Stellan Skarsgård on his love of morally ambiguous characters and why acting is a 'frightful job'

Star Wars is a classic story of good versus evil: there's no doubt that Luke Skywalker is the hero and Darth Vader is the villain. But in an interview with Q's Tom Power, actor Stellan Skarsgård says Andor, the latest series in the Star Wars franchise, is a more nuanced story about intergalactic war — one with imperfect heroes and difficult sacrifices. 

His character, Luthen Rael, is a charming but ruthless rebel leader who fronts as an antiques dealer. It's the kind of morally ambiguous role that many actors would be delighted to take on.

"People don't know if he's a good guy or a bad guy, which I really like, because none of us are really good guys or bad guys," Skarsgård says. "He does really terrible things, but so does any general. He sacrifices people for a cause — and so does every military. But is it the right cause? You don't know. And often you don't know until much later if it was the right cause. So this ambiguity, the grey zones, I'm very interested in."

Last week, the second and final season of Andor premiered on Disney+. While some critics can be skeptical about the emotional payoff of a blockbuster franchise show, Skarsgård says it's important to always remain engaged as an actor — especially when you're not saying anything at all.

"If they cut away when you don't talk, you're f--ked," Skarsgård says frankly. "Half of the acting is between the lines — reacting. And the lines might just be dropped like a turd, poof! Like that. And then comes the reaction that says what the line was intended as."

If they cut away when you don't talk, you're f--ked.- Stellan Skarsgård

Skarsgård's decades-long career has included roles in intense films like Lars von Trier's Breaking the Waves and Nymphomaniac, as well as lighter fare such as Mamma Mia! and Good Will Hunting. But it doesn't matter how many years he's worked; some things about his job he'll never get used to, like putting on the massive flesh suit and prosthetics to play Baron Harkonnen in Denis Villeneuve's Dune series. 

"Acting is the most frightful thing — the most frightful job you can imagine," Skarsgård says. "You have to be on the edge all the time. You can't play safe.… If you get scared, you block yourself. I mean, you can't produce anything of value, you can't produce life, and it has to be alive, you know? You have to be relaxed to let life flow out of you. But you can't do that if you're afraid. Your worst enemy is yourself in a way. It is the fear. And you have to conquer the fear over and over again throughout the years."

The full interview with Stellan Skarsgård is available on our YouTube channel and on our podcast, Q with Tom Power. He also talks about his time working with Robin Williams on Good Will Hunting. Listen and follow wherever you get your podcasts.

Interview with Stellan Skarsgård produced by Liv Pasquarelli.