Mads Mikkelsen

Mads Mikkelsen starred as the male lead in "Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky," from Dutch director Jan Kounen, in the BBC Films action adventure "Valhalla Rising," and in the German thriller "The Door."  Mikkelsen previously starred in the blockbuster Bond film "Casino Royale," opposite Daniel Craig and Eva Green, in the role of Bond's nemesis.  He also starred in "Flame and Citron," for which he was nominated for a Robert Award (Danish Academy Award) for Best Supporting Actor.

Mikkelsen began his professional career as a gymnast and dancer and has worked steadily in theatre, television and film to become the top male star in Denmark and Scandinavia.  A graduate of Århus Theatre School, Mikkelsen has subsequently appeared onstage in several productions, including as Romeo in "Romeo and Juliet," directed by Lars Kaalund.  Mikkelsen also starred in the police series "Unit 1," which garnered an International Emmy Award for Best Drama Series.

Among his many distinguished and varied film roles, Mikkelsen is perhaps best known for his starring role in Susanne Bier's "Open Hearts," for which he was nominated for Best Actor for the Robert and Bodil (Danish Film Critics' Award) in 2003 and won the Best Actor Zulu Award in 2002.  His other film credits include "I Am Dina," opposite Gérard Depardieu; "Shake it all About"; "Flickering Lights"; "Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself"; and "The Green Butchers," for which he was nominated for a Bodil for Best Actor in 2004.  Mikkelsen's lead performance in "With Blood on My Hands: Pusher II," in which he reprised his role as a low-life pusher/junkie in the much-anticipated follow-up to the 1996 success "Pusher," garnered him a Robert and Bodil for Best Actor in 2005.

Mikkelsen made his American debut opposite Clive Owen and Keira Knightley in "King Arthur," directed by Antoine Fuqua and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer.  Soon after, Mikkelsen appeared as a delusional priest in "Adam's Apples," which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and screened in the Spectrum program at the Sundance Film Festival.  The film was the Danish selection for Best Foreign Language Film for that year's Academy Awards® and Mikkelsen's performance garnered him a Best Actor Zulu Award.  In addition, Mikkelsen played the lead in Susanne Bier's film "After the Wedding," which was nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Foreign Film.  He also starred in the Swedish thriller "Exit," directed by Peter Lindmark.

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