What do an alcoholic school teacher, a gambling terrorist, and a vengeful sorcerer have in common? Mads Mikkelsen has played them all. The career of Mads Mikkelsen is perhaps one of the most unique collections of roles that Hollywood as seen in recent times. Following the December release of Mikkelsen’s newest film, Dust Bunny, it’s time we as viewers look back on the work of a generational, yet, under-appreciated artist.
Unlike many big names in Hollywood, Mikkelsen’s filmography as a whole tells a story. One of national pride, humility, and undeniable skill that took many forms over the years.
Another Round (2020)
He’s not always the bad guy.
Directed by Danish film director Thomas Vinterberg, Another Round saw wins at both at the Bafta awards as well as the Oscars. For a feature less than two hours in length, the journey Vinterberg takes viewers on is incredible. A journey that is made largely possible by the masterclass performance Mikkelsen gives.
Mikkelsen plays Martin, a schoolteacher who, like his friends, is in the midst of a mid-life crisis. In an effort to step into a new chapter, the group embarks on an experiment to test the effect of alcohol on productivity and social skills.
In a conversation with Vinterberg and director Guillermo del Toro, Mikkelsen described the position of a high-school teacher as one who is “constantly looking at the immortal youth that has life ahead of them.” His comment is a salute to the theme of lost youth that lies at the center of Another Round, and is a testament to Mikkelsen’s thoughtful approach to story telling.
Mikkelsen and the cast did a “bootcamp” before filming, to see what impacts small increases in BAC would have on their behavior. He described his tactics for achieving each level of drunkenness, from slightly drunk to what Mikkelsen described as the “Russian Level.”
“We watched a lot of YouTube videos of Russian people in real life,” he said laughing, “…it’s insane what they do. So we dared to go there as well.”
Usually playing reserved and threatening characters, Mikkelsen took this role as an opportunity to dance, laugh, and drink. Despite the playful overtones Another Round presents it’s viewers, the rich underlying themes the movie presents are accentuated by Mikkelsen’s ability to sink so deeply into Martin’s character.
Casino Royale (2006)
“Weeping blood comes merely from a derangement in the tear duct, my dear General,” says Le Chiffre, “nothing sinister.”
“Sinister,” however, is perhaps the most fitting word to describe Mikkelsen’s portrayal of the private banker and terrorism financier.
This character in particular totes a special history, as the main antagonist in Ian Fleming’s original 1953 novel, Casino Royale. The novel was first adapted in a 1967 satire (also titled Casino Royale) starring Orson Welles as Le Chiffre.
At the highest of high-rollers poker tables, with a drop of blood trickling down his cheek, Mikkelsen is clearly in his element. Mikkelsen does “evil” like nobody else, and the reason may be his ability to find out the truth behind each character he plays.
“He’s a normal person,” Mikkelsen said in a GQ interview describing Le Chiffre, “He’s not taking over the world, he’s not one of those guys. He’s in it for the money.”
Taking this nearly questionably earnest approach to Le Chiffre served Mikkelsen well, as it honed in the scope of his characters motive. The result? He doesn’t overact. He doesn’t participate in a binary understanding of “good guy” and “bad guy” and he certainly doesn’t allow Le Chiffre to feel stale.
“He’s vulnerable,” Mikkelsen said, “He’s a different kind of villain, that’s for sure.”
In 2021, Mikkelsen told IMDb that he had lied in his audition for the role, saying that he had seen all the Bond films when, in fact, he had never seen any of them. Additionally, he noted that he was nervous, but not because of the size of the film, but because he was a non-native English speaker.
Doctor Strange (2016)
Among a filmography largely made up of indie Danish films, Mikkelsen has a knack for finding himself planted in some of Hollywood’s biggest franchises.
Playing a Nazi scientist in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023), a physicist in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), and a sorcerer named Kaecilius in Doctor Strange (2016), Mikkelsen is no stranger to the blockbuster realm.
“I’m not the worst in the world at doing stunts,” Mikkelsen said to GQ, citing his experience as a gymnast and dancer as useful to his stunt work, “So I got fulfilled with flying kung fu and wires and stuff.”
Though Marvel films aren’t often named in conversations about “high-brow cinema history,” Mikkelsen noted the actors responsible for his excitement about stunts were Bruce Lee and Buster Keaton, legends of physicality on screen.
Like Le Chiffre, Mikkelsen doesn’t rush to condemn his character. Kaecilius, is a former member of the Masters of the Mystic Arts, an order of sorcerers led by The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton). Kaecilius began opposing the Ancient One after she disapproved of his desire to reunite with his deceased wife and son by bringing other dimensions to Earth. This origin story, beyond anything else, was what informed Mikkelsen’s approach to Kaecilius.
The performance itself carries all the elements standard to a Marvel film. Mikkelsen, like most MCU actors, employs punchy deliveries and dramatic expressions, accentuating the comic-book nature of such a movie.
Though even beyond his performance, Mikkelsen’s role in Doctor Strange speaks to the diversity of characters he is suited to play. With each role, Mikkelsen is able to pull something from himself for the character, and pull something from the character for himself.
Being the bad guy
Method varies widely among actors. But in examining the roles of Mads Mikkelsen, it is clear that his process for lunging into the mind of another is relatability and empathy. Though this method may seem odd for an actor who has built a career on portraying chilling antagonists, it works.
“Most villains don’t start out saying ‘Yeah, I want to be the baddie today,'” Mikkelsen told IMDb, “They have a mission. And that mission has to be within the range of something that you and me can understand as well.”
