{{short description|Danish actor (born 1964)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}} {{Infobox person | name = Lars Mikkelsen | image = Lars Mikkelsen.jpg | landscape = Yes | caption = Mikkelsen in 2015 | birth_name = Lars Dittmann Mikkelsen | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1964|05|06|df=y}} | birth_place = Copenhagen, Denmark | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|df=yes|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} or {{Death-date and age|Month DD, YYYY|Month DD, YYYY}} (death date then birth date) --> | death_place = | nationality = | other_names = | occupation = Actor; voice actor | known_for = {{ubl|''The Killing''|''House of Cards''|''Borgen''|''Sherlock''|Grand Admiral Thrawn:|• ''Star Wars Rebels''|• ''Ahsoka''|• ''Star Wars: Tales of the Empire''}} | spouse = {{marriage|Anette Støvelbæk|1989}} | children = 2 | relatives = Mads Mikkelsen (brother) }} '''Lars Dittmann Mikkelsen''' ({{IPA|da|ˈlɑːs ˈme̝kl̩sn̩|lang}}; born 6 May 1964) is a Danish actor. He is known for his roles as Copenhagen mayoral election candidate Troels Hartmann in the Danish police procedural ''The Killing'',<ref name="telegraph.co.uk">{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/8427195/The-Killings-Lars-Mikkelsen-Danish-newspapers-are-talking-about-you-raving-about-it.html |title=The Killing's Lars Mikkelsen: 'Danish newspapers are talking about you raving about it |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=4 April 2011 |access-date=5 January 2014 |archive-date=28 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228224723/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/8427195/The-Killings-Lars-Mikkelsen-Danish-newspapers-are-talking-about-you-raving-about-it.html |url-status=live }}</ref> the character Charles Augustus Magnussen in the third series of the BBC programme ''Sherlock'', fictional Russian president Viktor Petrov in the American political thriller TV series ''House of Cards'', mage Stregobor on the Netflix series ''The Witcher'', and Grand Admiral Thrawn in ''Star Wars Rebels'' and ''Ahsoka''. In 2011, he won the Reumert Prize of Honour for his contributions to Danish theatre.<ref name="Reumert_2011">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQKh01iukgw |title=Reumert 2011 Hæderspris Lars Mikkelsen 22 |date=17 January 2013 |website=YouTube |access-date=14 June 2016 |archive-date=4 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204142241/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQKh01iukgw&gl=US&hl=en |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Early life== Mikkelsen was born in Gladsaxe near Copenhagen.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/2536651-Lars-Mikkelsen |title=Lars Mikkelsen |website=Discogs |access-date=24 May 2022 |archive-date=24 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220524074849/https://www.discogs.com/artist/2536651-Lars-Mikkelsen |url-status=live}}</ref> He and his younger brother, fellow actor Mads Mikkelsen, were raised in the Nørrebro district.<ref name=Arte>Transcript of Part 1 of {{cite interview |title=Mads Mikkeson |type=TV documentary series |url=https://funkiestdope.tumblr.com/post/57085496551/text-translation-of-my-life-portrait-of-mads-mikkelsen |work=Mein Leben / My Life |publisher=Arte |year=2006 |access-date=26 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131215043815/http://funkiestdope.tumblr.com/post/57085496551/text-translation-of-my-life-portrait-of-mads-mikkelsen |archive-date=15 December 2013 |url-status=live |quote=2:22 Mads and Lars (brother) are in Nørrebro, Copenhagen ... 3:06 [Mikkelsen]: My brother and I know this place like the back of our hands. Nørrebro was a typical working-class neighborhood.}} Documentary in German, transcript in English.</ref> After secondary school, he enlisted for military service in the Royal Danish Army.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/kultur/film/lars-mikkelsen-efter-rolle-som-praest-nu-toer-jeg-sige-jeg-er-troende |title=Lars Mikkelsen efter rolle som præst: Nu tør jeg sige, jeg er troende |date=24 September 2017 |access-date=24 May 2022 |archive-date=24 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220524080305/https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/kultur/film/lars-mikkelsen-efter-rolle-som-praest-nu-toer-jeg-sige-jeg-er-troende |url-status=live}}</ref> He then studied biology at the University of Copenhagen but gave up the course to earn his living as a street performer in European cities with his mime and juggling acts.<ref name=leedsstudent>{{cite news |url=http://www.leedsstudent.org/2013/05/16/interview-lars-mikkelsen-england-produces-the-best-actors-in-the-world/ |title=Lars Mikkelsen: England produces the best actors in the world |first=Ben |last=Meagher |date=15 May 2013 |newspaper=Leeds Student |access-date=13 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140115163319/http://www.leedsstudent.org/2013/05/16/interview-lars-mikkelsen-england-produces-the-best-actors-in-the-world/ |archive-date=15 January 2014}}</ref>
==Career== At the age of 27, Mikkelsen enrolled at the National Theatre School of Denmark from which he graduated in 1995. In addition to his role in the drama series released worldwide as ''The Killing'',<ref name="telegraph.co.uk"/> he subsequently appeared in two other internationally acclaimed Danish drama series, ''Those Who Kill'' and ''Borgen III''.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/shortcuts/2012/feb/22/denmark-actors-killing-borgen |first=Vicky |last=Frost |title=Has Denmark run out of TV actors? |newspaper=The Guardian |date=22 February 2012 |access-date=5 January 2014 |archive-date=23 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191223221654/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/shortcuts/2012/feb/22/denmark-actors-killing-borgen |url-status=live}}</ref> He also had a leading role in an episode of the BBC drama ''Sherlock'' as blackmailer Charles Augustus Magnussen.<ref name=BBC>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/sherlock3/lars-mikkelsen.html |title=Sherlock: Interview with Lars Mikkelsen |website=BBC Media Centre |access-date=13 January 2013 |archive-date=24 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191224011834/https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/sherlock3/lars-mikkelsen.html |url-status=dead}}</ref> In the American television series ''House of Cards'', he played the president of Russia. He won an International Emmy Award in 2018 for his role in Danish television drama ''Herrens Veje'',<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.olisa.tv/international-emmy-awards-full-winners-list-lars-mikkelsen-shines/ |title=''International Emmy Awards: Full Winners List: Lars Mikkelsen Shines!'' Olisa TV, 20 November 2018 |access-date=20 November 2018 |archive-date=8 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200808004314/https://www.olisa.tv/international-emmy-awards-full-winners-list-lars-mikkelsen-shines/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> which was broadcast in the UK in 2019 as ''Ride Upon the Storm''. From 2016 to 2018, he voiced Grand Admiral Mitth'raw'nuruodo "Thrawn" in the third and fourth seasons of the animated series ''Star Wars Rebels''. He reprised the role in the 2023 live-action Disney+ series ''Ahsoka'' and the 2024 anthology series ''Star Wars: Tales of the Empire''.<ref name="Ahsoka" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Tinaglia |first=Daniel |url=https://screenrant.com/star-wars-grand-admiral-thrawn-tales-of-the-empire-mandalorian-setup/ |title=Star Wars Brings Back Grand Admiral Thrawn Sooner Than Anyone Expected, Setting Up The Mandalorian Movie |date=4 April 2024 |website=Screen Rant |access-date=18 May 2024}}</ref>
In addition to his native Danish, Mikkelsen speaks fluent Swedish, German and English, and he has mastered various accents. He has stated that he and his brother first picked up English by listening to Monty Python records and learning the comedy sketches.<ref name=leedsstudent />
==Personal life== Mikkelsen is married to actress Anette Støvelbæk.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.berlingske.dk/danmark/jeg-naaede-aldrig-vaere-en-umulig-teenager |title=Jeg nåede aldrig at være en umulig teenager |last=Schelin |first=Karen Margrethe |date=19 September 2009 |newspaper=Berlingske Tidende |language=da |access-date=30 December 2010 |archive-date=16 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200916072302/https://www.berlingske.dk/samfund/jeg-naaede-aldrig-at-vaere-en-umulig-teenager |url-status=live}}</ref> They have been a couple since 1986 and married in 1989.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.soendag.dk/kendte-kvinder/anette-stoevelbaek-fejrer-soelvbryllup-med-lars-mikkelsen-haaber-han-er-hjemme |title=Anette Støvelbæk fejrer sølvbryllup med Lars Mikkelsen: Håber han er hjemme |first=Britta |last=Bjerre |date=25 August 2014 |magazine=Se og Hør |language=da |access-date=12 February 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141003065445/http://www.soendag.dk/kendte-kvinder/anette-stoevelbaek-fejrer-soelvbryllup-med-lars-mikkelsen-haaber-han-er-hjemme |archive-date=3 October 2014}}</ref> They have two sons.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.seoghoer.dk/Nyheder/Kendte%20DK/Mikkelsen-stoevelbaek-boern.aspx |title=Lars Mikkelsens børn vil også på scenen |date=13 January 2015 |magazine=Se og Hør |language=da |access-date=12 February 2015 |archive-date=13 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150213044952/http://www.seoghoer.dk/Nyheder/Kendte%20DK/Mikkelsen-stoevelbaek-boern.aspx |url-status=dead}}</ref> He is the older brother of actor Mads Mikkelsen.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.bt.dk/underholdning/lars-mikkelsen-det-var-smoegerne-eller-livet |title=Lars Mikkelsen: Det var smøgerne eller livet |first=Kirsten |last=Erlendsson |date=30 January 2007 |newspaper=BT |language=da |access-date=30 December 2010 |archive-date=22 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322070623/http://www.bt.dk/underholdning/lars-mikkelsen-det-var-smoegerne-eller-livet |url-status=live}}</ref>
While filming the second season of ''Ride Upon the Storm'', he went to see a priest and asked to be baptised into the National Church of Denmark.<ref>Lawson, Mark (30 January 2019) [https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/jan/30/lars-mikkelsen-interview-god-priest-ride-upon-the-storm-kevin-spacey-house-of-cards "Lars Mikkelsen: I found God after playing a boozy, lusty priest"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240509015808/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/jan/30/lars-mikkelsen-interview-god-priest-ride-upon-the-storm-kevin-spacey-house-of-cards |date=9 May 2024}}, ''The Guardian''. Retrieved 15 January 2022.</ref>
==Filmography== ===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes ! class="unsortable" | {{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference(s)}} |- | 1997 | ''Royal Blues'' | Henning | | |- | rowspan="2"|1999 | ''Seth'' | Seth | | |- | ''Under overfladen'' | Victor | | |- | 2000 | ''Kira's Reason: A Love Story''<br>(''En kærlighedshistorie'') | Mads | | |- | 2004 | ''King's Game''<br>(''Kongekabale'') | Peter Schou | | |- | 2005 | ''Nordkraft'' | Steso's father | | |- | rowspan="2"|2007 | ''Island of Lost Souls'' | Necromancer | | |- | ''Cecilie'' | Lasse N. Damgaard | | |- | rowspan="2"|2008 | ''What No One Knows''<br>(''Det som ingen ved'') | Marc Deleuran | | |- | ''Flame & Citron'' (''Flammen & Citronen'') | Frode Jacobsen aka Ravnen | | |- | rowspan="2"|2009 | ''Flugten'' | Thomas Jargil | | |- | ''Headhunter'' | Martin Vinge | Robert Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role | |- | rowspan="2"|2012 | ''What Richard Did'' | Peter Karlsen | | |- | ''A Caretaker's Tale'' | Per | | |- | rowspan="2"|2014 | ''Montana'' | Dimitrije | | |- | ''When Animals Dream'' | Thor | | |- | 2015 | ''9. April'' | Lieutenant-Colonel Hintz | | |- | 2016 | ''The Day Will Come'' | Frederik Heck | | |- | 2017 | ''Winter Brothers'' | Carl | | |- | 2021 | ''The Venus Effect'' | Klaus | | |- | 2022 | ''The Kiss'' | Løvenskjold | |- |2023 | ''Asfalt'' | Kim | | |- | 2025 | ''Frankenstein'' | Captain Anderson | | |- | {{TableTBA}} | ''Dalloway'' | {{TableTBA}} | Post-production | |- |}
=== Television === {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes ! class="unsortable" | {{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference(s)}} |- | rowspan="2"|1997 | ''Strisser på Samsø'' | Jens Fiskrt | Episodes 1–4, 6 | |- | ''Taxa'' | Drug addict | Episode 8 | |- | rowspan="2"|2000 | ''Edderkoppen'' | Ole Madsen | | |- | ''Skjulte spor'' | Morten Theilgaard | | |- | rowspan="2"|2001 | ''Langt fra Las Vegas'' | Pirate captain | | |- | ''Nikolaj og Julie'' | Per Køller | Episodes 10–20 | |- | 2002 | ''Rejseholdet'' | Ivan | Episodes 21–22 | |- | 2004–2007 | ''Krøniken'' | Jens Otto Krag | Episodes 2–3, 9, 11, 14–15, 17, 21–22 | |- | 2007 | ''Forbrydelsen'' | Troels Hartmann | 20 episodes | |- | 2011 | ''Those Who Kill'' | Magnus Bisgaard | | |- | 2013, 2022 | ''Borgen'' | Søren Ravn | Seasons 3 and 4 | |- | rowspan="2"|2014 | ''Sherlock'' | Charles Augustus Magnussen | Series 3; 2 episodes | |- | ''1864'' | Thøger Jensen | Episodes 1–2 | |- | 2015 | ''The Team'' | Harold Bjørn | 8 episodes | |- | 2015–2018 | ''House of Cards'' | Viktor Petrov | Seasons 3–6; 11 episodes | <ref>{{cite web |title=Sherlock actor Lars Mikkelsen to star in House of Cards season 3 |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/ustv/s233/house-of-cards/news/a620801/sherlock-actor-lars-mikkelsen-to-star-in-house-of-cards-season-3.html#~p1aPEf7eLBBGv7 |last=Alexander |first=Susannah |website=Digital Spy |date=12 January 2015 |access-date=9 March 2016 |archive-date=25 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925012544/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/ustv/s233/house-of-cards/news/a620801/sherlock-actor-lars-mikkelsen-to-star-in-house-of-cards-season-3.html#~p1aPEf7eLBBGv7 |url-status=live}}</ref> |- | 2016 | ''Der Kommer En Dag'' | Forstander Frederick Heck | Season 1 | |- | rowspan="2"|2017 | ''Historien om Danmark'' | Narrator | | |- | ''Herrens Veje'' | Johannes | International Emmy for Best Performance by an Actor | |- | 2019–present | ''The Witcher'' | Stregobor | 6 episodes | |- | 2019–2023 | ''Face to Face'' | Holger Lang | 9 episodes | <ref name="Knudsen">{{Cite web |url=https://soundvenue.com/film/2023/02/forhoeret-saeson-3-det-er-umuligt-at-tage-oejnene-fra-lars-mikkelsen-i-afslutningen-paa-viaplays-konceptkrimi-509282 |title=''Forhøret'' sæson 3: Det er umuligt at tage øjnene fra Lars Mikkelsen i afslutningen på Viaplays konceptkrimi / Serie |trans-title=''The Interrogation'' season 3: It's impossible to take your eyes off Lars Mikkelsen at the end of Viaplay's concept crime / Series |first=Lars R. |last=Knudsen |website=Sound Venue |date=10 February 2023 |access-date=19 February 2025 |language=da }}</ref> |- | 2020–2022 | ''Devils'' | Daniel Duval | 16 episodes | |- | 2021 | ''Seaside Hotel'' | Svend Damm | 5 episodes | |- | rowspan="2"|2022 | ''The Kingdom'' | Pontopidan | 5 episodes | |- | ''The Dreamer – Becoming Karen Blixen'' | Knud | 6 episodes | |- | 2023 | ''Ahsoka'' | Grand Admiral Thrawn | 3 episodes<br>Nominated—Critics' Choice Super Award for Best Villain in a Series | <ref name="Ahsoka">{{cite web |last1=Goslin |first1=Austen |date=8 April 2023 |last2=Welsh |first2=Oli |title=Thrawn will be played by original voice actor Lars Mikkelsen in Ahsoka |url=https://www.polygon.com/star-wars/23143275/ahsoka-thrawn-casting-actor-announced |website=Polygon |language=en-US |access-date=8 April 2023 |archive-date=8 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408112601/https://www.polygon.com/star-wars/23143275/ahsoka-thrawn-casting-actor-announced |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.criticschoice.com/2024/03/07/nominations-announced-for-the-critics-choice-associations-4th-annual-critics-choice-super-awards-honoring-superhero-science-fiction-fantasy-horror-and-action-movies-and-s/|title=Nominations Announced for the 4th Annual ''Critics' Choice Super Awards'' Honoring Superhero, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Horror and Action Movies and Series|publisher=Critics' Choice|date=7 March 2024|access-date=9 March 2024|archive-date=7 March 2024|archive-url=https://archive.today/20240307210936/https://www.criticschoice.com/2024/03/07/nominations-announced-for-the-critics-choice-associations-4th-annual-critics-choice-super-awards-honoring-superhero-science-fiction-fantasy-horror-and-action-movies-and-s/|url-status=live}}</ref> |}
=== Animated films/series/shorts === {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes ! class="unsortable" | {{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference(s)}} |- | 2002 | ''Naruto'' | Zabuza Momochi, Hayate Gekkō | Danish dub | |- | 2004 | ''Tiger-brødre'' | Aidan McRory | | |- | rowspan="2"|2006 | ''Arthur and the Invisibles'' | Malthazar | Danish dub | |- | ''The Wild'' | Samson | Danish dub | |- | rowspan="2"|2007 | ''Go West! A Lucky Luke Adventure'' | Lucky Luke | | |- | ''Meet the Robinsons'' | Uncle Art | Danish dub | |- | 2009 | ''Monsters vs. Aliens'' | General O.K. MacMission | | |- | 2010 | ''Huset Anubis'' | Hr. Van Swieten | | |- | 2011 | ''Ronal the Barbarian'' | Volcazar | Danish dub | |- | 2014 | ''The Dam Keeper'' | The Narrator | Short | <ref>{{cite web |last=Amidi |first=Amid |author-link=Amid Amidi |date=4 February 2014 |title=Watch a Clip from "The Dam Keeper" by Pixar's Dice Tsutsumi and Robert Kondo |url=http://www.cartoonbrew.com/shorts/watch-a-clip-from-the-dam-keeper-by-pixars-dice-tsutsumi-and-robert-kondo-95717.html |website=Cartoon Brew |access-date=27 January 2015 |archive-date=26 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526000403/https://www.cartoonbrew.com/shorts/watch-a-clip-from-the-dam-keeper-by-pixars-dice-tsutsumi-and-robert-kondo-95717.html |url-status=live}}</ref> |- | 2016–2018 | ''Star Wars Rebels'' | rowspan="2"| Grand Admiral Thrawn | 17 episodes | <ref name="Ahsoka" /> |- | 2024 | ''Star Wars: Tales of the Empire'' | Episode: "The Path of Anger" | <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/video/star-wars-tales-of-the-empire-trailer-disney-unveils-trailer-david-filonis-animated-follow-up-tales-of-the-jedi/|title='Star Wars: Tales Of The Empire' Trailer: Disney+ Unveils Dave Filoni's Animated Follow-Up To 'Star Wars: Tales Of The Jedi'|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Valerie|last=Complex|date=4 April 2024|access-date=12 April 2024|archive-date=12 April 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240412141454/https://deadline.com/video/star-wars-tales-of-the-empire-trailer-disney-unveils-trailer-david-filonis-animated-follow-up-tales-of-the-jedi/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.starwars.com/news/tales-of-the-empire-trailer|title=Star Wars: Tales of the Empire Trailer Revealed|website=Star Wars|author=StarWars.com Team|date=4 April 2024|access-date=12 April 2024|archive-date=12 April 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240412141441/https://www.starwars.com/news/tales-of-the-empire-trailer|url-status=live}}</ref> |}
==References== {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb name|0586565}}
{{International Emmy for Best Performance by an Actor}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mikkelsen, Lars}} Category:Living people Category:1964 births Category:20th-century Danish male actors Category:21st-century Danish male actors Category:Danish male television actors Category:Danish male voice actors Category:Danish male film actors Category:University of Copenhagen alumni Category:People from Gladsaxe Municipality Category:Danish Lutherans Category:International Emmy Award for Best Actor winners