Bill Skarsgård on Playing Pennywise the Clown
Summary
TLDRIn this interview excerpt, the guest from Stockholm discusses their acting career and family, including their father Stellan Skarsgård and brother Alexander Skarsgård. They share anecdotes about growing up with an actor for a father, visiting exotic film locations, and the impact on their own acting aspirations. The conversation also touches on their role in the movie 'IT,' including interactions with young actors on set and the challenges of playing a frightening character.
Takeaways
- 🌍 The guest is from Stockholm, Sweden, and has been living on the road for seven years.
- 🎬 The guest's father, Stellan Skarsgård, is a well-known actor, and the family has a strong acting background.
- 👨👧👦 The guest has eight siblings, with half of them pursuing acting careers, including the guest's brother Alexander.
- 🏠 The guest's father would bring the entire family to his international film shoots, creating a unique childhood experience.
- 🎭 The guest's interest in acting was sparked at a young age, influenced by seeing their father on sets with different personas.
- 🤡 The guest plays the character Pennywise the Clown in the movie 'IT', which is a role that involves scaring children.
- 👶 The guest had a memorable first day on set with a young actor named Jack Racer, who played Eddie in the movie.
- 😱 The guest was concerned about traumatizing the young actors while performing intense scenes but was reassured by their professionalism.
- 🎉 The guest received applause from the audience for the portrayal of Pennywise, indicating a positive reception of their performance.
- 😂 Jimmy, the host, jokes about the reason clowns hate children being related to the guest's performance.
- 😨 The guest has become known for acting in scary movies, despite not particularly enjoying the sensation of fear themselves.
Q & A
Where is the interviewee from?
-The interviewee is from Stockholm, Sweden.
How long has the interviewee been 'on the road'?
-The interviewee has been 'on the road' for seven years.
What is the interviewee's relationship to Stellan Skarsgård?
-The interviewee is Stellan Skarsgård's child.
How many of Stellan Skarsgård's children are actors?
-Half of Stellan Skarsgård's eight children are actors.
What was the interviewee's experience growing up in an acting family?
-The interviewee grew up visiting exotic locations with their father, Stellan Skarsgård, who would bring the entire family to film sets.
What was the interviewee's first impression of acting as a child?
-As a child, the interviewee found acting appealing, particularly the idea of being paid to act like a child in a fantastical way.
What was the interviewee's experience on the set of the movie 'IT'?
-The interviewee played a clown character that was intense and scary, which led to a memorable first day of shooting with a young actor named Jack Racer.
How did the young actors on the set of 'IT' react to the interviewee's character?
-The young actors were professional, and one, Jack Racer, appreciated the intensity the interviewee brought to the character despite the scary scenes.
How does the interviewee feel about scary movies?
-The interviewee has become a genre actor in scary movies but personally does not enjoy being scared and gets upset and angry.
What is the interviewee's opinion on the sensation of fear?
-The interviewee believes that the sensation of fear is something people should avoid, aligning with the idea that fear is a signal to escape danger.
What was Jimmy's reaction to the interviewee's description of the 'IT' movie scene?
-Jimmy expressed concern that the interviewee was traumatizing the child actor during the intense scene, but also found it amusing.
Outlines
🎬 Acting Family Legacy and Early Exposure to Film Sets
The conversation begins with a warm welcome for a guest from Sweden, specifically Stockholm. The guest shares that they've been traveling for seven years and discusses their acting career. The interview delves into the guest's family background, revealing that their father, Stellan Skarsgård, is a well-known actor with a significant filmography, including 'Good Will Hunting' and 'Thor'. The guest also mentions that their brother, Alexander, is an actor, and half of their siblings are in the acting profession. The discussion highlights the guest's childhood experiences on film sets with their father, who would bring the entire family to exotic locations, instilling a fascination with acting from a young age. The guest humorously mentions the family rule that all children should become actors, and they recall a particularly intense scene from a movie where they played a frightening clown, causing a young co-star to cry, but the child actor later expressed admiration for the performance.
😱 Fear and the Impact of Scary Movies
In this segment, the conversation shifts to the topic of fear and scary movies. The guest admits to not enjoying being scared and shares a humorous anecdote about their reaction to fear, which aligns with Jimmy's views. They discuss the natural human response to fear, using the example of running from bears, and how some people enjoy the sensation of fear, while others, like the guest and Jimmy, become upset and angry. The guest humorously suggests that they have become a 'genre actor' for scary movies, despite their personal aversion to the genre. The interview concludes with Jimmy expressing that he will not watch the movie 'IT' due to his fear of scary movies, and the guest playfully encourages him to see it.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Stockholm
💡Actor
💡Family
💡Acting
💡Pennywise
💡Clown
💡Exotic Locations
💡Movie Sets
💡Child Actors
💡Traumatizing
💡Genre Actor
Highlights
Guest mentions being from Stockholm, Sweden.
Guest reveals they have been on the road for seven years, trying to figure out where to settle.
Host acknowledges the guest's famous family, including father Stellan Skarsgård and brother Alexander.
Guest humorously notes that in their family, the rule is you have to become an actor.
Half of the guest's eight siblings are actors, with more potentially joining the family tradition.
Guest shares experiences of traveling to exotic locations with their father during his acting career.
The appeal of acting was instilled in the guest at a young age, seeing their father on set in action-packed roles.
Guest reflects on how acting allows them to be paid for playing like a child, a passion rooted in childhood.
Host brings up the guest’s role as Pennywise the clown, and the guest discusses the intense scenes involving children on set.
Guest recalls being concerned about traumatizing a child actor during an intense scene, only for the child to compliment their performance.
The guest comments on the professionalism of the child actors on set.
The host jokes about clowns disliking children and admits to avoiding scary movies due to fear.
Guest mentions becoming a genre actor in horror films, despite not being a fan of getting scared.
The host shares their belief that fear is a natural response meant to warn us of danger, such as facing a bear.
The guest promotes the movie 'It,' while the host admits they will never watch it due to fear.
Transcripts
WELL, IT'S VERY GOOD TO HAVE YOU
HERE.
YOU'RE FROM SWEDEN I UNDERSTAND.
>> I'M FROM STOCKHOLM, THAT'S
RIGHT.
>> Jimmy: STOCKHOLM.
YES, I'VE HEARD OF THAT.
WHAT GOES ON IN STOCKHOLM?
IS IT A FUN PLACE TO LIVE?
>> IT'S A PLACE, YEAH.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> Jimmy: ARE YOU STILL LIVING
THERE?
>> I'VE BEEN SORT OF ON THE ROAD
FOR SEVEN YEARS.
SO I'M TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT.
>> Jimmy: ACTING AND GOING
AROUND AND WHATEVER.
>> YEAH.
>> Jimmy: DO YOU HAVE A HOME OR
ARE YOU -- YOUR LAST NAME IS
VERY AT THE LEAST FAMILIAR TO
PEOPLE BECAUSE YOUR DAD STELLAN
IS AN ACTOR.
>> YEAH, HE'S AN ACTOR.
>> Jimmy: HE WAS IN -- HE'S IN
SO MANY MOVIES.
HE'S IN "GOOD WILL HUNTING."
THE "THOR."
MOVIES.
YOUR BROTHER ALEXANDER IS AN
ACTOR.
SO IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOUR
DAD ENCOURAGED YOU TO DO, TO BE
AN ACTOR?
IS THIS SOMETHING YOU WANTED?
>> YOU HAVE TO, YEAH.
HE HAS EIGHT KIDS.
AND THE FIRST RULE IS YOU HAVE
TO BECOME AN ACTOR.
>> Jimmy: EIGHT CHILDREN.
HOW MANY OF THEM ARE ACTORS?
>> HALF SO FAR.
SO FOUR.
>> Jimmy: REALLY?
>> YEAH.
>> Jimmy: AND THERE'S A
POSSIBILITY THAT MORE
SKARSGARDS --
>> YEAH, BECAUSE THERE'S THE TWO
ONES THAT ARE VERY LITTLE.
>> Jimmy: DO YOU HOPE THAT THEY
DON'T JUST TO KIND OF REDUCE
SOME OF THE COMPETITION --
>> COMPETITION, YEAH.
[ LAUGHTER ]
I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO BE THE
YOUNGEST ONE.
AND THEN MY LITTLE BROTHER IS 5
YEARS YOUNGER AND
BETTER-LOOKING --
>> Jimmy: YOU NEVER KNOW
NOWADAYS --
>> IT'S JUST A WHOLE KIND OF
GREEK EPIC STORY.
>> Jimmy: YEAH.
AND WHEN YOU WERE A KID, DID YOU
TRAVEL WITH YOUR FATHER AND GO
TO MOVIE SETS AND GET TO SEE ALL
THAT STUFF?
>> YEAH.
FOR SURE.
HE WOULD SHOOT -- AND MY DAD'S
CAREER KIND OF TOOK OFF WHEN I
WAS A KID AND HE WOULD --
INTERNATIONAL CAREER AT LEAST,
AND HE WOULD SHOOT IN ALL THESE
VERY EXOTIC LOCATIONS.
AND I -- YOU KNOW, HE WOULD
BRING THE ENTIRE FAMILY AND
PRETTY MUCH BREAK EVEN.
>> Jimmy: YEAH, THAT'S A LOT OF
PEOPLE TO BRING.
>> YEAH.
IT'S A LOT OF KIDS TO BRING.
AND HE WOULD BRING A HOUSE FOR
US ALL TO COME --
>> Jimmy: DO YOU REMEMBER BEING
ON ANY OF THOSE SETS AND SEEING
SOMETHING THAT STILL KIND OF
LASTS IN YOUR MIND?
>> I GET THE QUESTION A LOT
WHERE IT'S LIKE OH, YOU COME
FROM AN ACTING FAMILY AND FOR A
KID ACTING IS LIKE THE MOST
APPEALING JOB EVER.
LIKE YOU'RE 8 YEARS OLD AND
YOU'RE ON A SET AND YOUR DAD'S
LIKE -- YOUR DAD'S YOUR DAD.
BUT LIKE ON SET HE HAS LIKE A
GUN, THICK MUSTACHE, AND THE
WHOLE THING.
>> Jimmy: YEAH, RIGHT.
>> SO FOR ME IT'S LIKE -- AS A
KID THAT'S WHAT YOU DO BEING A
KID, PLAYING LIKE WITH YOUR
FRIENDS.
SO THE APPEAL OF THIS IMAGINARY,
YOU KNOW, FANTASTICAL WAY OF
JUST BEING PAID AND BEING AN
ADULT AND ACTING LIKE A CHILD I
THINK WAS PLANTED AT A VERY
YOUNG AGE.
>> Jimmy: AND NOW YOU GET TO BE
A CLOWN WHO EATS CHILDREN.
>> EXACTLY.
[ LAUGHTER ]
WE GO FULL CIRCLE HERE.
>> Jimmy: WE HAVE A PICTURE OF
YOUR LOOK.
PEOPLE ARE SCARED ALREADY.
WERE THE KIDS ON SET ACTUALLY
SCARED OF YOU?
>> I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW.
THE KIDS WERE -- BECAUSE WHEN
YOU WORK WITH KIDS LIKE ACTORS
YOU NEVER KNOW IF THEY'RE GOING
TO BE GAME OR NOT.
LIKE SOME KIDS THAT ARE ACTORS
THAT HAVE THIS KIND OF RAW
TALENT, AND SOME OF THEM ARE
LIKE PROFESSIONAL ACTORS AT 12
YEARS OF AGE.
>> Jimmy: RIGHT.
YES.
>> THESE SEEMED TO BE -- LIKE
YOU DIDN'T KNOW GOING INTO IT
BUT THEY WERE ALL LIKE REALLY
PROFESSIONAL ACTORS.
THIS ONE KID, JACK RACER PLAYS
EDDIE IN THE MOVIE.
IT WAS MY FIRST DAY OF SHOOTING
AND WE KIND OF DELIBERATELY KEPT
ME SEPARATED FROM THE KIDS.
THEY'D NEVER SEEN A CLOWN,
THEY'D NEVER REALLY MET ME, AND
THIS IS ONE SCENE AND THE SCENE
OF THE MOVIE IS VERY INTENSE.
AND IT WAS MY FIRST DAY.
SO I NEEDED TO KIND OF GET INTO
CHARACTER AND IT WAS LIKE, OH,
HEY THERE, JACK, HOW ARE YOU?
LOOKING LIKE THAT.
AND THE SCENE I WALK OUT AND I
APPROACH HIM AND IT'S A REALLY
INTENSE SCENE AND I'M SORT OF
RIGHT IN HIS FACE.
I'M DROOLING ALL OVER HIM.
AND HE'S CRYING.
AND WE SORT OF BLOCK IT BRIEFLY
WITHOUT DOING REALLY EMOTION
INTO IT.
AND THEN YOU KNOW, THEY YELL
ACTION AND I DO IT.
AND I'M DOING THIS CLOWN THING
AND I'M SCREAMING -- BECAUSE
PART OF PENNYWISE IS THAT HE
HATES THE KIDS AND THERE'S SO
MUCH ANGER --
>> Jimmy: MOST CLOWNS DO.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> AND THEN I APPROACH HIM AND I
SCREAM IN HIS FACE AND WE'RE
DOING THE SCENE AND HE'S CRYING
AND GAGGING AND DOING THIS WHOLE
THING.
AND IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD AS
WE'RE SHOOTING IT I'M LIKE OH,
MY GOD, I'M TRAUMATIZING THIS
CHILD.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> Jimmy: YEAH.
>> LIKE WHAT AM I DOING?
AND THEN HE -- AND THEN THEY
SAY -- YOU KNOW, THEY YELL CUT,
AND I GO, ARE YOU OKAY, JACK?
HE GOES, "I LOVED WHAT YOU WERE
DOING.
I LOVED WHAT YOU WERE DOING WITH
THE CHARACTER."
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> Jimmy: THIS IS WHY CLOWNS
HATE CHILDREN.
>> YEAH.
AND I WAS LIKE, I LOVE WHAT
YOU'RE DOING WITH THE CHARACTER?
THANK YOU, JACK.
>> Jimmy: THANK YOU, JACK.
DO YOU THINK YOU'LL KEEP IN
TOUCH WITH JACK AFTER THE FILM
WRAPS?
>> WELL, I HOPE HE'LL HIRE ME AT
ONE POINT.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> Jimmy: YEAH, RIGHT.
WELL, I DON'T WATCH SCARY MOVIES
BECAUSE I GET TOO SCARED.
BUT I HEARD THIS ONE IS
PARTICULARLY SCARY.
I THINK YOU'VE GOT A GOOD ONE ON
YOUR HANDS.
>> BUT YOU'LL NEVER WATCH IT?
>> Jimmy: I WILL NEVER SEE IT,
NO.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> YOU SHOULD.
>> Jimmy: DO YOU LIKE SCARY
MOVIES?
>> IT'S WEIRD.
I'VE KIND OF BECOME THIS LIKE
GENRE ACTOR NOW IT SEEMS LIKE.
AND I NEVER REALLY GOT INTO THE
IDEA OF GETTING SCARED.
>> Jimmy: YEAH, ME NEITHER.
I DON'T LIKE IT.
YOU KNOW WHY?
IT SCARES ME.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> YEAH, RIGHT.
THERE'S TWO WAYS TO GO ABOUT IT.
SOME PEOPLE REALLY ENJOY AND
LOVE THE SENSATION OF FEAR.
AND I GET LIKE UPSET AND ANGRY.
>> Jimmy: I THINK THAT'S WHAT
GOD INTENDED FOR US TO
EXPERIENCE WITH FEAR.
LIKE WHEN WE SEE BEARS COMING AT
US WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO GO OH,
THIS IS AWESOME.
>> YEAH.
>> Jimmy: WE'RE SUPPOSED TO RUN.
EXACTLY.
THAT'S A GOOD LESSON FOR
EVERYBODY.
ALL RIGHT.
[ LAUGHTER ]
WELL, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
THE MOVIE IS CALLED "IT.
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