Lars Mikkelsen

Lars Mikkelsen: biography

Lars Mikkelsen, who is an elder brother of Mads Mikkelsen, is a Danish actor who has appeared in numerous film and television productions both in Denmark and internationally. He is perhaps best known for his role as the villainous Russian President Viktor Petrov in the American political drama series "House of Cards".

Childhood and youth

Lars Mikkelsen was born on May 6, 1964, in Gladsaxe, a suburb of Copenhagen, Denmark. He comes from a family of actors, with his father, mother, and younger brother Mads Mikkelsen all being involved in the performing arts. His father was a popular stage actor in Denmark, and his mother was a ballet dancer.

Growing up, Lars Mikkelsen was exposed to the world of acting and theater from a young age. He attended the National School of Theatre in Copenhagen, where he trained to become an actor. In his early twenties, he began appearing in small roles on Danish television and in theater productions.

Throughout his youth, Mikkelsen was heavily influenced by the work of his father, who was a respected stage actor in Denmark. He credits his father with instilling in him a love of the performing arts and a desire to pursue a career in acting. In interviews, Mikkelsen has spoken about the challenges of growing up in a family of actors, but also about the strong bond that he shares with his brother Mads, who has also achieved international success as an actor.

Movie career

Mikkelsen's breakthrough came in 1997 when he was cast as the lead in the Danish television drama "Taxa", which followed the lives of a group of Copenhagen taxi drivers. The show was a huge success in Denmark and helped to establish Mikkelsen as a talented actor in his own right.

Lars Mikkelsen has had a long and successful movie career, both in Denmark and internationally. He has appeared in a variety of movies, ranging from historical dramas to thrillers to comedies. His performances have earned critical acclaim and have helped to establish him as one of Denmark's most talented actors.

Mikkelsen's movie career began in the early 1990s, with small roles in Danish movies such as "Drengene fra Sankt Petri" (1991) and "Min Fynske Barndom" (1994). He began to attract more attention in the late 1990s, with standout performances in films such as "Edderkoppen" (1998) and "Dykkerne" (2000).

One of Mikkelsen's most notable early roles was in the World War II drama "Flame and Citron" (2008), in which he played the Nazi collaborator Aksel Winther. The movie was a critical and commercial success in Denmark and helped to raise Mikkelsen's profile as an actor.

Mikkelsen's international breakthrough came with his role as the Russian President Viktor Petrov in the hit Netflix series "House of Cards" (2014-2016). His performance as the charismatic yet sinister Petrov earned him widespread praise and helped to establish him as a popular character actor in the United States.

Since then, Mikkelsen has continued to appear in a variety of international movies and TV shows. He has played a recurring role in the BBC series "Sherlock" (2014-2017) as the villainous Charles Augustus Magnussen, and he has appeared in the German-Danish crime drama "The Team" (2015-2018).

Overall, Lars Mikkelsen's movie career has been characterized by a versatile range of performances and a willingness to take on challenging roles. His work in both Danish and international productions has earned him critical acclaim and a dedicated fan base.

Personal life

Lars Mikkelsen is a private individual and keeps his personal life out of the public eye as much as possible. However, it is known that he is married to Anette Støvelbæk, who is also an actress. The couple has two sons together. They have been married since 1986 and got married in 1989.

Mikkelsen has spoken in interviews about the challenges of balancing his work as an actor with his responsibilities as a husband and father. He has stated that he tries to prioritize his family whenever possible and that he values the time that he gets to spend with them.

In his free time, Mikkelsen enjoys reading and watching movies. He has also been known to be an avid fan of football (soccer) and supports the Danish football team. Mikkelsen is also interested in music and has played the drums in a band.

Overall, Lars Mikkelsen leads a relatively low-key personal life, preferring to focus on his family and his work as an actor. He values his privacy and tries to keep his personal life separate from his public persona.

Filmography

Film:

• Royal Blues (1997)
• Seth (1999)
• Kira’s Reason: A Love Story (2000)
• King’s Game (2004)
• Island of Lost Souls (2007)
• Cecilie (2007)
• What No One Knows (2008)
• Flame and Citron (2008)
• Headhunter (2009)
• Montana (2014)
• When Animals Dream (2014)
• 9.April (2015)
• The Day Will Come (2016)
• Winter Brothers (2017)

Television:

• Taxa (1997-1999)
• Rejseholdet (2002)
• Forbrydelsen (2007)
• Borgen (2013, 2022)
• Sherlock (2014-2017)
• House of Cards (2015-2018)
• The Team (2015-2018)
• The Witcher (2019)
• Devils (2020-present)

This is not an exhaustive list, but it includes some of Lars Mikkelsen's most notable film and television credits.