True Detective Dream Casting: Stellan Skarsgård
We’re going to try something different this time. Previously all of our Dream Casting posts have involved potential lead actors, but Stellan Skarsgård’s talents would work much better as a co-star in this case. Skarsgård has slowly been perfecting the strong but tortured male role over the course of his career, and his talents can be seen in 2011’s The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, last year’s Nymphomaniac, and the brilliant Swedish film Insomnia. His performance as a police officer who accidentally kills his partner is a haunting character study, and truly the stuff that True Detective is made from.
More from HBO
- HBO expects House of the Dragon season 2 release in summer 2024
- HBO delays three hit shows to 2025 but one big show is still coming in 2024
- Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty will end its run on HBO
- Winning Time season 2, episode 7 recap: “What Is and What Should Never Be”
- Winning Time season 2, episode 6 recap: “Beat L.A.”
In reality Skarsgård would make for a compelling lead, but as an actor in his early 60’s he may skew a little older than Pizzolatto is looking for — not that we have any idea, of course. The idea of Skarsgård involved with True Detective in a co-starring role is really what gets us going; perhaps guiding a younger officer, or even as a villain.
His experience in the neo-noir genre would go a long way, as would his terrific — and sometimes terrifying — gruff voice.If you’re not familiar with Skarsgård’s work, you are hereby ordered to seek out Insomnia, or at the best least check out The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. You won’t be disappointed.