Alexander Skarsgård is the recipient of the Stockholm Achievement Award 2025

The recipient of the Stockholm Achievement Award 2025 is the multilayered actor Alexander Skarsgård, who is visiting Stockholm International Film Festival with the highly anticipated Pillion from BAFTA-nominated director Harry Lighton.

Stockholm Film Festival is proud to present Alexander Skarsgård with the Stockholm Achievement Award 2025. With a career spanning over two decades, Alexander Skarsgård has shown a rare ability to move seamlessly between Hollywood productions, European arthouse, and award winning tv-series. From his big breakout performance in Generation Kill (2008) to the Golden Globe-awarded role in Big Little Lies (2017–), and the uncompromising lead in The Northman (2022), Skarsgård has consistently challenged himself and his dramatic expression.

While showcasing the festival current Pillion, Alexander Skarsgård is once again displaying a complex and multifaceted character in the dominant biker Ray, who takes the timid and submissive Colin (Harry Melling) as his unlikely lover. Director and writer Harry Lighton’s feature film debut deals with an unequal and destructive relationship with both intensity and humor, which lead to an award for best screenplay in Cannes.

Throughout his career, Skarsgård has come to embody the international breakthrough of the Swedish acting tradition. With a combination of charisma, precision and a fearless approach, he has established himself as one of Sweden’s most influential exports in film. His work has not only strengthened the view of Nordic storytelling, but also inspired the new generation of actors to test the limits of their artistic expression.

The Stockholm Achievement Award is presented each year to actors whose work has made a lasting impression on the art of cinema. Previous recipients include Jesse Eisenberg (2024), Ethan Hawke (2023), Fares Fares (2022) and Kenneth Branagh (2021).