Who Is Gustav Lindh? Meet 'The Northman' Rising Star Who Always Wanted to Be an Actor

June 2024 · 3 minute read

"The Northman" star Gustav Lindh became passionate about acting at a very young age, but he kept his love for films and dreams of becoming an actor a secret for years.

Born in June 1995, Gustav Lindh is one of the most promising Swedish actors globally, but his first love was not acting but soccer. He even trained for years.

However, when he discovered he was passionate about films, he couldn't avoid throwing himself headfirst into them. He took a leap of faith, and it paid off.

Gustav Lindh on April 18, 2022, in Hollywood, California. | Source: Getty Images

Lindh felt something woke up inside him after watching the "Godfather" trilogy as a child. Years went by, and Lindh felt he couldn't share his passion for acting with those around him, so he kept the dream under wraps.

Still, Lindh was so determined to become an actor that he started calling in sick to the soccer training to have time to rehearse for theater plays. Eventually, Lindh quit soccer and moved to Malmö to study acting full-time.

Gustav Lindh on March 28, 2022, in Stockholm, Sweden. | Source: Getty Images

While training at the Dramatic School of Arts, he worked on the internationally acclaimed 2015 film "The Circle" and a few other Swedish projects that attracted attention.

In 2019, Lindh's career changed after his outstanding portrayal of troubled teenager Gustav in "Queen of Hearts." He even took home the Bodil Award, also known as the Danish Golden Globe.

Lindh showed off his acting skills in 2020's "Orca." Variety pointed out that his fearless performance created a solid and complex character with many layers you couldn't stop watching.

In 2022, the Berlin Film Festival named Gustav Lindh one of Europe's most promising actors, alongside other European stars. With such a career, it would be easy to assume Lindh got carried away by his fame, but he didn't.

He even turned down modeling gigs while studying at the drama school.

Before a photoshoot for the Swedish magazine King, Lindh gave coffee to everyone on the team and massaged their shoulders. He even tried to persuade them to have a drink after the shooting, proving he is just a regular guy.

Gustav Lindh loves his acting career but is not fond of fame. He even envies musicians because they can release an album every four years and remain relatively out of the spotlight in-between. Lindh said:

"I'm a little cautious about being involved in any context other than my roles. I want to keep some question marks [over me] as best as I can."

Lindh has been so focused on his acting career that he even turned down modeling gigs while studying at drama school. He confessed he was so curious about his profession that he always thought about his roles.

Speaking of roles, Lindh's fans were thrilled when he booked a role in "The Northman," a historical film starring Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Anya Taylor-Joy, and many more Hollywood stars.

The film follows a young Viking prince trying to avenge his father's murder, and Lindh admitted to being a massive fan of director Robert Eggers.

Gustav Lindh described Eggers as a true artist and visionary, and working with him was "amazing." He added that he was immediately on board with the project, and he would do anything on an Egger's film. Way to go!

ncG1vNJzZmimlazAb63MqKSapZFjsLC5jmtvcXBna3q4tM5moKxll6rAta3VZqOippSdeq6xxK1kraCVYruwvtOhpJqmXae2b7TTpqM%3D