Mads Mikkelsen
From small-time dealer in Pusher to icy Bond villain in the forthcoming Casino Royale, Mads Mikkelsen discusses gangsters, gladiators and a history of (screen) violence
words by Chris Sullivan
photography by Wire Image
It will come as no surprise to many that Mads Mikkelsen is about to take the world by storm as Le Chiffre in Casino Royale, which is released this month. The role, originally played by Orson Welles in the messy 1967 adaptation of Ian Fleming’s novel, requires a particular brand of menace that Mikkelsen is more than capable of delivering.
Mikkelsen first came to the public’s attention in 1996 in Nicholas Winding Refn’s breathtaking thriller Pusher, which was set in the bowels of the Copenhagen underworld and detailed seven days in the life of a drug dealer. As Tonny, a low-level criminal who can’t seem to do anything right, Mikkelsen brought a degree of authenticity to the role that was nothing less than spectacular. “I grew up in the area where the film was shot – the roughest part of Copenhagen,” says the youthful-looking 40-year-old sitting in London’s Dorchester Hotel. “I wasn’t one of those guys myself but I knew so many of them.” After Pusher, Mikkelsen cemented his reputation as one of Scandinavia’s finest actors with performances in Flickering Lights (2000), Shake It All About (2001) and the Emmy Award-winning police series Unit 1 (2000). In 2002 he proved his mettle even further, acting opposite Gérard Depardieu in I Am Dina.
In 2004 Mikkelsen tackled diverse roles in two very different productions. The first, King Arthur (2004), which starred Clive Owen, Keira Knightley and Ray Winston, saw Mikkelsen on top form as Tristan. “That was a massive film,” says Mikkelsen. “And we had a great, great time. I was just sitting on a horse doing all the things you dream of as a kid – shooting my bow and having fun.” For the second Pusher film, With Blood On My Hands: Pusher 2, Mikkelsen reprised the role of monumental loser Tonny, who has left prison in debt and in need of help. “That was such a great part,” says Mikkelsen. “Tonny is completely useless – he tries to help everyone but everything goes so wrong. The film might be set in the world of the gangster, but it’s more a study of a man who lives in a world where everything is heightened and exaggerated. It could be anywhere.” Mercilessly stripping away the patina of gangster glamour and exposing a world where the vicious rule, base stupidity thrives and the women are as revolting as the men, the low-budget film featured a cast of predominantly non-professional actors – many of whom were actual criminals – but it is Mikkelsen who shines.
Mikkelsen came to acting late in life. He began as a gymnast and was approached by a theatre director to appear in a show and do “all the tricks”. Obviously adept, he caught the attention of the other dancers who showed him the moves, and for the next nine years he earned a living as a professional dancer. “Then I got bored,” he says. “So I went to drama school and while I was there I did Pusher and here I am now playing a bad guy in a James Bond movie.”
In London to promote Casino Royale, Daniel Craig’s first outing as Bond, the remarkably affable Mikkelsen is taking everything that surrounds one of the world’s most successful film franchises in his stride. “I just do the role as best I can, no matter how big the budget or the production. It’s all the same to me and my job is to make what’s on the page come alive.”
So what’s next? “I’m doing a Viking movie called Valhalla Rising with Nicholas Winding Refn,” he says proudly. “I play a Viking slave who’s like a gladiator. Once a month he fights those sent to kill him as entertainment for the Vikings, but all the time he’s chained to a pole. The film will be a mixture of Pusher and Sergio Leone, but set in the 10th century. Of course, I escape and we all end up in America, which is historically correct. There was always an idea that the Vikings settled in America 500 years before Columbus and now there’s proof. Scandinavians have always been great travellers.”
when Mads packs his bags…
Where do you like to go on holiday in Europe?
I love Portugal, especially Lisbon. The people are so friendly and warm. Even though they couldn’t speak a word of English – never mind Danish – we got on. I love Rome and have also spent a lot of time around Milan. Everything in Italy is great.
What wouldn’t you get on a plane without?
I’d like to say my kids, but if that’s too obvious then something that will keep them amused, such as toys or books.
Have you filmed in any Sterling destinations?
I shot the film Torremolinos 73 in Madrid, 
which I loved. It’s a wild, crazy city that really doesn’t sleep – well, only in the afternoon. I‘ve also just finished Casino Royale in London.
Have you ever visited or wanted to visit a place because a favourite movie of yours was filmed there?
There are so many. I want to go to Vietnam and South America and stay in the rainforests, or cross the USA by car. We only ever see US cities, but I’m entranced by the great, big landscapes of films such as John Ford’s The Searchers. I’d love to cross a few months off the calendar and do that.
Which film festivals in Europe do you rate?
San Sebastian (www.sansebastianfestival.com), because it is all about the films and the people are so laid back and relaxed. Cannes is all about big business.
Where would Le Chiffre go on holiday to unwind?
Le Chiffre wouldn’t go on holiday. He’d stay in and think of all the evil he might get up to – he’s like a vampire and he doesn’t like the sun, but he does have a nice yacht that he sails around to keep his girlfriend happy.
What has been your best travel experience?
My first time in New York. I was 20 and I stayed there for three months. It was everything I’d seen, imagined and dreamed of.
And your worst?
An Inter Rail trip around Europe when I was 19 with my best friend. He was really ill for two weeks and then got sunburnt and blistered. Then I became sick just after him. Finally, we lost all our money in a casino and went home.
If you could choose anywhere in Europe to have dinner, where would it be and who with?
It would be with my family in Portugal, maybe Lisbon, sitting by the sea eating fresh, barbecued sardines.
What are your top holiday reads?
Michael Collins’ clever crime novels really grab me. I could pick any of them – Castrato, Act of Fear, Minnesota Strip. I’ve read all 20 of them and now I have to find something else.
What’s on your iPod?
I’m not a technical person so I don’t have one, but if I did it would be Otis Redding, Sam Cooke or Al Green. I love that stuff.
The Pusher Trilogy DVD Box Set by Momentum Pictures is out now, priced €29.99 (£19.99). Casino Royale is released 14 November
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