Alexander Skarsgard is opening up about starring in his recent movie Pillion.
The 49-year-old actor plays a biker dom in the A24 film alongside Harry Melling.
In a newly released magazine interview, Alexander dished on what excited him about the movie and depicting the sub-dom/kink subcultures on screen.
Keep reading to find out more…
“Often the sub-dom or kink subcultures are depicted in a very dark, scary way. Cruising [William Friedkin’s 1980 crime thriller, starring Al Pacino as an undercover cop tracking down a serial killer] is a good example, where it’s like this dangerous underbelly of society,” he tells AnOther mag. “Like you’re supposed to be intimidated. What I loved about this film was that it wasn’t that, but it also didn’t dip into the sentimentality of the violins playing, a new love for a second and now I’m sad, staring out the window.”
“It felt irreverent and fun and charming and I really cared about these guys, this couple. It’s so rare to read something wholly original where I’m like, ‘I haven’t seen this depiction of any subculture before,’” he continued. “I thought Harry [Lighton] had beautifully approached this subject matter with curiosity and respect, but not too much respect, because if you do it with too much respect it’s a veneer, it’s a Disneyfied version – ‘Look how great they are.’ I love that he wanted to show this world, let it be awkward and stumbly and weird and funny at times.”
Alexander also added what excited him about taking on this project.
“I was excited about Pillion when I read it because it felt very truthful and authentic to the subculture, but also very accessible to people who are not in that subculture,” he said. “And the fact that Harry [Lighton] didn’t sugar-coat it – ‘Look how amazing they are. They’re just like us.’ He allowed it to be awkward and weird, and that excited me.”
You can watch the Pillion trailer here, and catch it in select theaters now!