October 27, 2018

HUNTER KILLER opened in US theaters this weekend. Once more, lead star Gerard Butler saluted his co-star on his instagram account with "To Michael Nyqvist, a great man who stole my heart, the young cast’s heart, as well as the hearts of audiences who watch this movie. You are missed in so many ways. Thank you for the brilliance you shared with us. It was an honor to work with you." You can view a scene between Gerard and Michael at this Instagram page.

In an interview with Screen Rant, Butler spoke about working with Michael - "It was one of the best experiences I've ever had with an actor. I love working with Scandinavian actors, because they're so cool. There's no ego. They just get on with it, and yet they're so playful, and you see them trying things, and they take risks. I loved my relationship with him in the movie, with Captain Andropov, and also, how he was. How he inspired the other actors."

The general consensus is the submarine thriller follows in the tradition of The Hunt for Red October, Crimson Tide, and others, and while it doesn't compare favorably to those deep sea classics, Hunter Killer has got an old fashioned aesthetic that should please fans of Tom Clancy-esque action.

At the end of the credits, there is a film dedication to producer John Thompson and Michael. Several reviewers had kind words for our Swedish actor and I was happy to see that the most used movie still was this one.

"Michael Nyqvist, in one of his last roles before his demise, brings a war-weary and insightful aura to Captain Andropov. His interactions with Captain Glass are fascinating as the two skippers share a tense yet humane kinship. There are some moments of intrigue created when the two rival captains encounter each other."  ...Neil Soans, Times of India

"The film is notable in that it contains one of the last performances for actor Michael Nyqvist, who died last summer due to lung cancer. The incredibly talented Swedish actor became known to American audiences in the original Girl With the Dragon Tattoo movies. Seeing him on-screen was a pleasant surprise, albeit bittersweet."   ...Tom Santilli, AXS.com

"The Russian captain is played by the late Michael Nyqvist, the memorably weatherbeaten actor who came to fame in the Swedish Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy. Nyqvist (who died at age 56 in 2017) adds a touch of class, and many of his exchanges with Butler take the form of grim nods of the head. Exactly what you want in a movie like this."   ...Robert Horton, Herald Net

"Nyqvist, whose somber, nearly silent performance brings some real gravity to his scenes. It’s sad to think that this will probably be that fine actor’s screen swan song."  ...Frank Swietek, One Guy's Opinion

"Only the late Swedish actor Michael Nyqvist, as the Russian sub commander rescued by Glass, acts with stern distinction and zero histrionics. He was a fine actor; he’ll be missed." ...Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune

"Butler is a strong leading man – the Tom Berenger of our time – and it would be nice if he got a decent part now and then. Still, he does OK with this one, playing particularly well off of Swedish actor Michael Nyqvist, who is brilliant and contained as a humane Russian captain. It was, alas, the next-to-last performance by Nyqvist, who died last year."  ...Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

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The Girl in the Spider's Web premiered at the Rome Film Festival on October 24th and was released in Sweden yesterday. The crime thriller is based on the novel by David Lagercrantz. Sverrir Gudnason took over the role of Mikael Blomkvist. He told the press his thoughts often went to his deceased friend and colleague during filming. He said, "He was a close friend to me, and his last movie in Sweden was A Serious Game that we made together, where we got to know each other very well. There are many who miss him very much."

October 23, 2018

Gerard Butler, starring in the submarine thriller, "Hunter Killer", was left shattered after he had learned that his co-star from the movie lost his battle with lung cancer and had died at the age of 56.

In an interview Butler said this about the late actor: "He’s right up there as one of my favorites, if not my favorite, in terms of somebody who just had such incredible talent, childlike qualities and playfulness. But more than anything, he had such incredible humility and warmth, and this cheeky kind of glint in his eyes. It breaks my heart. And it breaks my heart that we’ll never get to sit together to watch this movie."

Michael plays the role of Captain Sergi Andropov in the movie. Butler describes their relationship on film - "I see this movie in some ways as a love story of friendship and respect between these two captains from opposite sides of the world and opposite cultures. They’re enemies. But as individuals, they each have the ability to do things differently than anybody else would — they both can see above and beyond the normal rules of conflict and engagement. Andropov is an old salty dog of a warrior while Glass is a hard-nosed, blue-collar Navy man. Yet they both have respect for the other and their almost silent relationship drives the outcome of the story."

Alicia Adejobi of UK's Metro reviewed the film agrees. She writes, "It’s these encounters between Glass and Andropov that provide the most fascinating moments in Hunter Killer. Glass isn’t the most well-rounded character – really, all we know is that he’s an esteemed commander with eternal optimism driven by hope for a united future. But his steeliness and determination to do the right thing, even if that means saving the opposition, is the thread of Hunter Killer. This is where he clashes with Andropov – the two men are both powerful in their roles as leaders yet polar opposites in their outlook on the world. Glass tells the Russian commander: ‘It’s about the future’ and that they are ‘brothers’ not enemies. Yet skeptical about the idea of Russia and the US being allies, Andropov dead-pan tells him to ‘fuck off’."

Since it premiered over the weekend in the UK and Ireland, other reviews have mentioned Michael. Nikki Baugham of The List, writes, "The captured Russian Captain Andropov is played with admirable poise and gravitas by Michael Nyqvist in one of his final performances." And Owen Glieberman of Variety, writes, "Michael Nyqvist, in one of his last roles, has a mournful grace as a fallen Russian submarine captain."

Yesterday the film's premiere was held at the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum in New York City. Butler posed alongside members of the Royal Navy as well as co-stars Zane Holtz, Michael Trucco, Ryan McPartlin and Common. The film will open in US theaters on Friday.

October 21, 2018

Another film added to the MNA! SMALA SUSSIE (Slim Susie) is a 2003 Swedish gangster comedy directed and co-written by Ulf Malmros. It is considered the director's most popular film. His name is probably familiar to you because he was a friend of Michael's and they collaborated on several films. This screwball thriller has shades of David Lynch and Quentin Tarantino films where violence and crime are blended with humor. It is a difficult balance, but if you're drawn to that type of entertainment, you'll enjoy this quirky film. Ulf Malmros told the press, "I wanted to make a really funny movie and one of the most comical ones you can do is portray people who have lost the ability to see themselves from the outside." Two years after the Swedish premiere, the film was released on DVD in the United States to great reviews.

The story takes place in a quaint rural village filled with small town madness. Former beauty queen Susie is missing. Her brother returns from Stockholm to find out what happened to her and is shocked to discover his sweet and innocent sister was anything but! The director's bold visual style, breakneck pacing, and a pulse-pounding soundtrack make Slim Susie a viscerally exhilarating black comedy in the tradition of movies, such as Pulp Fiction and Trainspotting. You can view a short clip with Michael at this link in his role as a policeman.

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I have no information on the following set of photos. It looks as if it might be from an ad campaign.

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Here are two new publicity photos from the 2007 Norwegian TV series "Nattsösteren".

October 13, 2018

Here's an article from a 2007 magazine from the Swedish Film Institute. It's refreshing to hear from a non-Hollywood thespian who thinks of himself as a conduit rather than a mega star. Michael explains, "What I can do as an actor is to make things tangible. It's not about glamour. Our job is to connect, to act as a time machine."

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Melodifestivalen is the Swedish music competition which selects Sweden's entry for the Eurovision Song Contest. In March 2016 Michael and Pernilla August participated in the grand finale interpreting  "Kom" by  Timoteij,  the Melodifestivalen 2010 entry. You can watch it at this youtube link. Director Edward af Sillen revealed that there was much laughter during the recording as Michael and Pernilla performed the song as a Chekhov drama. He referred to the pair as two of Sweden's greatest actors.

October 11, 2018

Two plays have been added to Michael's theatre works. Both were performed at Dramaten. A reading of the play Dömd (Judged) by Alfhild Agrell had one performance in 2007. And in 2002, En natt i den svenska sommaren (A Night in the Swedish Summer) by Erland Josephson had 56 performances.

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Here's another pic from Michael's reading and signing at the Academy Bookstore in Stockholm on April 6, 2013 when his book Dansa för oss was published. He looks especially old and tired.

Three years later, he actually looks younger in this photo when he poses with photographer Andreas Hellqvist.

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Michael was a guest on an episode of the Bergs Bärbara talk show, which aired on November 7, 2013. A blogger noted that Michael turned out to be an entertaining and friendly person. And apparently with the women. A lady in the audience said she felt that Michael Nyqvist was not just sexy, but even naughty! Oh Lordy, Lordy...

October 9, 2018

More movie stills of Michael from HUNTER KILLER, premiering October 26 in the USA.

October 7, 2018

There are more pages added under Michael's television work. Almost complete! His very first TV film was Kamraterna (Comrades) in 1982. Bodil Malmsten adapted the August Strindberg play for a television movie. She was known as a poet and novelist but decided to direct the play herself. Sadly, she too died of cancer the year before Michael, but she was 15 years older than him. The play is set in Paris in 1886 and deals with marital problems. Michael's role was very limited and I'm not sure he even had any dialogue as he played a model. In the notes for the play, it says "naked male model". Not sure if Michael kept his clothes on.

In his early days as an actor, he also appeared in one episode in the following TV series: OP7 (1998), Emma  åklagare (1997), Zonen (1996), Anmäld försvunnen (1995) and Kvällspressen (1992).

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I'm not sure when this photo of young Michael was taken. I would guess he was around ten years old.

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A handsome photo shoot for an unknown magazine:

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I found the following fashion blog interesting in regard to the Millennium Trilogy:

Cilla Rörby’s overall look for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is relaxed and modern. Nearly every character is granted an air of clean European chic, from co-owner of Mikael’s left-wing magazine Millennium, Erika Berger (Lena Endre) in immaculate trouser suits and midi-length trench coat, to wealthy Martin Vanger (Peter Haber) in his zipped-up Barbour, to Mikael himself in long sleeve buttoned t-shirts, blue or grey v-neck sweaters, plain white shirt, indigo Lee jeans and trendy short leather jacket.

Mikael is an activist not a stuffed shirt; he does not even wear a suit for his sentencing in court at the start of the story. He dons a grey flannel lounge jacket for his postscript with Henrik Vanger (Sven-Bertil Taube) but even that is teamed with blue jeans and white shirt. He is the flipside of Lisbeth because his own vaguely radical style is seen as customary whereas hers is unacceptable. Mikael can be slobby, just like Lisbeth, and is just as comfortable in exposing his body.

In the follow up film, The Girl Who Played with Fire (2009), Mikael remains almost the same in terms of costume from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. He wears a new leather jacket with tab collar although the cut is still recognizable, plus the knitted sweaters and long-sleeve t-shirts return. His look is as consistent as his character. Likewise Erika, who in a belted cashmere poncho and wool rollneck is just as elegant as ever.

In the final installment, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest (2009), Mikael becomes noticeably scruffier during this story. His clothes are changed infrequently; apart from re-emergence of the same leather jacket he wore throughout The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, much of his original charisma has evaporated.

October 2, 2018

If you've read Michael's first book about his search for his biological parents, the Expressen article I just posted won't give you any new insights into his adoption drama. For those who don't understand Swedish and haven't read the book, you will discover a sad, heartbreaking story. It was featured in the newspaper's July 16, 2017 edition following Michael's death. I think the part about his being a one-year-old in an orphanage with an empty ketchup bottle as his only toy will pull at your heart strings.

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Even when it wasn't summertime, Michael obviously loved boating and in this photo, we have his beloved dog Charlie waiting for his master on the pier.

Here is Michael again all bundled up in his boat with Books & Dreams personality Carina Nunstedt.

At the time of Michael's death, Carina wrote, "I had the great fortune to work with Micke through the magazine Your life and Books & Dreams for several years. We had long regular interviews about life. He was Sweden's greatest actor. I interviewed him swimming in Paris and at his farmhouse in Roslagen. Hard to understand that this brilliant, wise and funny man is gone."