"Koka björn" is the first major drama effort in Swedish for the streaming service Disney+, with a premiere on October 15. It is an expensive and star-studded TV series, based on Mikael Niemi's novel about a harsh, poor community in Tornedalen in the mid-19th century.
A girl is found dead, has she been taken by the bear or is there a murderer loose in the village? Gustaf Skarsgård plays the new vicar Lars Levi Læstadius, who tries to solve the mystery and find the potential murderer.
Sherlock in the West
Læstadius is a historical person, but the screenwriters have taken great liberties and made him a kind of Sherlock Holmes figure in a western drama.
It's very deliberate that you use the Swedish historical context to tell a kind of western story, which takes place in the "frontier land", says Gustaf Skarsgård.
Much of Mikael Niemi's robust narrative style remains in the TV series, where Pernilla August, Magnus Krepper, Simon J Berger and Jonas Karlsson are among the supporting actors who take out the swings almost unrecognizable behind mask and makeup.
It's meaty and robust, says Gustaf Skarsgård and laughs.
I think it's refreshing in the Swedish context that you dare to take it a bit. It's easy for us to hold back a bit. If you like it, you can love it. If you choose to laugh at it, you can really do it. So there are risks involved, of course.
Dirt faction
Gustaf Skarsgård has played in many historical films and TV series in recent years. The film "Utvandrarna" takes place during almost the same time as "Koka björn" and he has made a major role in the TV series "Vikings".
It's something he himself has reflected on and can laugh at.
If there's a faction I end up in, it's the dirt faction! I can get a doctorate in dirt makeup.
"Koka björn" is a completed story, but the character Læstadius and his adventures in Tornedalen would Gustaf Skarsgård gladly return to if Disney+ wants a sequel.
Absolutely. If the demand is sufficient, there are many unexplored tracks at the end of the series that you could take off from.
44 years old. Broke through in the film "Förortsungar" in 2007, for which he received a Guldbagge. Is best known for his roles in the TV series "Vikings", "Ettor och nollor" and the films "438 days" and "Utvandrarna". Had a supporting role in the Hollywood film "Oppenheimer".
Can be seen next year in Alex Schulman's directorial debut "Arkipelag" on film. Is currently also playing the title role in the new films about the police officer Wallander being made for TV4.
