In the last decade or so, the audiences have gotten to know and learn to love the enigma that is Mads Mikkelsen. Though the actor has been part of the industry for way longer, Mikkelsen became a name much more familiar to the American audience only after his stint in NBC’s Hannibal. Playing a forensic psychiatrist by day and a cannibalistic serial killer by night, Mads Mikkelsen won over the audience with his daunting yet mesmerizing performance.
With time, especially after the abrupt cancellation of Hannibal in 2015 after its third season, Mikkelsen started getting more opportunities to star in other projects. From MCU to Harry Potter to Indiana Jones, the Danish actor has dipped his toes in a range of pools. Unfortunately for him, most of these avenues failed to bring him the desired outcome.
So now the question arises – Where does this road next take him? Is it somewhere new, or is it back home, as the actor was recently found pondering about.
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Mads Mikkelsen Is So Much More Than Just a Cannibalistic Seriel Killer
It is wrong for us or anyone to enclose an actor like Mads Mikkelsen inside the boundaries of a singular character. Even though he brought new depth and dimensions to the character of Hannibal Lecter with his on-screen portrayal, this is not the pinnacle of his journey as an actor.
Mikkelsen’s journey as an actor started in his home country, Denmark. He was a big name in the Danish film industry long before he stepped foot in the American one. He debuted as a drug dealer named Tonny in Nicolas Winding Refn’s internationally successful film Pusher, which instantly shot him to fame. His rugged bad-boy looks only added to the charm.
He then went on to reprise the role in the second part of the Pusher trilogy, which was another hit, while giving many other hits in between. He acclaimed name and fame and garnered many prestigious awards in the meanwhile. He has been part of four of the eight Danish films that have been nominated for Oscars in the 21st century. Out of them, the 2021 entrant Another Round won the Oscar for Best Internation Feature Film. There really is no limit to this man’s talent.
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A Step Out of Home Front and Into The Chaos
In 2006, he made his mark in the American movie industry as Le Chiffre in the James Bond film, Casino Royale. He was an instant hit with critics and audiences alike. But with how easily he acquired the part, even lead actor Daniel Craig was surprised. Mikkelsed said to Huffpost,
“They’d done their homework, seen my stuff, so it was fine, just a bit of anti-climax, because I was so ready to do more for them, but it was … shrugs… you’re in.”
He then went on to acquire roles in every imaginable big-name franchise out there. From playing Kaecilius in MCU’s Doctor Strange to Galen Erso in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story to Gellert Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, and the latest, Jürgen Voller in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, he has seen and done it all.
And though he was praised for all his different roles, the movies in themselves, except Doctor Strange, failed to gain the admiration of the public. The fans lamented that a talent like Mikkelsen was being misused on such wasted opportunities.
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The Wheel is Come Full Circle – Home
After some misadventures, Mikkelsen is now back on familiar grounds. His latest feature, The Promised Land, is the 2023 Danish Oscar submission. Whether it makes the cut or not will be announced on January 23rd. The Nikolaj Arcel movie is a period drama, like the duos’ previous collaboration, A Royal Affair, which was also submitted and secured a nomination for the Oscars.
In a conversation with the actor-director duo, it was evident that both have been feeling the pull of home. Both have worked in Hollywood and while Arcel was more clear about his intention to do films back home, Mikkelsen was more subtle.
“But more and more, it becomes clear to me that I also need to go back [to Danish cinema]. It’s my place. It’s where I started, where my friends are,” Mikkelsen said to The Wrap.
He further added,
“Here, the intimate feeling comes naturally. It’s my language, it’s my stories. Even though I was never on the heath as a kid, it feels like where I come from.”
Though he has never really stopped working in the Danish movie industry while working in Hollywood, his recent musings feel like he is itching to go back home for good. Hopefully, this is not a goodbye to Hollywood either, and the actor keeps sharing his talent with the world through every avenue possible.
