‘I Never Want To Play Something This Evil Again’: Ahead Of Nosferatu, Bill Skarsgård Gets Real About The ‘Hardest’ Parts Of Developing His Vampire Character

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As a cinema devotee with a penchant for horror and a deep appreciation for acting prowess, I must express my unbridled anticipation for Bill Skarsgård‘s performance in Nosferatu. Having witnessed his chilling portrayal of Pennywise, I can only imagine the spine-tingling terror he will unleash as Count Orlok.

Bill Skarsgård, who previously brought one of modern horror’s most terrifying villains to life as Pennywise in “It”, looks set to surpass his own chilling performance in the upcoming adaptation of “Nosferatu”. This fresh take on the timeless monster tale is slated to be one of the last significant films debuting in the 2024 film schedule. With Skarsgård himself stating that he never wishes to prepare for or portray anything as frightening again, it’s clear that this portrayal will leave a lasting, haunting impression.

The former student of the Barbarian school, who portrays Count Orlok in the movie, has garnered praise in critiques for Nosferatu. Nevertheless, taking on and enacting this role wasn’t straightforward, as Skarsgård detailed during an interview with Empire. Discussing his preparations for this character, the actor from It divulged the extent of his vocal training, describing it as particularly challenging, stating:

I put in tremendous effort perfecting my voice for the project, dedicating nearly a month and a half prior to filming solely to practicing. During the shoot, I continued with vocal exercises that resembled Mongolian throat singing, which was quite intense.

Listening to details about the extensive work put into his specialized vocal training, recording sessions, and reviews feels quite solitary in nature. Yet, Skarsgård’s commitment appears to be a promising investment. Still, it’s understandable that he may wish to venture away from such dark roles – he has dedicated an impressive amount of time and energy to this genre.

The former student at Crow University further discussed his experience in developing the menacing persona and eerie ambiance of Orlok, along with applying the prosthetics, which proved challenging for him. Now, he has expressed that he’s stepping away from portraying villainous characters, stating:

After completing it, I found myself expressing, “I have no desire to engage with something so malevolent ever again. Wearing prosthetics feels like a distant memory I wish to leave behind.” The role of Orlok as an occult sorcerer left quite an impact on me, making it challenging to embody that world.

Once more, the extensive exploration he undertook here is truly remarkable, and it’s no wonder that it had such a profound impact on the budding thespian.

Frankly, it’s surprising to learn how deeply influenced he seems to be by the movie “Nosferatu,” given that the actor from “Boy Kills World” is well-versed in the horror genre. In fact, he has mentioned that playing Orlok was scarier than portraying Pennywise, which, let me tell you, makes me shiver at the prospect of what we might encounter on Christmas day.

Overall, I am both apprehensive and thrilled to watch Nosferatu and Skarsgård’s portrayal in this chilling and unsettling movie. Given that a horror legend like him was moved by it, I have no doubt that I will be pleasantly scared.

For Skarsgård’s future ventures, let’s hope he encounters more light-hearted roles to explore. Additionally, I wish he gets an opportunity to portray simpler characters that demand less complex preparation and minimal use of makeup or prosthetics.

Nosferatu will be playing in theaters on December 25.

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2024-12-18 00:07