Þröstur Leó Gunnarsson Explained

Þröstur Leó Gunnarsson (English transliteration: Thröstur Leó Gunnarsson; born 23 April 1961 in Reykjavík), is an Icelandic stage, film and television actor.[1]

Early life

Þröstur Leó Gunnarsson graduated from the Icelandic School of Drama in 1985. He then began his career onstage at the Leikfélag Reykjavíkur, Reykjavik's premier theatre company, where he appeared in productions as: John Steinbeck's' The Grapes of Wrath, William Shakespeare's Hamlet, Molière's Tartuffe, Anton Chekhov's Platonov and Birgir Sigurðsson's Icelandic: [[Degi vonar]].[2]

Stage and film career

Þröstur's first film role came in the 1986 Hilmar Oddsson-directed drama Eins og skepnan deyr (English release title: The Beast). He then followed in a number of films and television movies. He is possibly best recalled internationally for his roles in Baltasar Kormákur's 2000 romantic comedy 101 Reykjavík, opposite Spanish actress Victoria Abril, Kormákur's 2002 drama Hafið (English release title: The Sea), 2002's United States/Icelandic coproduction of No Such Thing, a bilingual fantasy starring Sarah Polley, Helen Mirren and Julie Christie, and Dagur Kári's 2003 drama Nói albínói (Nói the Albino). For his role in Nói albínói, Þröstur won Best Supporting Actor at the 5th Edda Awards.

In 2008, Þröstur won Iceland's Edda Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the Baltasar Kormákur directed drama Brúðguminn.[3]

In May 2009, Þröstur began directing the play Við Borgum, Við Ekki! Borgum Ekki! (English title: We Can't Pay! Won't Pay!), a comedy centering on the 2008–2012 Icelandic financial crisis at the Borgarleikhúsið Reykjavik City Theatre.[4]

In November 2009, he was the beneficiary of the Mrs. Stefania Guðmundsdóttir Memorial Fund (Icelandic: Minningarsjóður frú Stefaníu Guðmundsdóttur), a fund established in 1938 to promote Icelandic drama and theatre.[5] [6]

Personal life

On 7 July 2015, a fishing vessel he was working on, Jón Hákon BA 60, capsized and sank close to Aðalvík. Þröstur and two of the crew were rescued an hour later, while another crewmember died in the accident.[7] [8]

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResult
2003Edda AwardsBest Supporting ActorNói Albinói
2009Edda AwardsBest ActorWhite Night Wedding
2023BIF&STBest ActorDriving Mum[9]

Filmography

Notes and References

  1. News: Júlía Margrét Alexandersdóttir . Mamma rak mig áfram . 2 April 2023 . . 13 June 2009 . 24 . Icelandic.
  2. http://stefaniusjodur.is/index.php?m=&id=M_2009C Minningarsjóður frú Stefaníu Guðmundsdóttur
  3. http://www.kvikmyndamidstod.is/islenskar-kvikmyndir/edduverdlaunin/handhafar-eddu/2008/ Kvikmyndamiðstöð Íslands / Icelandic Film Centre: Handhafar Edduverđlauna 2008
  4. http://www.borgarleikhus.is/english/repertoire-09-10/ Borgarleikhús / Reykjavik city Theatre
  5. http://stefaniusjodur.is/ Minningarsjóður frú Stefaníu Guðmundsdóttur
  6. http://www.dv.is/frettir/2009/11/16/fengu-vidurkenningar-ur-minngarsjodi-fru-stefaniu/ DV: Fengu viðurkenningar úr Minningarsjóði frú Stefaníu 16 November 2009.
  7. News: Birna Dröfn Jónasdóttir . Hafði á tilfinningunni að eitthvað kæmi fyrir . 20 February 2023 . . 17 February 2023 . Icelandic.
  8. News: Helgi Seljan . Hvers vegna var báturinn ekki tekinn upp . 20 February 2023 . . 30 September 2015 . Icelandic.
  9. News: Árni Sæberg . Þröstur Leó valinn besti leikarinn á kvikmyndahátíðinni í Bari . 2 April 2023 . . 2 April 2023 . Icelandic.