Ólafur Darri Ólafsson Explained

Ólafur Darri Ólafsson
Birth Date:3 March 1973
Birth Place:Connecticut, U.S.
Known For:Children
Fangavaktin
Trapped
The Minister
Partner:Lovísa Ósk Gunnarsdóttir
Children:2
Years Active:1998–present

Ólafur Darri Ólafsson (born 3 March 1973)[1] is an Icelandic-American actor, producer, and screenwriter. He is known for Fangavaktin, Children, Trapped and The Deep. On the international stage, he is known for his appearances in Lady Dynamite, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, and .

Early life

Ólafur was born to Icelandic parents in Connecticut, United States, where his father studied medicine. His family returned to Iceland when he was around four years old.[2] [3] [4]

Career

Ólafur graduated from the Icelandic Drama School in 1998. Afterward, he became involved in numerous productions with the National Theatre of Iceland and Reykjavík City Theatre, also working with various independent theatre groups. He is one of the founders of Vesturport Theatre in Reykjavík.[5]

Ólafur is best known internationally for his role as Andri, the chief of police in the small town of Seyðisfjörður in the east of Iceland, in the series Trapped. Baltasar Kormákur, who devised the series, has said that the actor was chosen because he was not a typical leading man. In the UK, the Guardian TV critic called his performance "as remarkable as the landscape". Ólafur himself has said that he based the character on his own father.[3]

In June 2016, Ólafur lip synced in the music video for Winter Sound by the Icelandic band Of Monsters and Men.[6]

In 2019, the actor was cast in AMC's series adaptation of Joe Hill's NOS4A2 as Bing Partridge.[7]

He is also an Icelandic dubber and has provided the voices of various characters in animated films, such as Ice Age, Lilo & Stitch, Brother Bear, and Kung Fu Panda, among others. [8]

Personal life

Ólafur is in a relationship with Icelandic dancer Lovísa Ósk Gunnarsdóttir. They have two daughters, born in 2010 and 2014.[9]

Due to being born in the United States, he holds an American citizenship as well as an Icelandic one.[2]

Selected filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2000FíaskóGulli
101 ReykjavíkMarri
2002True Love (Once Removed)WaitressShort
2005Beowulf & GrendelUnferth
2006Thicker than WaterBörkur
ChildrenMarinó
2007ParentsMarinó
2008White Night WeddingSjonni
Country WeddingEgill
Reykjavík-RotterdamElvar
2010UndercurrentSævar
2011StormlandBöddi – Böðvar Steingrímsson
2012ContrabandOlaf
The DeepGulli[10]
2013The Secret Life of Walter MittyHelicopter pilot
2014A Walk Among the TombstonesJonas Loogan
2015The Last Witch HunterBelial[11]
2016Zoolander 2Hasidic man
The BFGthe Maidmasher
The White KingPickaxe
2018The Spy Who Dumped MeFinnish backpacker
The MegThe Wall
Let Me FallViðskiptavinur
The VanishingBoor
Skender
2019Ragnar the RockVoice role
Murder MysterySergei
End of SentenceOfficer Stone
2020Neils Brongus
2023Operation NapoleonEinar

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2006The EagleComputer thief1 episode
20091066 The Battle for Middle EarthGyrd1 episode
FangavaktinLoðfíllinn7 episodes
2014BansheeJonah Lambrecht2 episodes
True DetectiveDewall1 episode
Banshee OriginsJonah Lambrecht1 episode
2015–21TrappedAndri Ólafsson21 episodes
2016The MissingStefan Andersen4 episodes
QuarryCredence Mason4 episodes
2016–17Lady DynamiteScott Marvel Cassidy13 episodes
2017Emerald CityOjo[12] 7 episodes
2018Hilda13 episodes
2019The WidowAriel Helgason8 episodes
New AmsterdamBurl1 episode
NOS4A2Bing Partridge20 episodes
The Archer (voice)6 episodes
2020CursedRugen the Leper King1 episode
The MinisterBenedikt Ríkharðsson8 episodes
2021VegferðÓlafur Darri6 episodes
2022The Amazing Race 34Himself1 episode
2022–24The TouristBilly Nixon6 episodes
2023Boat StoryNarrator6 episodes
TBASeveranceSeason 2

Video games

Notes
2017For HonorHighlanderVoice role
2023The Last WorkerKurt[13] Voice role

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominated workResult
2006Edda AwardsScreenplay of the Year (with Gísli Örn Garðarsson, Nína Dögg Filippusdóttir & Ragnar Bragason)Children
Actor of the YearChildren
2007Edda AwardsBest Film (with Nanna Kristín Magnúsdóttir, Ingvar Sigurdsson, Víkingur Kristjánsson, Gísli Örn Garðarsson, Nína Dögg Filippusdóttir & Ragnar Bragason)Parents
Nordic Council Film PrizeChildren
2010Edda AwardsSupporting Actor of the YearThe Prison Shift
2011Edda AwardsActor of the YearStormland
Screenplay of the Year (with Ottó Geir Borg, Víkingur Kristjánsson, Víkingur Kristjánsson, Ólafur Egilsson, Gísli Örn Garðarsson, Nína Dögg Filippusdóttir, Ingvar Sigurdsson, Nanna Kristín Magnúsdóttir & Árni Ólafur Ásgeirsson)Undercurrent
2013Edda AwardsActor of the YearThe Deep
Karlovy Vary International Film FestivalBest Actor AwardXL
2014Edda AwardsActor of the YearXL
2021Edda AwardsActor of the YearThe Minister

Notes and References

  1. News: Friðrika Benónýsdóttir . Mömmustrákur með hjarta úr gulli . 24 April 2023 . Fréttatíminn . 18 December 2015 . 14 . Tímarit.is.
  2. News: Indíana Ása Hreinsdóttir . Ólafur Darri fílar ekki frægðina . 10 September 2020 . . 28 September 2012 . 34–35 . is.
  3. News: He's huge, he's hairy – and he's the hottest man in Iceland . Tom . Seymour . . London, UK . 24 February 2016 . 21 October 2018.
  4. News: Gunnar Leó Pálsson . Súrrealískt að vinna með Ben Stiller . 10 September 2020 . . 16 December 2013 . is.
  5. Web site: Ólafur Darri Ólafsson . Vesturport.com . 20 September 2010 . 21 October 2018.
  6. Web site: OfMonstersAndMenVEVO . Of Monsters And Men - Winter Sound (Lyric Video) . . 10 June 2016 . 21 October 2018.
  7. News: Petski . Denise . 'NOS4A2': Olafur Darri Olafsson, Virginia Kull & Ebon Moss-Bachrach Cast In AMC Horror Drama . . 27 June 2018 . 31 October 2018.
  8. Web site: Olafur Darri Olafsson BTVA.
  9. News: Ólafur Darri og Lovísa eignuðust dóttur . Ólafur Darri and Lovísa welcome a daughter . Jónasdóttir . Marta María . 7 August 2014 . . Reykjavík . 21 October 2018 . is.
  10. Web site: APA Signs 'The Deep' Star Olafur Darri Olafsson . Mike . Fleming . Deadline . 27 September 2012 . 21 October 2018.
  11. Web site: 'Last Witch Hunter' Adds 'True Detective' Actor Olafur Darri Olafsson . Gallagher . Brian . 6 August 2014 . MovieWeb . 21 October 2018.
  12. Web site: Emerald City (2016) Full Cast & Crew . . 21 October 2018.
  13. Web site: Romano . Sal . The Last Worker launches March 30 . Gematsu . 2 March 2023 . 2 March 2023.