The 2001 Ben Stiller movie that gave Alexander Skarsgård a “warped idea” of Hollywood

Alexander Skarsgård says his role in the 2001 comedy *Zoolander* gave him an unrealistic sense of how easily work in Hollywood would come. The film was a positive experience and an important early American role, but its unusually quick path from meeting Ben Stiller to filming in New York left him unprepared for a three-year wait for his next job.

Skarsgård had acted since childhood in Sweden, and his father Stellan’s role in *Good Will Hunting* helped draw the family towards English-language productions. Although Skarsgård later earned acclaim for television roles including *True Blood* and *Big Little Lies*, he also pursued unconventional film parts; *Zoolander*, the article suggests, was an early sign of his ability to use his image for comedy. A quarter-century on, the article contrasts his growing embrace of comedy with Stiller’s move into prestige television directing, including *Severance*.