Rolf Lassgard & his dubbing voice Douglas Welbat

Rolf Holger Lassgård grew up in a rather rural environment. He has three children with his partner Birgitta, whom he met in the early 1980s. In interviews, he describes himself as down-to-earth, calm and rather reserved. Despite his great popularity, he attaches great importance to protecting his private life and avoids the limelight as much as possible outside of his appearances in front of the camera or on stage.

 

Lassgård's interest in acting became apparent at an early age. As a teenager, he performed in amateur theatre groups, where he discovered his passion for the performing arts. In 1975, he finally began his training at the renowned drama school in Malmö, which he successfully completed in 1978. Immediately afterwards, he was engaged by the Skånska Teatern in Landskrona, where he appeared in numerous classical and modern plays. Roles in works by Shakespeare and Brecht strengthened his technical foundation and quickly made him well known in the Swedish theatre scene.

While the 1980s were mainly dominated by theatre, Lassgård's work shifted increasingly to film and television in the 1990s. He gained widespread popularity through his portrayal of Inspector Kurt Wallander in the film adaptations of Henning Mankell's novels. This role made him famous far beyond Sweden's borders, especially in German-speaking countries.

He also continued his film career and gave convincing performances in numerous major productions. These include the thriller ‘The Hunters’ (“Jägarna”, 1996), the drama ‘Under the Sun’ (‘Under solen’, 1998), the internationally acclaimed ‘After the Wedding’ (2006) and the highly praised film drama ‘Storm’ (2009). Another highlight of his career was the role of the grumpy but warm-hearted protagonist in ‘A Man Called Ove’ (2015), which brought him worldwide recognition.

 

He also remained active in television productions, where he demonstrated his enormous range. Whether as psychologist Sebastian Bergman, in Scandinavian drama series such as Blackwater, or in humorous formats, Lassgård repeatedly proved his versatility and is now considered one of Scandinavia's most versatile actors.

7 awards & 12 nominations

 

Rolf Lassgård has received numerous honours for his achievements. Particularly noteworthy are his Guldbagge Awards – Sweden's most prestigious film awards. He received the award for ‘Min store tjocke far’ (1992) and for his exceptional performance in ‘A Man Called Ove’ (2016), among others. He has also gained international recognition, including the award for Best Actor at the Seattle International Film Festival and nominations at the European Film Awards. In addition, he was awarded the Swedish Royal Medal ‘Litteris et Artibus’ in 2017, a special honour for services to art and culture. An honorary award from Swedish cinema operators further recognised his contribution to the national film landscape.

We have listed some of his best and most famous films and series here:

 

2025: Petra Goes Swimming

2021: A Big Promise

Since 2018: Hunters – Deadly Greed (television series, 12 episodes)

2017: Downsizing

2015: A Man Called Ove 

2011–2015: Dag (television series, 26 episodes)

2011: The Night of the Hunters 

2010: Sebastian Bergman (television series)

2010: Bella Block: The Black Room (television series)

2009: Ella's Secret

2009: Storm

2007: Those You Love

2006: After the Wedding

1998: Happiness Comes Tomorrow

1996: The Hunters

1983: Limpan