Almost everyone would agree that Mads Mikkelsen possesses one of the most menacing screen presence to ever grace the silver screen, perfectly suited for portraying a villain. However, he attributes this perception to his accent. The actor, who transitioned from Danish indie films to Hollywood blockbusters, has carved a notable niche for himself. Yet, due to consistently landing menacing roles, he recently explained why he believes this trend persists.
Mads Mikkelsen Blamed His Accent for Being Type-Cast in Hollywood
Mads Mikkelsen’s on-screen presence is undeniably insane. His remarkable ability to immerse himself in every character he portrays is striking. Despite predominantly portraying villains in recent years, each of his characters stands out distinctly, possessing a unique flavor and individuality.
When questioned during the Marrakech Film Festival, as reported by Deadline, about why audiences often perceive him as the antagonist, particularly in Hollywood, Mads Mikkelsen creatively shared his perspective. He said,
“It’s quite simple. It’s the funny accent. It’s as simple as that. It used to be Germans, then it was Brits; then the Russians, and then for some reason they fell in love with the Danish accent. That’s definitely part of it,”
He proceeded to highlight the contrasts between the Danish and American film industries in their portrayal and interpretation of characters and their individual stories, he explained,
“Then if the Americans see something they like, they have a tendency to try and copy it, right. But I’ve been lucky enough to do different villains in different universes. There’s a big difference between Marvel and James Bond… but I never think about it too much. In Denmark, we don’t divide it into bad guys and good guys, we tend look at more complex characters.”
Undoubtedly, Mads Mikkelsen stands as an exceptional talent in the industry. Despite frequently portraying nuanced and complex roles, it’s about time Hollywood explores and utilizes his talent across various facets.
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Mads Mikkelsen’s Advice for Young Actors
Having mastered non-native language films and industries, the actor shared advice during the film festival’s masterclass for aspiring actors aiming to venture into non-native language-speaking industries. He said,
“I’ve done quite a few films in different languages, none of them I speak or at least not fluently,–The trick the first time I did anything in English was to rehearse it and rehearse it and then, once you shoot the scene that’s it, it’s over. Don’t think about it anymore. If there are mistakes, if people out there are going, ‘Oh my God, what an accent’. So be it. That’s all I could do.”
Originating from Denmark, the actor shared his initial experience when taking on such a role. He then stated,
“Forget it once you get in there, focus on the scene. You cannot be on stage or in front of the camera, focusing on the language. The worst-case scenario is you can fix it later in the ADR sessions later on.”
He additionally urged actors to stand up for themselves and assert their own voice, especially during challenging situations, he continued,
“If they anticipate a perfect language with no accent whatsoever, you should tell them to find someone else.”
That was undeniably power-packed advice. Actors whose native language isn’t English have historically faced and continue to face challenges. Interestingly, some of the industry’s biggest stars are non-English speakers. Mikkelsen strongly believes it’s about time Hollywood recognizes talents beyond their accents.
