Alexander Skarsgård Clarifies Comments About His Sexuality

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Alexander Skarsgård is clearing up a few things.

I was chatting recently at the Zurich Film Festival about my new movie, Pillion. It’s a really interesting story – I play a biker who gets involved in a complex relationship with a younger man, played brilliantly by Harry Melling – you might recognize him from Harry Potter! It got me thinking about the film’s themes and how they connect to things I’ve experienced in my own life. It’s a powerful story, and it was great to share some thoughts on it.

He explained to Variety that his personal history wasn’t important in this situation.

Alexander explained that his past relationships, with both men and women, weren’t the main focus for him. He was more interested in the chance to share a story about a community he felt hadn’t been depicted realistically before, and to do so with genuine honesty.

I was really surprised by some of the things he said – it sparked a lot of conversation about his personal life, and people started asking him directly about his sexuality. He ended up having to address those questions, which felt a bit intrusive, honestly.

When asked about a previous comment, Alexander told Variety on January 20th that he was surprised it had stuck with people. He clarified that he hadn’t meant anything by it and wasn’t sure what he’d even been thinking at the time.

He thinks the attention might have been too much on him personally. He wanted to draw more attention to the story and the characters, and emphasize how important it was to tell it in this way.

Alexander Skarsgård, son of actor Stellan Skarsgård, is usually private about his personal life. However, the Emmy-winning actor recently opened up about how becoming a father with Swedish actress Tuva Novotny has shifted his focus and approach to work.

Before becoming a parent, he described his life as constantly traveling for work. He enjoyed that part of the entertainment industry, comparing it to being part of a traveling circus.

Alexander explained that he also needs to prioritize his family and be there for his child.

He added, “I can’t be as selfish and narcissistic as I was before.”

For a deep dive into Alexander, Stellan and the rest of their famous family, keep reading.

Stellan Skarsgård was born on June 13, 1951, in Gothenburg, Sweden. He began acting as a teen in his native country and is now considered a national icon there.

You’ve likely seen him in popular movies like The Hunt for Red October, Good Will Hunting, Mamma Mia!, Thor, Dune, and Sentimental Value – for his work in the latter, he won a Golden Globe in 2026. He’s also known for his television roles in HBO’s Chernobyl and Disney+’s Andor.

Let me tell you a bit about Stellan Skarsgård’s personal life. He and his wife, My Skarsgård, shared a wonderful life together for over three decades, marrying in 1975. They built a beautiful family, welcoming six children – Alexander, Gustaf, Sam, Bill, Eija, and Valter – into the world. Though their marriage eventually ended in 2007, they always prioritized their children and created a loving home. It’s a reminder that even with life changes, family remains central.

Bill Skarsgård recently told Esquire that he’s incredibly proud of his mother and everything she’s overcome. She’s dedicated her life to helping others recover from addiction, having battled with it herself. Though she generally keeps to herself, she has spoken about her own recovery journey and her work as an addiction counselor.

Stellan and My welcomed their first child together on Aug. 25, 1976, in Stockholm.  

In a 2025 interview with Variety, Alexander shared his simple wish for his family: to feel normal and blend in like everyone else. He jokingly told Stellan that he would have loved to see him carrying a traditional briefcase instead of the unique tote bag he’d picked up in India.

Growing up, most of my family members were artists – they were all really unique and vibrant people that I adored. But when I started having friends over around age thirteen, it was always stressful. I just wanted my home to feel normal, like everyone else’s.

The actor, famous for roles in shows like True Blood, Big Little Lies, and Succession, as well as films like The Legend of Tarzan and even a Murderbot adaptation, surprisingly served in the Swedish Navy. He did this to take a break from acting and escape the public eye.

Looking back, he explained to Stellan it wasn’t about trying to upset his father. Growing up in a creative, unconventional family, he simply felt a strong need to forge his own way in life. He figured the most different path he could take would be joining the military, so it wasn’t a deliberate attempt to rebel.

Alexander had his first child with actress Tuva Novotny in 2023. While becoming a father, he still has time to potentially have more children than his own father did.

The Emmy-winning actor told Chelsea Handler in 2013 that his father had children across five different decades – the 70s, 80s, 90s, 2000s, and 2010s. He jokingly added that he hoped to have even more children than his father did.

Alexander Skarsgård says his family remains very close, even though he lives between Sweden and New York. In a 2022 interview with the New York Times, he explained that everyone in the family lives near each other in South Stockholm and they see each other frequently when he visits.

Born on November 12, 1980, Gustaf began acting at the age of six, becoming the first of his siblings to pursue a career in the arts.

As a child, your parents’ jobs are usually the first careers you become aware of,” the actor, known for his roles in Vikings and Westworld, explained to Interview magazine in 2017. “I was immediately drawn to my dad’s profession.”

He was eager to establish himself as a serious actor, so he avoided roles in popular soap operas, even though they were offered to him. Looking back, he admits he was a bit arrogant at the time, wanting to hone his skills through formal training. However, he now appreciates that ambitious younger version of himself for making that choice.

Gustaf shares a daughter, born in 2020, with partner Caroline Sjöström.

Sam, who was born in 1982, did some acting as a child, but he ultimately decided to become a doctor, like his mother.

In a 2017 online conversation with his brother Bill, Alexander mentioned that he works in intensive care and saves lives every day.

Bill mentioned feeling a bit embarrassed about the work actors do, especially when compared to his family. He explained, ‘We have a mom and a brother who are real-life heroes – they actually save people’s lives.’

Born on August 9, 1990, Bill initially hesitated to follow his father and older brothers into acting. As he told Esquire magazine in 2024, he was worried about being “number four” in a family of performers.

After gaining recognition in the U.S. with the series Hemlock Grove, and then appearing in films like The Divergent Series: Allegiant, Atomic Blonde, It, Barbarian, John Wick: Chapter 4, and Nosferatu, he’s starting to feel like a leading man.

Despite occasionally dreaming of a more traditional, stable career – ‘something with a briefcase,’ he admitted – he was a natural actor. It felt perfectly suited to him.

Bill described those rare times when you become completely immersed in what you’re doing. It’s when you’re so focused that you don’t even realize you’re performing – it doesn’t feel like acting at all.

The actor, known for his role in It: Welcome to Derry, and actress Alida Morberg have two daughters. Their first daughter was born in 2018, and they confirmed the arrival of a second daughter in 2023.

Eija, the only child of Stellan, was born in 1992 and now works as a casting director in the Swedish film and television industry.

You know, as my daughter watched her stepmothers go through their pregnancies, she’d often say she hoped the baby wasn’t a girl! It was so interesting – she’s incredibly strong-willed and confident, and really embraces being the only daughter in the family. She truly enjoys her unique position, and honestly, she’s often more resilient than her brothers.

Eija and husband Zeke Tastas welcomed son Aldous Judo Tastas Skarsgård in September 2025.

Born on October 25, 1995, he was the youngest of Stellan and My’s six children. He began his acting career at age eight, appearing in the short film To Kill a Child, which was written and directed by Alexander. He also played a younger version of Gustaf’s character in the Swedish film Details around the same time.

Valter and Bill Skarsgård played brothers in the 2007 film Arn: The Knight Templar, and Gustaf Skarsgård played their father in the movie.

Since leaving his family’s company, he’s acted in several projects, including the horror movies Don’t Click and Funhouse. He also appeared in the Netflix series The Playlist, which tells the story of Spotify’s beginnings—it’s a Swedish company, by the way—and the Canadian series Börje.

Valter made his red carpet debut with girlfriend Melina Göransson in December 2024.

Stellan married wife Megan Everett-Skarsgård in 2009 and they have two children together.

Son Ossian was born on April 26, 2009, and began his acting career in 2017 by voicing the character of Young David in the film The Wife. He continued acting and became a series regular on the Swedish fantasy show Trolltider – Legenden om Bergatrollet through 2023.

Kolbjörn, born on August 24, 2012, is currently the youngest actor in his family, appearing in the SVT horror series Blood Cruise. While his older brothers also had some doubts about following in their father’s footsteps, their father says the criticism of Kolbjörn being a ‘nepo baby’ has been especially difficult for him.

Stellan shared with Vulture that his son is really hurt when classmates tease him about having famous parents. He tends to withdraw and become isolated. Stellan feels it’s especially unfair because, ultimately, talent is what matters. He believes no one will hire you for worthwhile work if you aren’t skilled enough, regardless of your family connections.

Every member of the Skarsgård family who has become an actor has proven talented enough to continue working in the industry.

During a conversation with Variety, Stellan Skarsgård admitted he was surprised when his oldest son enlisted in the military. However, he added that he understands each of his eight children handles life differently and, admitting he prefers a hands-off approach, believes it’s best to let them make their own decisions.

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2026-01-21 02:48