zeitgeist. A part of the X-Force outfit assembled by Deadpool, Zeitgeist’s rather useless superpower sees him engulf his opponents in acidic vomit. Like almost all the other new recruits, Zeitgeist's time on the team was short-lived after he parachuted out of a plane and into a wood chipper.
Why It Makes the List
Like others on this list, Skarsgård’s role here is merely a cameo, but one that is, nevertheless, memorable. The parachute sequence in Deadpool 2 is wildly hilarious and utterly iconic and allows the actor to show off his skills as a comedic actor. It also highlights the diverse range of characters that Skarsgård is willing to take on.
Stream on Disney+
6 Atomic Blonde (2017)
David Leitch's 2017 action thriller, Atomic Blonde, sees Charlize Theron playing an MI6 agents sent on a mission to recover a list of double agents days before the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. The film also stars James McAvoy, John Goodman, Sofia Boutella, and, of course, Bill Skarsgård. The young actor plays the role of Merkel, a German contact to Theron's character.
Why It Makes the List
Another instance of Skarsgård doing wonders with a blink-and-you'll-miss-it part; he once again hits the nail on the head with every scene he’s in. The actor capably handles the character of Merkel, imbuing him with a resilient sense of maturity, which is commendable given that Skarsgård was only in his twenties when the film was released. It's another small role, but one that highlighted the talent and professionalism that would go on to define his career.
Stream on DirecTV
5 Assassination Nation (2018)
Sam Levinson’s self-styled spin on the 17th Century witch trials, Assassination Nation follows four female friends as they fight for survival after a malicious data hack exposes their secrets to the world. What ensues is a bloodbath of chaos and violence, much along the lines of The Purge. It's a wild, bloody, and disturbing, yet strangely thought-provoking film. Where Skarsgård fits in is as a character named Mark, the boyfriend of one of the girls who, like everyone else, turns on and humiliates her.
Why It Makes the List
Despite this being another instance where he is criminally underutilized, Skarsgård carves out a space for himself within the world of the film. As Mark, he embodies the anger, villainy, and desire for violence that the townspeople feel in the wake of the hack, neatly portraying how ordinary people can end up acting like monsters.
Stream on DirecTV
4 IT (2017)
It
- Release Date
- September 6, 2017
- Director
- Andres Muschietti
- Rating
- R
Skarsgård's role as Pennywise the Dancing Clown in both 2017's It and its sequel is, undoubtedly, the performance most associated with the actor. An adaptation of Stephen King's novel of the same name, the film tells the story of a group of children in 1989 who set out to defeat the malevolent supernatural being that preys on the children of the town. Said supernatural being, more often than not, takes the form of a clown named Pennywise.
Why It Makes the List
Choosing not to imitate Tim Curry’s portrayal of the character in the 1990 TV miniseries, Skarsgård puts his own spin on Pennywise and does so to terrifyingly great effect. It's a brilliantly committed performance, with the actor altering his voice and physicality beyond recognition. Creepy, sinister, and utterly monstrous, Skarsgård's take on the role is so compelling to watch that the film often suffers whenever he isn't onscreen. That's the mark of a good actor.
Rent on AppleTV+
3 John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)
After already proving his ability to play villains, Skarsgård one again took on the role of a baddie when he starred opposite Keanu Reeves in 2023's John Wick: Chapter 4. Following on from John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum, the film revolves around the titular character setting out on a mission to bring down the High Table once and for all. That involves coming up against a whole host of new characters, most notably, Skarsgård's Marquis Vincent Bisset de Gramont, a powerful member of the High Table who is granted unlimited resources to kill John Wick.
Why It Makes the List
As the Marquis Vincent de Gramont, Skarsgård is calm, cunning, and full of menace, making him a worthy opponent to Reeve's John Wick. Time and time again throughout his career, the actor has shown that he can share the screen with big names and still stand out. It is no different here, with Skarsgård coming close to stealing the show, despite a cast that comprises of Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Donnie Yen, Ian McShane, and Clancy Brown. It's an interesting and original character, made even better by a truly superb performance by Skarsgård.
Stream on Starz
2 Barbarian (2022)
Barbarian
- Release Date
- September 9, 2022
- Rating
- R
Barbarian is a 2022 horror movie that tells the story of a young woman called Tess (Georgina Campbell) who discovers that her Airbnb has been double-booked, and she is forced to share with a man named Keith (Skarsgård). However, the mix-up soon becomes the least of their worries when the pair discovers a secret tunnel beneath the property that has something terrifying and evil dwelling inside it.
Why It Makes the List
Zach Cregger's feature film debut is a movie built on twists and red herrings, with many of them revolving around Skarsgård's character. In fact, a big reason why the twists are so effective is down to the actor's magnificent performance and his ability to shift from positive to negative within the span of a scene. Throughout the film, Keith is someone the audience is not sure if they can trust; on the surface he appears poised and composed, but on closer inspection, his internal wheels spin. It's a clever and subtle performance by Skarsgård that keeps the auience guessing as to the character's intentions.
Stream on Hulu
1 Villains (2019)
Villains sees Skarsgård and Maika Monroe play a diluted version of Bonnie and Clyde. On the run and seeking out shelter, the pair decide to take refuge in another couple's house, with the aim of robbing them and fleeing. As the film progresses, Skarsgård’s Mickey and Monroe’s Jules realize who they're up against, and the real villains of the movie are revealed. The black comedy horror received rave reviews from critics when it was released in 2019.
Why It Makes the List
Sharp, shocking, original, and demented, Villains is a deliciously underrated film that acts as the perfect vehicle for Skarsgård's eccentric acting style. His chemistry with Monroe is magnetic, with the pair making a winning team. It's an intense and nervous performance and one that understands the darkly comedic nature of the script. Incredibly watchable, charmingly quirky, and overall highly engaging, this is Skarsgård's best movie performance to date.
Stream on Hulu
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