00:00 - Intro
00:52 - Better Late Than Never
06:33 - Not a Full Leap
11:40 - Perfectly Balanced
17:02 - One Role at a Time
Mads Mikkelsen is not your typical movie star. He didn’t start acting until his 30s with Pusher, The Green Butchers, and After the Wedding, but didn’t break out in Hollywood until he was 40. While most actors would’ve cashed in on the success of Casino Royale, instead he turned down roles that didn’t interest him and chose the ones that pushed him further like Valhalla Rising, A Royal Affair, and The Hunt. It wasn’t about building a brand, it was about chasing the next great part. But when you’re that good, Hollywood doesn’t let you stay away for long. Over time, Mikkelsen became a go-to actor for everything: Marvel (Doctor Strange), Star Wars (Rogue One), Indiana Jones, Fantastic Beasts. He led Hannibal, gave one of the best video game performances in Death Stranding, and still always returned to Danish cinema, almost like Hollywood was funding the roles he was most passionate about like Another Round, Riders of Justice and The Promised Land. This is the story of an actor that was too cool for Hollywood. Someone who dipped in and out of the system and still became a fan favourite. This is Mads Mikkelsen.
