Bill Skarsgard comes from the talented Skarsgård family. The son of legendary Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård and actress My Skarsgård, Bill has been a bit of a dark horse in the context of star ratings lately. At the age of 32, the actor starred in a series of films such as John Wick And IT, building a commendable body of work over time. Here are some of his best performances that show Bill Skarsgård may be the next big thing in Hollywood.
10 Kane – Nine Days (2020)
Edson Oda’s feature debut stars an ensemble cast that addresses pertinent questions about existentialism and the meaning of life. Nine days is a philosophical cinematic experience in which a man named Will (Winston Duke) resides in an isolated home with his assistant, interviewing souls hoping to be born on Earth. Playing the role of one of the souls hoping to be born, Skarsgard, in an interviewopened up about his difficulty imagining his character since he had no backstory to go past.
9 Makhotin – Anna Karenina (2012)
Based on Leo Tolstoy’s 19th century literary phenomenon, 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 within the frameworks of imperial Russian society. Despite having a small role as military captain, Makhotin, Skarsgård manages to carve a place for himself among a cast of heavyweights such as Kiera Knightley, Jude Law and Alicia Vikander.
8 Willard Russell – The Devil All The Time (2020)
In one of his more recent performances, Bill Skarsgård stars as a Marine, Willard Russell, who returns to the United States after serving in the Solomon Islands. Greeted with chaos and volatility, Russell turns to vile means of survival against the backdrop of a post-war town, still reeling with the World War II hangover.
7 Zeitgeist – Deadpool 2 (2018)
Known for his self-aware ethos of edgy humor and carnage, dead pool 2 consists of a mixed bag of eccentric characters, including Zeitgeist. A vital part of the X-Force outfit, assembled by Deadpool, the Zeitgeist superpower is seen showering his opponents with acidic vomit. Despite the fact that he died a brutal death, Bill Skarsgård’s portrayal of the comic mutant is fondly remembered and shows that he has a knack for choosing interesting characters.
6 Merkel – Atomic Blonde (2017)
Another case where Skarsgård isn’t in the spotlight much but hits the nail on the head with every scene he stars in is Atomic blonde. In the film, the young actor plays the role of a German contact with Charlize Theron’s MI6 agent. Despite the small role, Skarsgård treats Merkel’s character with a bouncy sense of maturity, a commendable quality for an actor his age.
5 Mark – Murder Nation (2018)
Sam Levinson’s self-titled spin on the 17th century witch trials sees four friends fight for survival after their secrets are revealed to the world. What follows is a carnage of chaos and violence, roughly along the lines of The robbery. Despite this being another instance of Skarsgård appearing criminally underused, the actor is clearing a space for himself in the world of the film.
4 Pennywise – IT (2017)
Choosing not to follow Tim Curry’s already established path, Skarsgård plays Pennywise, hiding the monster behind a clown’s garb. The young actor goes the mile and flexes his acting chops by giving Pennywise a certain physicality by using his voice, his dance moves and his creepy eye tricks.
3 Marquis – John Wick Chapter 4 (2023)
In 2023, Bill Skarsgård got the chance of a lifetime, playing John Wick in Chad Stahelski’s blockbuster of the same name. And boy did Skarsgård pass the test. The young actor comes face to face with Keanu Reeves and plays the role of Marquis Vincent de Gramont with an uncanny sense of cunning and conspiracy.
2 Keith – Barbarian (2022)
A great aspect of Bill Skarsgård’s acting range is his ability to switch from positive to negative characters within a scene. To illustrate this point, the Barbarian trailer portrayed Skarsgård in a negative light; very suggestively creepy. On top of that, throughout the movie, Keith’s character seems poised and composed, but if you look closely, you can see his internal wheels spinning, leaving the audience wondering if he’ll turn on the heroine.
1 Mickey – Villains (2019)
Villains sees Skarsgård and Maika Monroe playing a watered down version of Bonnie and Clyde. On the run and looking for shelter, the couple decides to take refuge in another couple’s house, aiming to rob them and flee. As the film progresses, Mickey van Skarsgård and Jules van Monroe realize who they are up against, and the real villains of the film are revealed. While Monroe takes the cake with her cute girl-next-door charm, Skarsgård’s performance is mature and measured in nature, indicating he can do a good job without being the center of attention.