“The Hunt,” starring Mads Mikkelsen (“A Royal Affair,” “Hannibal”), is directed and co-written by Thomas Vinterberg and opens in New York City this Friday.
On Wednesday July 10, 2013 at Lincoln Center, Examiner Dorri Olds attended an intimate cocktail party with actor Mads Mikkelsen.
Meeting celebrities is an interesting job but not all stars enjoy chatting. Once in a great while you meet a celeb who seems as lovable in person as they are on screen. So is the case with the smoldering Mikkelsen, 47, who comes across as kind, open and humble. The Danish actor holds himself with the grace of a dancer or gymnast. He has been both, which explains his keen awareness of body movements for every role he plays.
Mikkelsen switched to acting in 1996 and shot to fame in the original “Pusher” films, written and directed by Nicolas Winding Refn (“Drive“).
In “The Hunt,” Mikkelsen plays Lucas, a kindergarten teacher. One of the students, a 5-year-old girl named Klara (Annika Wedderkopp), develops a crush on him and gives him a little heart she made. His reaction is kind, but professional, and Klara feels confused and hurt. She tells a little lie. Unfortunately the entire town believes her including her father Theo (Thomas Bo Larsen), who happens to be Lucas’s best friend.
Dorri Olds: How did you get along with young Annika Wedderkopp?
Mads Mikkelsen: She was wonderful. Obviously, I spent a lot of time with her and what is first and foremost with me, when I work with a kid, is to make them feel comfortable.
Do you find it worrisome for a child actor to be in scenes where they have to play distraught?
We were very lucky with this girl. She’d never been in anything like this before. She was amazing. She could go with any emotional scene and then just leave and play with her friends. That was a gift from heaven because it’s very difficult to work with a kid who becomes affected by it.
One actor bragged about how much he scared a child into good acting.
Oh no. We’re not in that business. We made her very comfortable. We knew she’s just a genuine little kid.
What do you hope the takeaway is for viewers?
It’s an upsetting film. I hope it will give people something to think about. About how fragile life is and how fragile friendships are. How we should deal with traumas like this in an adult way and try not to become too emotional until we know what’s up, what’s down, what’s the whole story. Hopefully it will make a debate about that. This is a story about how great love turns into great fear.
Isn’t it also about mob mentality?
Yes, but it’s about our worst fear. That somebody is hurting our kids. There are no villains in this story. That is the frustration about the film sometimes — when we can’t put our anger anywhere. We understand everyone and why they are doing what they do.
Was being an actor what you wanted most?
No. I never even thought about being an actor. Somebody asked me if I’d like to learn the craft and I said, “Okay.” I was a gymnast in a show at that time and somebody asked me afterwards one night. I performed as a gymnast for nine years and then I did acting after that.
Wow, you lead a charmed life. Have you ever had any dark periods?
Not seriously. Not depressed but you always have some dark periods. Sometimes you’re trying your best and you still can’t find a solution, but I try not to waste my life living in a dark place.
You seem happy. You have great laugh lines when you smile.
I was a happy kid. I smiled a lot.
Do you have siblings?
I have an older brother who is an actor as well.
Is he proud of you?
We’re proud of each other.
How is his career?
He’s very successful. Predominantly he does theater and he’s very good at it. He also does TV.
Do you like theater?
Not as much as making movies. I’m in love with film.
Have you ever experienced the down sides of fame?
Yes, all of it.
Obsessed stalker fans?
Yes, and everything else. You name it and it has happened. [Smiles]
Meeting celebrities is an interesting job but not all stars enjoy chatting. Once in a great while you meet a celeb who seems as lovable in person as they are on screen. So is the case with the smoldering Mikkelsen, 47, who comes across as kind, open and humble. The Danish actor holds himself with the grace of a dancer or gymnast. He has been both, which explains his keen awareness of body movements for every role he plays.
Mikkelsen switched to acting in 1996 and shot to fame in the original “Pusher” films, written and directed by Nicolas Winding Refn (“Drive“).
In “The Hunt,” Mikkelsen plays Lucas, a kindergarten teacher. One of the students, a 5-year-old girl named Klara (Annika Wedderkopp), develops a crush on him and gives him a little heart she made. His reaction is kind, but professional, and Klara feels confused and hurt. She tells a little lie. Unfortunately the entire town believes her including her father Theo (Thomas Bo Larsen), who happens to be Lucas’s best friend.
Dorri Olds: How did you get along with young Annika Wedderkopp?
Mads Mikkelsen: She was wonderful. Obviously, I spent a lot of time with her and what is first and foremost with me, when I work with a kid, is to make them feel comfortable.
Do you find it worrisome for a child actor to be in scenes where they have to play distraught?
We were very lucky with this girl. She’d never been in anything like this before. She was amazing. She could go with any emotional scene and then just leave and play with her friends. That was a gift from heaven because it’s very difficult to work with a kid who becomes affected by it.
One actor bragged about how much he scared a child into good acting.
Oh no. We’re not in that business. We made her very comfortable. We knew she’s just a genuine little kid.
What do you hope the takeaway is for viewers?
It’s an upsetting film. I hope it will give people something to think about. About how fragile life is and how fragile friendships are. How we should deal with traumas like this in an adult way and try not to become too emotional until we know what’s up, what’s down, what’s the whole story. Hopefully it will make a debate about that. This is a story about how great love turns into great fear.
Isn’t it also about mob mentality?
Yes, but it’s about our worst fear. That somebody is hurting our kids. There are no villains in this story. That is the frustration about the film sometimes — when we can’t put our anger anywhere. We understand everyone and why they are doing what they do.
Was being an actor what you wanted most?
No. I never even thought about being an actor. Somebody asked me if I’d like to learn the craft and I said, “Okay.” I was a gymnast in a show at that time and somebody asked me afterwards one night. I performed as a gymnast for nine years and then I did acting after that.
Wow, you lead a charmed life. Have you ever had any dark periods?
Not seriously. Not depressed but you always have some dark periods. Sometimes you’re trying your best and you still can’t find a solution, but I try not to waste my life living in a dark place.
You seem happy. You have great laugh lines when you smile.
I was a happy kid. I smiled a lot.
Do you have siblings?
I have an older brother who is an actor as well.
Is he proud of you?
We’re proud of each other.
How is his career?
He’s very successful. Predominantly he does theater and he’s very good at it. He also does TV.
Do you like theater?
Not as much as making movies. I’m in love with film.
Have you ever experienced the down sides of fame?
Yes, all of it.
Obsessed stalker fans?
Yes, and everything else. You name it and it has happened. [Smiles]
READ MORE ABOUT MADS MIKKELSEN ON HONEYSUCKLE
“The Hunt” opens in New York City on Friday, July 12, 2013 in at the Angelika Film Center and Lincoln Plaza Cinemas. Drama, Foreign Film. Rated R. 106 minutes. Danish with subtitles.