Joel's Photoshoots and Interviews, 2012-14

[ohva]

Collider: Joel Kinnaman Talks EASY MONEY, Bringing the Movie to the States, Working with Gary Oldman on ROBOCOP and the Season Two Finale of THE KILLING


collider.com/joel-...obocop-interview/179039/

Collider
by Christina Radish Posted:July 10th, 2012 at 10:18 pm

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Easy Money (aka Snabba Cash), from director Daniel Espinosa (Safe House), is a Swedish crime thriller based on the international best-selling novel by Jens Lapidus, now being presented in the U.S. by Martin Scorsese. The story follows JW (Joel Kinnaman), a lower-class business student living a double life with Stockholm’s wealthy elite. To keep up his lifestyle, he finds himself in deep with the dark world of organized crime and in an intensely dramatic struggle for life and death.

For the film’s press day, Collider spoke to actor Joel Kinnaman (The Killing), in both a roundtable and a 1-on-1 interview, about what it’s like to finally have U.S. audiences get to see the 2010 film, his desire to tell stories in the moral grey zone, how he finally ended up landing the role of JW, and what he finds most appealing about acting. He also talked about taking on a film with as much attention as the RoboCop re-imagining, how proud he is to have the opportunity to work with Gary Oldman, how surreal it is that the film already has a viral campaign, that he wants to do as much of his stunts as he can, how he felt about the Season 2 finale of his AMC drama series The Killing, and his hopes for a Season 3. Check out what he had to say after the jump.

Question: What’s it like to have someone like Martin Scorsese behind finally bringing this film to theaters in the U.S.?

JOEL KINNAMAN: It’s very flattering, and it makes us all very proud. I know Daniel Espinosa was very moved by that. If you see our movie, you’ll also feel that we’ve been seeing Mr. Scorsese’s movies growing up, and loving them very much. Of course, he’s been a huge inspiration.

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A lot of gangster films focus very much on morals, and you don’t really know where a lot of the characters’ morals are in Easy Money. Was part of the appeal of this film the fact that it really sits in those grey areas?

KINNAMAN: Yeah. I think life takes place in the grey areas, or at least the interesting parts of life. I like to be a part of the stories that take place there. When it’s a moral grey zone, the audience has to think about what they feel and what they think is right or wrong. You want to affect your audience and make them think.

What was it that initially attracted you to the character of JW?

KINNAMAN: It was a best-selling book in Sweden, and I was in the last year of acting school when I read it. At that point, I had done three movies, one small part and two medium-sized parts, and only one of those movies was successful. I wasn’t a name in Sweden, at all, but I was feeling pretty confident. I read this book, and then I started to say to everybody, “I’m gonna play this character.” The book had just come out and it hadn’t even been adapted, but I was like, “I’m gonna do this. This is gonna be me. I’m just saying, this is gonna be me!”

And then, me and Daniel [Espinosa] had become friends. I got to know him when I auditioned for his first feature. I was up for a part in that movie, but then I had to turn it down because I got into the acting school that I had been trying to get into for a long time. It was a four-year commitment that was very prestigious. It’s actually the second most expensive education in Sweden, for the government, ‘cause all our colleges are free. That’s how it should be here, too. So, when I finished acting school, we started to develop this script together and were trying to get the funding for it. The movies in Sweden are at least 50% financed by the government, so we were trying to get that approval to get that money ‘cause then it’s really easy to get the other part. But, the script wasn’t 100%. And then, Daniel got Snabba Cash, or Easy Money, and he had just seen me do Crime and Punishment on stage, so he said, “This is you, man. You’ve gotta do it! Do you wanna do it?” I was like, “Are you kidding?! Of course, I wanna do it! I got it?” And he was like, “Yeah, you got it!” I’m such a fucking idiot that I went and told everyone I knew.

I was bragging for five months, “I’m gonna do JW! You know who’s gonna play JW? Me! I’m gonna do JW!” I’d started to get more movie parts and was on a roll, but I was not a name. He was really naive when he gave the role to me, and then he realized, “Wow, that’s gonna be a huge battle to just tell the producers of the biggest Swedish movie of that year that this guy is going to do the lead.” So then, he came back to me and was like, “You’re gonna have to audition for it.” It was six months later, and I was like, “What?!” I had told everyone. Now, all of a sudden, I had to audition for this movie that I had already thought I had gotten, and it made me so nervous. I had to audition seven times. It was mine to lose, and it was really traumatic. I was an emotional and psychological wreck, after that. But then, finally, I got it.


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How do you view this guy? Is he a victim of circumstances or his own machinations, or is he just naive?

KINNAMAN: I think he was a lot of those things. My first thoughts around JW were based on the idea that he had a complex nature that is contradictory. He’s a very confident person, but with very low self-esteem. I think that’s an interesting combination. It’s more common than we think. And then, he’s also a chameleon, in many ways. I read it as that he has this void within him. For him, it’s often been enough to seem . It’s not as important to him to be something real. The choices of his life have led him further and further away from who he, himself, is. At this age that he is at out, he has no idea who he is. That leads a person with initially a very good heart to make extremely bad decisions. That was very fun to play. It’s also very fun to play a character that is an actor in his reality. Part of the performance that English speaking audiences won’t pick up on is that I made a big effort to have his dialect change with every person that he meets. When he’s with the upper-class, he talks like they do with their dialect. When he’s with the criminals, his way of speaking and his cadence changes. That was quite difficult. It took a lot of work and research, but it was one of those fun things to do.

JW goes through a lot of physical and emotional ups and downs, throughout the course of the film. Do you enjoy doing that kind of work, or do you prefer one over the other?

KINNAMAN: What I enjoy most with acting is when it’s a good scene with one or two other actors, and you feel a strong connection and you don’t know how you’re going to respond, and everybody is listening to each other and getting affected by each other, and even though you’ve rehearsed it many times, it feels like it’s happening right now. That’s when I get my biggest kick out of acting. In many ways, the biggest kick I can get out of acting is on stage, in a very good play with great actors. That is what I enjoy the absolute most, but it’s so fucking scary, too. It’s so scary to go on stage. I used to throw up before I went on stage, every time. Even though it’s only 200 people in the audience, and a movie like RoboCop is going to be seen by many, many people, I know I’d be much more nervous doing a play than being on set shooting. You’re always trying to look for material that is as challenging as possible, so that’s why I like stuff where the characters go through the most difficult times they’ve ever had in their life. It makes me push myself further and learn more about myself, and to deal with experiences that I’ve had. That’s what’s most appealing to me.


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What do you enjoy about collaborating with director Daniel Espinosa? Was working with him on a big studio film like Safe House the same as when you worked together on Easy Money?

KINNAMAN: Yeah, he’s the same director and I’m the same actor. It was really fun! We were at this music festival in the north of Sweden, just a few days ago, and I had this conversation with him. It’s not so much what’s being said. It’s knowing him, having his energy, and knowing what he likes that brings out something in me. He also knows me very well, so if I have a problem and we don’t really reach where we want to go, then he knows what to say. But, it’s very much what I know that he likes. That puts me in a special place and it brings out the best in me.

How would you describe how you’ve progressed in your acting, and what you learned from Easy Money that you take with you into your current roles now?

KINNAMAN: Well, a big moment for me was when I did a play that was a new adaptation of Dostojevskij’s Crime and Punishment, and I played Raskolnikov. It was actually the first thing I did, when I got out of acting school. In Sweden, and a lot of Europe, there is this old romanticized idea of the wounded artist. In Sweden, a lot of the acting community are afflicted by that idea and gave themselves the right to be alcoholics because they are a wounded artist. I always felt that that idea was just such a stupid thing that I felt came from bad confidence that you can’t access those areas or experiences of your life, or that maybe you hadn’t had those experiences, so you’re trying to create it by yourself.


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So, I’d gone through four years of acting school and was like, “That’s just bullshit!” The people that were in that whole world of being a wounded artist and presenting themselves that way to the world, I always felt that their performances were usually very limited and you could never see the struggle in the person because they were actually trying to be depressed. A depressed person is not trying to be depressed, they’re trying to be better. Somebody who is mentally ill is striving to feel good and be normal, and I could never see that strive in their performances. So, it was up to me to prove my point with Raskolnikov. It’s a character that I read as borderline schizophrenic, who’s starving himself to death, and then he goes through this severe psychosis, while he’s finding true love for the first time. It’s an incredible journey. I really tried to implement this idea, and it really worked. I was really happy with that performance, and people said that they’d never seen more light in that character and not as much depression.

That’s how I think it is. If you raise the high, the low is going to be lower. Usually, when you meet a person, you get an idea of who they are and you place them in a cabinet. It’s not until that person does something that completely contradicts that, that you get the feeling of, “Oh, that’s who you are.” Then, you see the whole span of that personality. That’s something that I try to bring to my performances. You can make an interesting character in a small portion of a movie, for a character that doesn’t have that much on the page, if you just find the contradictions. You have a lot more leeway to be contradictory than most of the scripts have in them. That’s how we all are. We have so many different sides of ourselves and we’re so different, in meeting with different people. The audiences relate more to that and find that more believable.


What can you say about Easy Money 2?

KINNAMAN: Well, it picks up where the first one ends.

How do you feel to be taking on RoboCop next, and what can you say about it?

KINNAMAN: It’s a re-imagining. There are ideas from the first movie that have been remade in the second one, but it’s a completely new take on it. We have a fantastic director, Jose Padilha, who reminds me of Daniel Espinosa, in some ways. He’s a very confident, bold director. He wrote, directed and produced Elite Squad and Elite Squad 2, which he also distributed. They’re the two highest-grossing films in Brazil, which is an audience of 150 million people. You need that kind of a strong force in a director that’s going to do his first movie with a big studio. You need a person that can stand his ground on certain things, and know which battles are worth fighting and where you compromise. If you’ve seen his movies, you know that he’s a very talented actor’s director. The acting is superb in his films, and the action is very, very believable. He also has a history of being a physicist. His knowledge of where robotics and neuroscience is now is a complete understanding of where the cutting edge is. He’s working with the writers on a plausible version of 2041, and that’s going to be very interesting. The core of it will be something of substance, and then you have the fireworks around it.

Since you were cast in RoboCop, Gary Oldman, Samuel L. Jackson and Hugh Laurie have been added to the film. What are you looking forward to, in working with a cast like that?

KINNAMAN: I don’t think I have any scenes with Samuel L. Jackson, but I have a lot of scenes with Gary Oldman. I’ve followed Gary Oldman for a very long time, even before I was interested in acting. But then, after I started making acting my profession, I’ve studied him. I’ve seen Nil by Mouth, the only movie that he wrote and directed, and I know that it’s based on his childhood. I’ve seen that movie five times. I find him incredibly inspiring to watch, so I couldn’t be happier. I’m so proud to get an opportunity to work with him.

Are you going to do your own stunts?

KINNAMAN: I won’t do any stupid things. I won’t jump off buildings. But, I’ll try to do as much as I can.

What’s it like to be a part of a movie where there’s already a viral campaign, even though it doesn’t come out for more than a year?

KINNAMAN: It’s pretty surreal. I saw it online. It’s cool! I realized, quite early, when I did a couple of interviews. You say just a few things about the movie, and it gets such traction. You understand that there’s going to be a lot of attention on it, and you adapt to that. That’s what’s reality.

Was that something you thought about, before signing on to do the film? Were you looking to get that kind of traction, or did you have any hesitation about taking on something so high-profile?

KINNAMAN: I was looking for a high-profile job. I was not eligible for a lot of different parts because I hadn’t done something with this kind of attention around it and that was really frustrating. I met with directors who said, “I’d love for you to play the lead in this movie. You’re the perfect person to play this, but there’s no way I can cast you in this because you don’t have that kind of a name and we need a name for this, so that we can get the financing.” So then, that made me want to get to that position where somebody wouldn’t not pick me because of that reason, at least.

Was the appeal of a character like this figuring out how to bring humanity to the role while wearing the metal suit?

KINNAMAN: Yeah. At first, when I heard about a RoboCop remake, I was like, “Okay, I’ll probably watch that movie, but I don’t think I wanna be in it.” And then, they told me that Jose Padilha was going to direct it and I was like, “Wait, the guy that did Tropa de Elite 1 and 2?” When they said, “Yeah,” I was like, “Oh, okay.” And, he wanted to meet me. I was like, “Oh, shit! Yeah, I’d love to meet him!” And then, when he told me about his take on this, I was like, “Wow, this is something really good and really worth trying to get.” Now, when I’ve been reading the scripts, his vision is really interesting. From an acting perspective, it’s really challenging and difficult stuff that I think can really say something.

Were you happy with the way Season 2 of The Killing wrapped up Rosie Larsen’s murder? Did the finale feel satisfying?

KINNAMAN: Yeah, I really liked the finale. I thought Patty Jenkins did a fantastic job on it. I was very, very happy that she was the one that directed it. It was a very difficult episode to direct. It could have gone wrong. But, I think she did a fantastic job on it. I thought it was satisfying. I thought people really deserved to get closure, after sticking with it for 26 episodes.


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Do you know if there will be a Season 3 of The Killing?

KINNAMAN: No, I haven’t heard a thing.

Are you hoping for a Season 3, or do you feel like you have closure, if it doesn’t happen?

KINNAMAN: I won’t be devastated, but I’m really looking forward to playing another season. I really like Holder, and I’d love to continue his and Linden’s (Mireille Enos) journey together.

How much of the flavor of Holder was on the page when you were cast, and how much came from how you envisioned the character?

KINNAMAN: There were small indications in the pilot script that I went with. There was this line that he said when she asked him, “How was it in Narco?,” and he said, “You know, Brahim shooting Rakim, blah blah blah.” That line was what took me in that direction with him and gave him an urban flavor. That’s where his wiggerisms came from.

Easy Money opens this week in limited release.

[ohva]

Joel Kinnaman Talks 'Easy Money,' His Marty Scorsese-Style Relationship With Daniel Espinosa & The Future Of The 'Dragon Tattoo' Films

blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/joel-kinnaman-talks-easy-money-his-marty-scorsese-style-relationship-with-daniel-espinosa-the-future-of-the-dragon-tattoo-films-20120711?page=1

Indiewire
by Jen Vineyard | July 11, 2012 11:01 AM

News .by Jen Vineyard | July 11, 2012 11:01 AM


"You guys are behind!" Joel Kinnaman teases.

From his vantage point, we are. While the first of the "Snabba Cash" films (called "Easy Money" in English-speaking markets) comes out this week in the U.S., Sweden has already celebrated the first installment, giving the film three Guldbagges (the country's equivalent of an Oscar), including a win for Kinnaman for Best Actor, and moved on to the second, "Snabba Cash II," which comes out August 17th abroad.

But from a business standpoint, the U.S. is already caught up, considering that a little feat that the crime drama pulled at the Swedish box office which caught the eye of more than a few Hollywood producers: it took away the number one slot from "Avatar" for two weeks in January, 2010. Market screenings the next month at the Berlin Film Festival increased the heat, and by the Toronto International Film Festival, the U.S. distribution rights were sold to the Weinsteins, a remake was in the works with Warner Bros. and "The Dark Knight" producer Charles Roven (with Zac Efron as the lead), and director Daniel Espinosa was well on his way to making deals for English-language films, eventually scoring "Safe House." Kinnaman, however, had already moved back to the U.S. in anticipation of the attention (he's Swedish-American and grew up bilingual) and landed the male lead in the AMC series "The Killing." "Snabba Cash" becoming a sensation made him an even hotter property. (To learn why, read our review here.)

"The film is so important to me," Kinnaman told the Playlist. "When we did the first one, we were a group of friends who hung out a lot and we came together to do a film. And now we're best friends with some of the new people who came aboard. We're very much our own community, and it was a big help for my career over here and for Daniel. It's a movie we love very much."

Espinosa elected not to direct "Snabba Cash II'; Babak Najafi (who won Best Debut film at Berlin for "Sebbe" in 2010 as well) takes the helm for the second installment, and Jens Assur for the third. (Espinosa stayed on as an executive producer.) Where "Snabba Cash" was adapted directly from Jen Lapidus' novel, the second movie is not from the second book of the Stockholm Noir trilogy, but an original story, taking place three years after the events of the first film. Kinnaman's character JW is serving a four-year prison sentence, but when Mrado Slovovic (played by Dragomir Mrsic) comes back into his life and is none too pleased that JW put him in a wheelchair, he needs to find a way out. Luckily for JW, the Swedish penal system has an unsupervised leave program.

"We have this thing where if you're in jail and you're well-behaved, you get to come out for the weekend and start to get acclimated back into society," Kinnaman said. "But the problem is, things do not go smoothly for JW, who still has all these business plans. And the fact that he's been in prison is a huge embarrassment to the people he wants to impress."

Kinnaman, who previously prepped by studying the dialects and body language of different communities and social classes so that JW could change depending on with whom he's dealing, went deeper this time around by visiting a medium-security prison north of Stockholm. His co-star Mrsic, however, didn't need to. Twenty years ago, Mrsic served three-and-a-half years for conspiring to commit aggravated robbery in an infamous Swedish bank heist when he was 21.

Meanwhile, Jorge Salinas (played by Matias Padin Varela) returns to from exile in South America to Stockholm to make another coke deal, but his plans go wrong and he's on the run once again. Mahmoud (played by Fares Fares) -- who also featured in "Safe House") has a new job with the Yugoslavian mafia, but gets in trouble when two prostitutes escape and he has to repay what they were worth to mafia boss Radovan. His price? Find and kill Jorge. This all happens that very same weekend JW is out on leave.

Though the second film departs from the books, the third returns to the plot of the Lapidus novel "Livet Deluxe," although it's not determined yet when production will take place, Kinnaman said. "It all feels like a family reunion to me," he said. "So I hope to know soon."

Kinnaman also hopes to resume his role as Christer Malm in the Millennium trilogy, after his oh-so-brief appearance in David Fincher's "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," in which he just established his character's presence at the magazine. But the actor has yet to hear if and when they will start production on the sequels "The Girl Who Played With Fire" and "The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest." "I've got all these trilogies," Kinnaman laughed, "but 'Easy Money' is the only one that's really mine. I'm just a guest in 'Tattoo,' so I'm not really a part of that in the same way."

In the meantime, even though Espinosa will not be at the helm for any more of the "Easy Money" films, Kinnaman, who reteamed with the director for "Safe House," has plans to work with Espinosa again, calling him "one of my best friends" and "my Marty [Scorsese]" -- and the famed director has attached his name to the project and is presenting the film to U.S. audiences. "There actually aren't many directors, if any, who I would rather work with than Daniel," the actor said. "He's a great leader, a great friend, an inspiring person, and he has a couple of masterpieces in him." Kinnaman said the two have "some other ideas" in development, but nothing that he can talk about yet. "Hopefully soon," he promised. "It's a bit in the future, but I wouldn't be surprised if our next movie is an American movie."

[ohva]

Exclusive: Joel Kinnaman Says 'Robocop' Will Be Serious & Gritty But Also Contain A Satirical Edge

blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/joel-kinnaman-talks-his-robocop-training-regime-and-his-thoughts-on-how-to-improve-the-killing-20120712

by Jen Vineyard | July 12, 2012

Joel Kinnaman can shoot you from 135 yards now -- and possibly more on a good day. Not that he would use his newfound skills for that purpose, but the actor has been training with handguns for the "RoboCop" reboot, which requires a lot more action skills and gunplay than his role as a Seattle cop on "The Killing" ever did. "We can put some action hero shit in there for Holder now!" he laughed with glee about his new abilities.

Kinnaman told The Playlist while doing the press rounds for the American release of "Easy Money" that he's been taking lessons with "Uncle Scotty" Reitz, the lead firearms and tactics instructor at International Tactical. "Uncle Scotty spent 30 years in the LAPD, and was in the Metro Division and SWAT," Kinnaman enthused. "He's written books on gunfighting," including "The Art of Modern Gunfighting," "so he's the leading expert. I'm in the right hands. I'm learning a bunch of cool stuff, and I would have been happy to save up money to pay for this."

Kinnaman's been learning to hit torso-sized paper and steel targets, and is very proud that the other day, "I actually hit a 190-yard shot on film." The actor is about to phase into higher level physical conditioning, tactical, and Navy SEAL-type training, because "I would like to be able to do as many of my own stunts where I can," he said. "Alex Murphy has one level of skill, but RoboCop handles situations differently, so I need to do both."

Prior to training these few weeks, Kinnaman thought he would have to bulk up as well, but that turned out not to be the case. "I can't gain that much weight, because they already took measurements for the suit," he revealed. "It would be very snug if I gained too much. I mean, I gained a bit because I'm getting strong and working on balance, and doing boxing and martial arts, but it's more about finding a center where I can be in control of my body and open up my movement. So I need to be in very good shape for that."

Although his concentration right now is on the physical side of the action film, Kinnaman said this "RoboCop" -- which will also feature Hugh Laurie, Gary Oldman, Samuel L. Jackson, and Abbie Cornish -- will be "intelligent and substantial."

"[Director] José [Padilha] is an actor's director," Kinnaman said. "When I met with him, I was already a big fan of his because of 'Elite Squad,' but I wasn't one hundred percent sure what the remake would be like. It could go any number of ways. But when I heard his version, his take, I knew it would be realistic. It would be grounded. If you look at his movies, they're serious and gritty, so it will have that quality, but it won't be deadly serious. It will have a satirical quality, and it will have throwbacks to the original. It's going to have that wink in the eye, but we're not looking to replicate the Verhoeven tone."

The first taste of that, he said, can be seen in the viral video recently released, an OmniCorp advertisement for the ED-209. "I thought that was great," Kinnaman said. "It was right on." But whether this means we can expect a long-lead viral campaign for "RoboCop" a la "Prometheus," the actor was unsure. "That video of the Fassbender robot was really cool. For us, so far everything looks really amazing, as far as the art direction is concerned, but right now, we're more focused on starting to shoot."

Kinnaman starts shooting "RoboCop" in September, but so far, he doesn't know when he's due back to work for "The Killing." The cast have yet to be notified by AMC if they'll get a third season, he said, but he's not worried: "They took their time before telling us if we'd get a season two." In the meantime, he has a few suggestions on how to spice up the show and soothe fans who were ruffled by the two-season wait to find out who killed Rosie Larsen.

"The attention span of the American audience did not tolerate a two-season mystery, so I think we should tell everyone that the next mystery will play out in one season, but actually take three more seasons to tell it," he laughed. "No, no, on second thought, we shouldn't do a fake out. But seriously, let's get deeper with the characters. Let's find out more about Holder's back story. Let's get in there with the things in his personal life and his relationship with his broken-up family."

And for the fans who don't really care about the plot anymore but just want to see Holder in his element, Kinnaman has an idea for a "Killing" spinoff -- the Holder cooking show. "People love it when he makes the breakfast burritos, so let's have him do the shootouts while making breakfast," he joked. "It'll be brilliant!"

[ohva]

bullettmedia.com/article/joel-kinnaman-on-easy-money-the-robocop-suit-coming-to-america/

Bullett Media
July 12, 2012

When you google “Joel Kinnaman,” the search engine finishes your sentence for you. Didn’t you mean to write “Joel Kinnaman shirtless”? Or “Joel Kinnaman girlfriend” instead? Clearly, the half-American, Swedish-born actor has the looks to be America’s next big crush. But after seeing his performance in AMC’s The Killing, and now, in the Swedish crime-thriller Easy Money (released stateside this week by the Weinstein Company and flaunting Martin Scorsese’s imprimatur), any doubts about the thirty two year old’s acting ability should be put to rest. Kinnaman can play both dreamy and (a little) creepy at once—an amazingly deft combination to pull off. Like with Jonny Depp or Matt Damon, you always sympathize with his characters (in Easy Money he plays an aspiring business student who ends up in the cocaine trade) but you’re never entirely sure if you should.

When I talked to Kinnaman, he was in LA prepping to lead the new Robocop reboot. With a career poised for take-off (and ass-kicking, and heart-stealing), he was nevertheless relaxed and thoughtfu, telling me about his upbringing on the Stockholm streets, what he loves (and hates) about America, and what it’s really like inside the Robocop suit.

First off, congratulations on Easy Money, it’s an awesome film. I know after that project Daniel Espinosa went on to make Safe House and you started work on The Killing for AMC. How important was the buzz around Easy Money for launching your American career?
A lot of people think that, but I actually came to America before Easy Money was released. I did the rounds here and nobody had a clue who I was. And then I got cast in The Killing, and a month later Easy Money came out in Sweden. But it didn’t really catch that much international attention until they had the market screenings in Berlin. Then all the buzz picked up, which certainly didn’t hurt my case.

The Stockholm of the film is this seedy, neon world of thugs, strippers, and heavy-thumping electro. Totally different from most people’s postcard image of Scandinavia. Is that a Stockholm you recognize—or knew growing up?
Definitely. I grew up on the south side of Stockholm, which when I was young was a working class neighborhood. Now it’s completely gentrified, kind of like the Lower East Side. But when I was young it was pretty rough.

Did you hang out in nightclubs a lot as a teenager?
Yeah, I started working in clubs when I was sixteen. Spending time in that world you see a lot. I knew Stockholm and the nightlife very well, which is very close to what we see in the movie.

So you didn’t hobnob with yuppies like your character?
Well, I came from the South Side, and we hated the kids that came from the East Side, the rich kids. So yeah, it was difficult for me to play someone aspiring to be like those people. I personally didn’t know anybody from the upper class as a kid. Part of the performance that is missed in the subtitles is that JW changes his dialect with everyone he’s around. He’s like a chameleon, and can impersonate both the street and upper class dialects.

Did you always want to be an actor?
It was something that came to me when I was around twenty. Gustaf Skarsgård, Alexander’s younger brother, is my best friend. He got into the national acting school when he was young. Meanwhile, I had been traveling; working odd jobs in construction or bartending to make enough for the next trip. I’d been away for about two years, and when I came back he was deep into this acting thing. I just had a feeling it was something I wanted to try. He helped me and I applied to the school. I didn’t get in, but I got to the final round of auditions which gave me enough courage to keep going. Then I got into another school and I got a part in a movie.

And coming to America, has that been in your sights for a while?
I got out of acting school in 2007 and was starting to get confident in what I could do. I got a lead in a big play, Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment at the National Theater; I played Raskolnikov. It got really good reviews, and after that, a lot of directors wanted to work with me. I went on a pretty insane work streak; I did nine features in sixteen months. This in a country that only releases twenty films a year. Easy Money was the last one I worked on. After that, I kind of understood it was time for me to try something new or I would saturate the market! It was the perfect time to come to the States. My father’s American, so I didn’t have to play the German campguard who says “You go to ze left!” (Laughs) Coming here was an inspiring experience, and at the same time I knew I left Sweden in a good position there.

Is there anything you love or hate about this country?
I really love the States. It’s a country of contrasts for me. There’s a lot of things that frustrate me here. People here need to pay more taxes, for one. You can’t take property taxes and base education on that, it’s just going to cement the class system. So a lot frustrates me politically here. But I love the people. It’s a land of opportunity.

You just got cast in Robocop and I have to ask you, have you tried on the suit yet?
I have. It feels a little itchy (laughs). I’m joking. It looks pretty fucking cool, and I know it’s going to look even cooler on screen.

[ohva]

NextMovie Q&A: Joel Kinnaman Talks 'RoboCop,' 'Easy Money' and International Stardom




Q&A: Joel Kinnaman Talks 'RoboCop,' 'Easy Money' and International Stardom
By Breanne L. Heldman | Jul 12, 2012 | 3:19 PM

Getty Images

Joel Kinnaman isn't exactly the first person you'd think of when naming international movie stars. Well, that's about to change.

The Swedish actor is best known in the United States for his lead role in AMC's "The Killing," as well as his upcoming gig as RoboCop in the film's upcoming remake. In Europe, he's earned raves for his performance in the Swedish crime thriller "Easy Money," which comes out in the U.S. this week.

In the film, which has earned Martin Scorsese's seal of approval, Kinnaman is a college student named J.W. who is desperate to convince a group of wealthy colleagues that he belongs among them. But, to blend in, he'll need a steady flow of cash and winds up mixed up in a world of assassins and drug kingpins.

Something tells us the 32-year-old actor won't have to work nearly as hard to fit in here in the U.S.



Your English sounds totally American. How many languages do you actually speak?
I like to say that I speak four, which is Danish, Norwegian, Swedish and English. But Swedish people would laugh at me when I say that because Norwegian is pretty much a dialect, but I do speak it. Danish is a different language even though Danish people understand Swedes and very few Swedes understand Danish.

Have you ever been in a situation like J.W., trying to fit in with a group of people that may not have felt natural?
Actually, the complete opposite to that. I'm from the south side of Stockholm that, when I grew up, it was still kind of the working class part of town in the inner city and has a long history of being a blue collar community. [The rich kids] were always the enemy … Sweden is a monarchy, so there's this aristocracy and people are nobles. We'd go to that part of town to beat them up and take their things. So if somebody from my neighborhood was like aspiring or revering them, you couldn’t do anything worse.

That was actually a big challenge for me when I got the part. Even though J.W. wasn't part of that community, he was so good at impersonating it, so they couldn't trace it. So my goal was that I had to learn that world better than J.W. so I could choose his mistakes … I hung out with these upper class kids that I sort of secretly detested, but I had to become one of them.

What did you think when it was announced that "Easy Money" was going to be remade in the U.S., starring Zac Efron?
I didn't really think anything of it. It was just something I didn't feel a part of in any way. I was just, "OK, go ahead."

You weren't thinking, "Come on! What about me?"
No, because I had already done it.

Penelope Cruz played the same role in …
Oh, that's right. "Vanilla Sky," right? I mean, I’m sure he'll do a great job.



Has it been a goal of sorts for you to become a star on two continents? Was that part of your plan?
I don't think being a star has ever been part of the plan. But I always want to do really good work, even when I made career moves with projects that made more sense in sort of a career way than in an artistic way … like I did with "The Darkest Hour." When I read that material, I knew that this is not going to be a great movie – I thought it was going to be better than it was – but that was something that made sense.

In the States, it's different because then you sort of have to become a name to be eligible for certain kinds of parts, and some of those parts is stuff I really want to do, especially $20 million drama movies. If you're going to play a lead in those, you have to be a name. Otherwise they won't get that financing. So there's that side of it, too.

I'd argue you scored the role in "RoboCop" before really being much of a name here.
Yeah, that's like a shortcut, because the actual franchise is so big, so they can afford to have somebody that's not a big name for that. So that should settle that.

Fair enough. So can you tell us, is the movie going to be campy like the original or is it going to go a little more dark, a little more of a "Dark Knight" sort of approach to that story?
I think it's going to be the latter. Verhoeven has a very special tone, but Jose Padilha is a very accomplished director that has a very specific voice and this is going to carry his voice. There's an element of political satire in this, but the tone is not going to be Verhoeven's film.

Other than the tone, what would you say is the biggest difference?
The biggest difference, I think, is where robotics is today. It's in a very different place than it was in 1986 when they were developing "RoboCop." We've come so far already, so our vision of where robotics is in the future is very much more advanced, and that's going to be a very big difference.

Will Peter Weller make a cameo?
I don’t know. That would be awesome though. I hope so.

What are you hearing about "The Killing" getting renewed?
I haven't heard anything, positive or negative.

[ohva]

Joel Kinnaman on Playing Complex Characters and Acting in Sweden


www.backstage.com/...164e4e9e18a5ef7eb6352088

Backstage
By Shelley Brown
JULY 12, 2012



Swedish actor Joel Kinnaman has received critical acclaim for his role as J.W. in “Easy Money,” a film based on the best-selling Swedish novel “Snabba Cash.” Released in 2010, the film tells the story of a working class Swedish college student who becomes involved in the drug trade to help afford the expensive lifestyle of his wealthy circle of friends.

Joel Kinnaman on Playing Complex Characters and Acting in Sweden
By Shelley Brown
JULY 12, 2012

Swedish actor Joel Kinnaman has received critical acclaim for his role as J.W. in “Easy Money,” a film based on the best-selling Swedish novel “Snabba Cash.” Released in 2010, the film tells the story of a working class Swedish college student who becomes involved in the drug trade to help afford the expensive lifestyle of his wealthy circle of friends.

Living a double life, J.W. gets in over his head, falling for an heiress and becoming more and more embroiled in criminal activity. Kinnaman, who also stars in AMC’s “The Killing,” and will star in the remake of “RoboCop” sat down with Back Stage to talk about his experience filming the Swedish hit, which hit U.S. theaters on Wednesday, as well as his training as an actor.

What was the audition process for “Easy Money”?
Joel Kinnaman: It was actually a traumatic experience. Daniel Espinosa, the director, was a friend of mine. He came to see a play I was in and said he was in talks of getting “Easy Money.” The book had been a huge success in Sweden, and I had read the book while I was in acting school, and I told everybody that if they made a movie out of it, I was going to play the lead. Then Daniel happened to get the film, and he asked me if I wanted to play J.W., and I was like, “Are you kidding me? Of course.” So then I brag to everyone I know about getting this role, and then five months later, he tells me I have to audition for it. I was not a name in Sweden at the time, and it was going to be a huge fight for him if he was going to tell the producers he was giving the role to me. It was an excruciating seven-month audition process.

What did you learn as an actor from playing a complex character like J.W.?
Kinnaman: He is one of those people who has a lot of confidence but low self-esteem. That’s a very interesting combination. It’s not that uncommon, but it’s almost like he doesn’t have his own soul, because he’s a chameleon. He’s only concerned with how people see him, and that’s enough for him. He has this big emptiness. How all of this manifested itself was interesting to take on as an actor. But it’s very human to be a chameleon. We are all a unique person with everyone we meet. With J.W., it was just much more extreme. The American audience won’t pick up on it, but he changes his dialect according to who he is speaking to. That was a big part of my preparation for the role, too, learning the upper crust dialect and the gangster way of speaking.


"Easy Money" (Weinstein Company)

Besides learning different Swedish dialects, what else did you do prepare for the role?
Kinnaman: I sort of did J.W.’s journey a little bit, because I was not a member of the upper class either. I am from the South side of Stockholm, which is a traditionally working class area, and in my neighborhood it’s looked down upon to look up to them. If you are striving to be like the upper class, it’s a taboo, and that was really difficult for me to overcome. I had that resentment for those rich kids that I had since I was a kid, but then I had to try to become one of them because that’s what my character was doing. I would hang out with nobles through friends of friends. We have nobility in Sweden, and it comes from the old British aristocracy. The manners of how you eat and how you sit, are so imbedded in them, they can tell right away if you aren’t one of them, so I had to learn their etiquette. It was fun.

Can you go more into detail about your training as an actor?
Kinnaman: I went to a national Swedish dramatic school. All of our colleges are free in Sweden, but this acting program is the second most expensive education for the government. It’s difficult to get in. There are around 1,500 applicants, and 10-12 applicants are accepted each year. I was accepted, and I studied there for five years.

What advice do you have for young actors who are just starting out?
Kinnaman: Educate yourself. Get on stage. Respect the history of the craft because that is something that will always pay off. An amateur can be great in front of the camera, but you need an education to get on stage where you have full control as an actor.

You say stage experience is important, what is a stage experience that has been important to you?
Kinnaman: In Gothenburg I did “Crime and Punishment,” which is still one of my fundamental moments as an actor. It was a very important experience for me. I played Raskolnikov. I was on stage for 3 hours and 45 minutes. I never left the stage. It was a big play with 30 actors and a stage 40 yards wide. It was really cool.

You seem to be focusing mostly on television and film right now. What are your upcoming projects?
Kinnaman: There is a sequel to “Easy Money” opening in August in Sweden. I am shooting “RoboCop” in September. Right now I am focusing more on American film. “Easy Money 2” will be the last big role I play in a Swedish film for a couple of years at least. It depends on how long “The Killing” goes on. Shooting “The Killing” makes it hard because there is so little time left in the year. I don’t really have time for projects of the heart. I like both TV and film, but I think I prefer to make movies, because I am so restless.

[ohva]

By Fred Topel July 17, 2012





Coming up with the Swedish film's American title, what's in store for Snabba Cash 2 and why he never thought he'd get a film like Robocop.


You know Joel Kinnaman from TV’s “The Killing” and the future Robocop. His popularity has gotten one of his Swedish films released in the states. Easy Money (Snabba Cash) stars Kinnaman as J.W., part of a gang of thieves who get into violent trouble with their crime, and feel the dramatic pain in their personal relationships. Kinnaman was a delight to speak with by phone, and was even good-natured about our Robocop prying.

CraveOnline: You had a movie called Snabba Cash and they changed it to Easy Money.
Joel Kinnaman: They did.

What do you think of the new title?
Actually, when they were talking about the English title, I was like, “So what are we going to call it, like Easy Money?” And that’s what it ended up being.

So it’s your idea!
Snabba Cash means fast cash, and Easy Money is sort of the translation of that.

For what it’s worth, I think Snabba Cash makes sense in any language.
That sounds good, man. We should’ve done that.

Is it gratifying to you that American audiences will get to hear you perform in your native language?
Yeah, I guess it is. What I like a lot about it being shown here is that [it’s] something that is very different. The American audiences that have seen me I think have mostly seen “The Killing” and this is a completely different character that has a completely different body language, so I enjoy that. But then I’m very happy that this movie is something I’m very proud of. It means much more to me than just what it did for my career. It’s a work that we were like a group of friends that did this movie, and then some of the people that were working on this movie are still my best friends. Then it has done great things for a lot of us who were in it, in our careers over here and so forth. But the joy that we had while doing it and the creative happiness that we were feeling while we were working on it is something that I’m always going to remember and always hold very dearly. So I’m very happy to see that it gets some more wings.

Talk about the scene where you meet Sophie’s parents.
I love that scene. That was one of the very fun things, one of the more inspiring things about playing this character was that he’s always carrying a secret. In every situation he’s carrying so many secrets and he’s holding back, he’s playing games. At the same time, in his nature, he’s made himself into a chameleon but the very interesting, complex type of person that has very strong confidence but very low self esteem. It really comes out in that scene where in many ways he is very capable, but at the same time he makes one of his few mistakes when he mixes up his stories. She actually catches him with that. That was a very fun scene to play.

When you’re playing a criminal, do you have to not judge him or would that even take away some of the complexity if you don’t?
No, no, I don’t want to judge him. I think that’s up for other people to. I want to give a sense of logic. It’s frustrating with characters that you really love and then they make these horrible mistakes, but that’s also why you love playing them. That’s something with J.W. He is a person that has a heart at the beginning but he’s made so many bad choices with himself and he’s made those bad choices out of the wounds that he’s received throughout life. But I don’t try to judge.

Is there already a Snabba Cash 2?
Yeah, we finished it. We’re opening that in Sweden in August, August 12.

What’s in store for J.W. next?
Well, it pretty much picks up a year after the first movie ended. He’s in jail. We’re really happy about it. I think it’s a very worthy sequel.

Is it a prison movie or does more stuff happen to J.W.?
No, it travels.

Has J.W. learned anything from his first experience?
No. No, not really. I mean, he has but I think he comes closer to becoming a whole person, even though that whole person might not be a great person. But I think that is his big dilemma. He’s such a capable person, of changing himself and fitting in, he’s like a blank piece of paper. I think we all become in the meeting with other people, but J.W. sort of creates himself in the meeting with every other person. That’s the beginning of his downfall because he just doesn’t have a sense of self. In the second movie the choices that have put him in jail are actually sort of making him more of a whole person but that does not say it is a good person.

Of course we’re excited you’re going to be the new Robocop, and now we’ve seen hints of the new ED-209. Will your costume fit that new design?
[Laughs] I’m not allowed to talk about that.

Not specifics, but we now have a sense of what something from that new universe can look like.
Yeah, I think we did get a sense from that video of the shape and the tone. You can get a feeling of how it’s going to look from that video.

Have you seen any practical models or is it all CGI?
No, no, no, I’m regularly going back into the special effects studio and trying on the suit. They’re making adjustments.

But is there an ED-209 model?
I’ve seen a little more detail, an enhanced version than was on that viral clip.

Will your Robocop be rated R?
We’ll see.

Does that seem like the intention?
That’s not up to me. I don’t have any opinions about it.

I think we’re both great fans of the character. Could your Murphy pursue his family harder?
Mmm, perhaps.

I see I’m getting too specific. I didn’t mean to do that. I just wanted to share the excitement. Is it weird that when I see you I imagine your chin sticking out of the visor?
[Laughs] No, that’s not weird.

Is that the sort of movie you got into acting to do?
No, that’s kind of surpassed my wildest imaginations so I have to say no. I never thought or envisioned or dreamed about being part of something like that really. It’s not what drew me to acting at all. I think what drew me to acting was feeling the connection to other actors while doing a greatly written scene. When I started out it was mostly theater that was appealing to me. When I started making movies, I understood how I could transition the technique that I had for theater into film, and then I actually started making movies more. Now I sort of feel that I have to go back to stage pretty soon, like within a year I need to go back on stage.

Will you have time to do that?
It depends, but that’s the goal.

Have you gotten the @for_a_dollar tweets on Twitter?
I don’t know, I don’t have Twitter.

Oh, any time you say Robocop, @for_a_dollar tweets “I’d buy that for a dollar!”
[Laughs] Really?

Yes. What’s in store for the next season of “The Killing?”
Well, I don’t know. I’m waiting.

When would that be if you do Robocop and then back to theater?
We haven’t gotten a pickup yet for a third season of “The Killing” so I’m waiting for that.

[ohva]

Interview: Joel Kinnaman Risks Everything in 'Easy Money'

social.entertainment.msn.com/movies/blogs/the-hitlist-blogpost.aspx?post=37436255-3a64-4e76-a1b0-ce46a005e224

MSN Entertainment
The Hitlist
By DannyMiller
June 18, 2012



The talented Swedish actor will soon play the lead in the "RoboCop" remake

Remember when going to a Swedish film meant listening to attractive, highly educated, and often clinically depressed people talk for hours about their emotional lives while eating strange fish dishes? I loved those movies but Scandinavia has come a long way. Arriving on the heels of Stieg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy, American audiences are being treated to the first film made from Swedish author Jens Lapidus’ Stockholm Noir books. “Easy Money,” directed by Daniel Espinoza (“Safe House”), is a taut crime thriller that showcases the grittier side of Stockholm where organized crime and drug trafficking create dangerous opportunities for quick profits.

Handsome “JW” (Joel Kinnaman) comes from a poor working class background but is now a promising student at the Stockholm School of Economics. Hanging out with his privileged peers, JW is trying to pass himself off as a member of the upper class, especially to his new well-to-do girlfiend. When driving a taxi illegally fails to provide enough income for his expensive lifestyle, JW falls in line with a bunch of career criminals for a drug deal he believes will net him a substantial sum. He gets to know various members of the Stockholm underworld, including honchos from the tough Serbian mafia. But nothing goes as planned, and JW’s inexperience puts him at great risk.

I sat down with actor Joel Kinnaman just prior to the U.S. release of this edge-of-your-seat thriller. After starring in several well received Swedish films, Kinnaman was noticed by American filmmakers. He appeared in “The Darkest Hour” with Emile Hirsch and Olivia Thirlby, was a contender for the lead roles in “Thor” and “Mad Max 4,” and for the past two years has been starring in AMC’s “The Killing.” Recently, it was announced that Kinnaman would be playing the lead in the remake of 1987’s “RoboCop.”

MSN Movies: I understand that the book this film is based on, “Snabba Cash,” was a huge hit in Sweden. Had you read it before you got the part?

Joel Kinnaman: Oh yes. It was very popular. I was in the last year of acting school when I read it. And being a little cocky at that time, I kept telling everyone, “I’m going to play JW! It’s me! You may get an audition for it, but I’m going to do it!” I had met Daniel Espinoza a few years earlier during the auditions for his first feature. He wanted to hire me for a part in that but then I got accepted into acting school so I turned it down.

That was brave of you!

Well, in Sweden you really can’t build a career on being a movie actor, you have to be on the stage. We just make too few movies, and you’re not considered a real actor unless you’ve gone to theater school. I can think of a few actors, like Stellan Skarsgard, who never went to theater school, but he worked in a theater for 12 years, so he got his education there.



So how did you end up in the film?

When I got out of acting school, I was doing “Crime and Punishment” on the stage, and during that time Daniel and I got together and started developing this other script about these crime brothers in Gothenburg. Then he got “Easy Money” and asked me if I wanted to do it. “Are you fucking kidding?” I said. And then, because I’m a total idiot, I went off and told everyone. “See! I said I was going to play JW!” A few months later, Daniel came back to me and said, “Uh, the producers said you have to audition for the part!” Uh-oh! One of the producers said, “What about Gustaf Skarsbard?” Gustaf (Stellan's son) is my best friend! He went to Daniel and said, “You really want Joel to do it, right?” so in the end he didn’t even audition for it. He's my brother!

That's a good friend! Now you owe him!

I owe him a lot, actually, because he’s the one who got me into acting in the first place.

Watching you in this film, I kept thinking of the Montgomery Clift character in the wonderful George Stevens’ film, “A Place in the Sun,” with Elizabeth Taylor. Both of you could have had it all—the success, the beautiful girl, but you were both your own worst enemies.

Oh, I have to see that! Patty Jenkins, the director of “Monster” and the first and last episodes of “The Killing” was just talking to me about that movie, too! I’m going to watch it tonight!

I think few Americans are familiar with the status of immigrants in Sweden. Was there any backlash from different groups there about how certain immigrant characters are depicted in the film?

Not really. I think the film raises some important questions. Why are people who are second-generation immigrants still not really seen as Swedish, why do they have a much harder time getting jobs? It’s a class problem. In Sweden and in many European countries, the people who come from certain countries in and around Middle East are basically shut out of society.

I think what’s so unusual about this film is that we get to meet the family members of the different characters. That gives us such a deeper perspective and puts the danger they are in in a different light. I was especially moved by the relationship between your character and the Chilean immigrant, Jorge, played by Matias Varela.

Matias is great! We’ve been friends since we were 16 years old! He’s shooting some episodes of “The Borgias” right now.

I know this film is based on the first book of a trilogy. Are the other two books being filmed?

Yes, the second film is already made—it opens next month in Sweden. I’ll have a smaller role in the third one but I’m one of the leads in the second. But the books and the movies sort of live in separate universes. JW isn’t even in the second book so this next film is more of a sequel to the movie. I’m really happy with it. I enjoyed the books a lot but I’d say that the films are even more sophisticated.

And now you’re suddenly so busy with projects in this country! When do you start shooting the “RoboCop” reboot?

In September. I like to call it a re-imagining! Everything is so much bigger here, I’m excited about all the opportunities. We’re still not sure if there’s going to be a third season of “The Killing” but if not, I hope to get back to Sweden and do some plays. I need to get back on the stage!

Any thoughts on the remake of “Easy Money” that’s being planned with Zac Efron as JW?

I feel completely detached from it. I think it will be a very different story when it’s set in the United States! Good luck to them!


“Easy Money” is playing in select cities and is available on VOD.

[ohva]

When you talk to me watching you in my eyes ...



Aftonbladet, Sweden
7/18/12


CLEAR HEAD superstar Denzel Washington was quickly told that it was director Daniel Espinosa, who decided on the set of "safe house".


GOOGLE TRANSLATE

Swedish director berated the divige Denzel Washington

During the filming of "Safe house" sat Daniel Espinosa superstar Denzel Washington in place.

Now, acclaimed director of friend Joel Kinnaman.

- It was so clear who was the captain of the ship, he said in an interview with the magazine Café.

Joel Kinnaman, 32, and Daniel Espinosa, 35, worked together for the first time in the film version of "fast cash".

Both quickly became good friends and for Espinosa big Hollywood debut with "Safe house" had Kinnaman one of the roles.

Clear master
- When I came to recording, they had filmed for five months. And it was so clear who was the captain of the ship. Daniel did not even raise his voice, said Joel Kinnaman in an interview with Café.

Things were different in the early script stage. Kinnaman says he heard how Espinosa bitten in the actor Denzel Washington, 57.

- Denzel did not like any scene and sat and mumbled about it, without eye contact. Daniel said after a while "when you talk to me, watching you in my eyes," said Kinnaman and continues:

- Denzel replied, "I do not listen with your eyes." All of the team started well consider what they would do instead when the film was shut down ... But then Denzel laughed and said "okay, okay". Then it was Denzel at Daniel's team the rest of the movie.

'A Champion'
For Kinnaman itself was special to play against Washington, even if only for a scene.

- All I could think of at that moment was just "wow, here's a champion," he says.


Joel Kinnaman
Age: 32. Location: Has left the apartment in Stockholm, but are looking to buy one in New York to have as a base. Occupation: Actor. Current project: "Fast cash 2" which premieres in August.

[ohva]

Thanks to hibec for these.

Damernas Värld (Ladies World)
Photos by Kristine Wreyford

Charles Joel Nordström Kinnaman
Age: 32
Lives: LA
Occupation: Actor
Family: Mother, father, four siblings and half sister Melinda Kinnaman. Lives together with model and actor Olivia Munn.
Currently in: Easy Money II

Joel Kinnaman, from blackout to Hollywood.



"A movie as big as this can put me in a position where I become a name."



"I've built my confidence by doing things I can be proud of."









GOOGLE TRANSLATE


damernasvarld.se/art/247851/nrgngen_intervju_med_joel_kinn/



Fashion, he has sights set on Hollywood's elite. And he is well on his way. Following the success of the TV series The Killing plays Joel Kinnaman are now starring in the sci-fi roller Robocop.



DV had an intimate interview with one of Sweden's hottest actors. Here he talks about life in America, the future and reveals some details about his love life ...



Read an excerpt from the great interview with Joel Kinnaman after the click below. The interview in its entiretycan be found in the new issue of Ladies' World.



By: Tore S Börjesson

Photo: Kristine Wreyford


Joel Kinnaman is certainly Sweden's hottest actor. But his career almost came to an end even before it had begun. He just collapsed. Weak and wounded. Just as he would be the operator who took the stage. When he would prove himself before the eyes that were set to rate him.



- I went to Stage School in Malmö and I had a blackout. I would do a scene in four minutes and everything was gone. I did not get a word out of me. It was among the most shit I have ever experienced.



It was not the first time. But the first time before a judging audience had that job to decide his future.Whether he was good or not. It had previously happened in private.



- Like when I would tell funny stories to friends. Suddenly I lost confidence and fell to the abysmal level that I did not get a word out of me. I mean, in the midst of a funny story it occurred to. It was incredibly uncomfortable.



When it happened on the Stage School in Malmö, he drew a painful conclusion.



- I can not continue with acting. It felt so, I was ready to give it up.



Fully understandable. A man who becomes paralyzed like a rabbit caught in the headlights of speeding traffic and loses the power of speech when it's his job to act in a scene might want to throw his career in the bin.



- But I knew: there was nothing more important in my life than acting. I had already fought so incredibly hard for it and entered the Stage School on the fourth attempt. So instead of being put down and become, say, the guy at the deli counter at Ica exposing himself to cognitive shock therapy, confronting their own fears in 180.



- I chose to use a monologue that was an hour and a half long. A piece that is actually written for two people and includes 16 roles: Howie the Rookie. I made it a dozen times, and on Stage School, and at the Gothenburg City Theatre. It was make it or break it.



He managed it. With a vengeance.



- I learned the whole text in three weeks and when I performed the work, I stumbled not in words only once. I challenged the fear of the absolute worst thing I could think of - won. Since then it has never come back.



He won the war against himself. The victory is an endorsement of his life.



- In 2009 I got my first job, to make Raskolnikov in Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment in Backa Theatre in Gothenburg, an incredible challenge for a newly qualified actor to be on stage continuously for three hours and forty minutes, I felt not as a big challenge. An extreme travel, yes, but I had already done the monologue. I had already done the scariest and confronted my deepest fears.



Both the set as a whole and Joel Kinna's portrayal of itself was awarded. In that way it is. Success on success.As a JW in fast cash, as Frank Wagner in six Johan Falk movies, as Stephen Holder of the TV series The Killing.



And there's more. Career cannon is loaded with lead in a reinterpretation of the classic Robocop (recording starts 10 September) and in fast cash II (premieres August 17).



- Jens Lapidus has been very generous with allowing films to be its own universe. His second book, Never fucka up, is in fact an independent continuation of the first book where JW is not even included. Fast cash II does straight off a sequel to the first film and takes up the thread where it left off, says Joel Kinnaman.



It would be easy to lose their footing. But Joel is stable. Not because of the applause and cheering. Such things may quickly die out. A flop can be enough. But precisely because of how he has overcome his fears.



- I have done so on several critical occasions when I hit the self-confidence loss, solved it by challenging myself even harder. I've built my confidence through practical work that I can be proud of, that I can go back to and draw strength from.



So when he gets lots of praise, he may feel: I'm worth it!



- Yes, actually. And I can feel it for real. I put so much effort into what I do.



Joel Kinnaman is obviously a well man. Each question is answered in detail on a selected Stockholmian. Yes, more than Stockholmian, he's from the South and it is heard.



- I grew up in Sofia. On the right side of the ditch.



At the national Swedish: I grew up east of Götgatan in Sofia church in Södermalm.



The detailed and thoughtful answers is really not just about himself and his career. When I ask if he could see Sweden clearer in light of that he now spends his time in the U.S. I am told a number that might have been held by an animated Olof Palme.



- I'll pay half as much in taxes over there compared to when I work at home. I mess with my American friends about it and says: Taxes in the United States must be raised. So they say: Yes, but the sideboard 25 percent of your income to charity then. But it works not so, they must be forced to do so. It stings. I would be pissed as hell when I paid, but I know what I get back: a better society.



It's called security and social welfare. Solidarity.



- It really is the best thing about Sweden. People have not the feeling for each other over there. I mean, there are people in the U.S. who come from poor backgrounds and have become rich, yes, but there are exceptional people. When others fail to allow it: Pull up! But that does not change a society of isolated individuals succeed.A society can only be changed through reforms at the macro level. It's that simple. Social Classes in the U.S. is cemented, there is very little movement between them. It's so gloomy. Just take a thing like that schools are financed through property taxes. In poor areas there are no real estate to take off ...



Here at home he wants to see the Reinfeldt government to fall and be happy already yesterday.



- I am a Social Democrat. But I like the Left Party, Jonas Sjöstedt, too. Unlike Lars Ohly. It took him four years to say: I am not a communist. Troubled stupid. He just wanted to flirt with some elements in his party. Then you are more interested in a position of power than to change society. There, I lost all respect for him.



It is required that you talk about the private for Joel Kinnaman to be reticent. While he seems to like to talk about it. There's something about the smile. At the beginning of the interview he said: "I live nowhere in the U.S.." I'm not really up there and take up the thread again.



- But you must live somewhere?



- I live with a close friend in LA.



- A woman?

There came the smile.



Read the rest of the interview with Joel Kinnaman in the new issue of Ladies' World.

[ohva]

source: www.unt.se/kultur/...aefestivalen-696205.aspx



The hotel in Stockholm, where the TT spectra hits Joel Kinnaman is a short distance from the Stureplansliv as his role character JW in Fast Cash did everything to become a part of. 2010, he made a success in fast cash and was rewarded later with a Guldbagge.In August, the premiere of the sequel, Fast Cash 2nd
- Going back to an old role is like reading a favorite book. It is history but find new things and find that other things are not as important anymore.It's quite pleasant.

The international breakthrough came two years ago with the American television series The kid that is based on the Danish offense. The series was praised, particularly in television and film industry, and suddenly opened a door for Kinnaman.He played in Daniel Espinosa film Safe House with Denzel Washington and had a minor role in The girl with the dragon tattoo.

The kid is now down after two seasons but Kinnaman is not likely to be short of work. In March it became clear that he will star in the remake of cult movie Robocop from 1987, which will be his biggest role to date.
- You can not compare with anything. I make more than half of my scenes with Gary Oldman. I am so proud and happy about it.

Something he is not as proud of is The Darkest Hour, alien movie in 3D, which was cut by many critics.

He accepted the role because he, after watching Avatar, wanted to make a 3D film.But another thing that helped was that he had been in Hollywood for almost six months without getting any roles.
- It was five months of constant adversity. I was refused more than a man becomes a lifetime. Twice a day I was told "Sorry, we do not like you."

Although he has lived in Los Angeles on and off for a couple of years, he feels not quite at home. Usually, he is only there a few weeks in shock and most of the time spent on jobs. But he gets time he goes to dinners, parties and socialize with the other "Hollywood Swedes", Alexander Skarsgard, Who Stole, Gustaf Skarsgard, Daniel Espinosa and Matias Varela, among others.
- We are often using different times but we support each other, talking about each other at meetings and such.We take strength from the group.

It was at Backa Theatre in Gothenburg that he had his breakthrough as an actor when he portrayed Raskolnikov in Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment 2007th And longing for the stage remains.
- I can not wait and am terrified. It is ten times scarier to stand in the theater than in Örebro to record Robocop.

- While I'm in The Kid, I can do theater. But I have to do it for my development. Now it is a fear, and I have to kill.




Joel Kinnaman

Age: 32 years.

Lives in: Los Angeles and Stockholm.

Family: "high"

Background: Malmö Thea

[ohva]

source: www.moviezine.se

Google Translation

Last nyttIntervjuerBloggywoodTeeVeeHemmabioFestivalyraPostermania

Joel Kinnaman: "RoboCops costume looks damn cool"

Published: August 14, 2012 at. 17:00




"Easy Money II" aktuelle Joel Kinnaman took a break from Hollywood for movie snack with MovieZine.

"Easy Money" was really a ticket straight to the dream factory. Three years ago no one knew his name - next summer it will light up theaters worldwide when Joel Kinnaman enters into the role of RoboCop. But before he puts the focus on JW's continuing story, brat guy from "Easy Money" which got into bad company and should be further down in the muck in the bioaktuella sequel.

We took a coffee with Joel at Hotel Anglais to talk about happy endings, remakes and his audition for "Thor".

You've managed to do something so unusual as to make a sequel that hits number one. What is the secret behind it?

- It's great that you like it. I'm very proud of the first movie too of course. Anyone who has been involved in these films has been given two years to mature and strengthen their confidence. All we have taken new steps, and then we have a great director of Babak Najafi makes an incredibly good job.



It was a character driven film with great performances.

- There has been a hallmark of both films: it will not insert any acidic replicas. Every role is perfectly executed, I think. It is also about it's good haircut and so, but the main characters are an incredibly steady level. Different people connectar with different characters. You often hear stories that affect some more, in the first movie I know that all dads felt it was incredibly annoying with Mrados relationship with her daughter, it was something that grabbed them. This is a sensitive portrait of society's back.

What drives your character JW in this movie?

- He has hope. Then there is the desperation and despair. From the beginning, it is about that he has not given up somewhere. I think it's interesting JW also in this movie, even if he does not go against any brighter way he starts getting closer to himself. That's what he's been so disconnected from, and continuously adopted new personas with everyone he meets. Now he starts to get closer to who he actually is. Even though that person may not develop into such a positive person.

Is he still a good guy, deep down?

- Yes ... I think so. But he has done many things that have made it harder. It is the result of their actions.



Are there any happy endings in this world? Could all end well for JW?

- I think so. Then it is all relative, but it's never too late to find a way that can be more positive. JW has many tools to get out of such a world. He has a social skills for a lot of different parts of society, which is an incredible asset. He is extremely intelligent, and understands the financial world. He can definitely get where he wants. But then you do not know if there is any hope for his soul. When you start to kill people, I think it can be very difficult to come back. I have met some people I know have killed people. There is something dead in their eyes. Some may be able to get through it, it does not penetrate further, but I think it's difficult. Something is lost.

What can you tell me about "Fast Cash III"?

- It is in preproduction. But it will not be a conventional recording session. They start shooting this fall. It's a hell of a puzzle with everyone's times and different commitment. Other film is a direct sequel to the first film, while the second book is more a stand-alone sequel to the first book. But the third movie, it gets much closer to the third book. There is also Jens Lapidus more back to JW's history. He is not the central figure in the third book but he is in there, he was not even in the second book. So the third film script is based more on the third book. Previous films have almost played out in some kind of parallel universe to the books. I think that the third will go more back to the book.

Once you step into a completely different role, namely, "RoboCop". When it's time for it?

- I begin to scratch at the end of August, then we begin to record September 15. I've tried the suit ... But did not even dare take a picture yourself, what if they lose their phone? That's so damn sensitive. We have tested the suit on several different occasions, there is a long process, that. We have shown that of all the toy manufacturers and it looks damn cool out. It's damn good.

What do you think of the original?

- I love the original, I've seen it maybe 15-20 times. There are several remakes now Verhoeven films. He has a very special tone yourself, it's over-the-top and very violent. I'm not a superfan of remakes, really, but here is another very strong and a good director who makes it here. When I first found out that it would be a new "RoboCop" was not something I was interested at all to join in. I thought that it will I have to watch maybe. But when I found out that it is José Padilha who will do it, then it became something entirely different. And he has a whole new angle on this. There is an element of satire, but it is not at all in the same way that Verhoeven does. It will be much more "gritty".

Remakes are usually the most stand a little skeptical.

- In the theater we play on our favorite stories over and over again. Our generation is not so much to the theater, but there is something natural in that we as people talk about our favorite stories. Then there is obviously a commercial interest, they work well because people know the brand and know what it is.



How many "RoboCop" films have you signed up?

- Three. But these kinds of big movies planned to be a franchise. Becomes the first a success, they have guaranteed the runner is going well. Yes, if it is not crappy.

You have exams filmed for "Thor" also, have you had action roles in sight?

- It was actually the first audition I did for an American project. It made me here from Sweden, before moving on. Because it is a Nordic figure they sought worldwide. I just sent a tape and then came on pretty well. It felt like we were close, I was one of the five who came the furthest, it was written. But it takes a lot of you should get the part.

How does a place like casting tape out? Are you standing there with a blonde wig and a hammer?

- Haha, and Buttericks-dress in plastic? I borrow all those things from Fares Fares (laughs). It was with a camera phone, I was in and of itself stands on it. I've gotten better at it now, trying to make it look as neat as possible. It can definitely be good to use props, as a pistol or rifle. Anything that makes it feel better. Otherwise you should try to keep it as neutral as possible. You do not want to focus remains on the wrong stuff. Only add if it gives nothing. I försöke usually dress the way I think that a character dress, unless there is a god ... It was just neutral clothing.




Joel Kinnaman about ...

Lola Versus (on DVD November 14)

- It was a lighthearted story and recording. Fun to be five weeks in New York, and working with Greta Gerwig. She is an odd person. I have not spent so much time in romkomgenren so it was quite nice, not having to get bogged down in angst-ridden situations. It passed quickly away. I'm not getting as much out of it, but it was still fun.

Johan Falk - Codename Lisa (the movies February 8)

- It is the last in the series, that's when the resolution comes the story of Frank Wagner. Much of what drew me to the project from the beginning, it happens in the film. If it gets a happy ending? You'll have to wait and see ... (Laughter)

Arthur & Lancelot

- I had started working on it, ridträning and fencing. Lancelot was also a damn good role. I made sure that his courage must come from a death wish, that he is a bit suicidal. I felt I had something going on. But the project is completely dead now. Then I got "RoboCop" instead, and can say it was a couple of notches up.

Snabba Cash II
Biopremiär:17 augusti 2012
Regissör:Babak Najafi
Snabba Cash III
Biopremiär:27 september 2013
Regissör:Jens Jonsson
RoboCop
Biopremiär: 9 augusti 2013
Regissör:

[ohva]

source: www.gp.se/kulturno...innaman-siktar-pa-toppen




Five years ago, played to the king of gloom as Raskolnikov in Crime and Punishment in Backa Theatre. Now that the international breakthrough has become a fact forges Fast Cash 2-aktuelle Joel Kinnaman plans to build his own movie empire.

He smokes his battery-powered electronic cigarette. Water vapor escapes into the air, nicotine takes the other way, into Joel Kinna's lungs.
It is a busy and very physically fit man who sits and sucks on his cigarette at a hotel a stone's throw from Stureplan in his hometown of Stockholm. If Hammarby Comforter Kinnaman had hoped for a few days off ports those hopes dashed. And after waiting Stockholm, London, New York, Stockholm again and Los Angeles.

Longing for fixed point

With its basiga, crabbed little voice and his very Stockholmian dialect he notes that he longs for a certain fixed point and more time with the important people. Sometimes. But the restlessness would come quickly if he really was in the same place all the time. The rootless life is the result of Joel Kinna's acting career has taken off significantly with the role of police Stephen Holder in the TV series The Killing , and with films like Fast Cash, Safe house , and the remake of RoboCop which kicks off on September 10.

So instead of peace and quiet, he cool experiences and the opportunity to work with people he respects and find interesting.

- I feel respect from people like myself look up to. And of course, I have other economic opportunities. It is also awesome and nothing I had expected, said Joel Kinnaman who was not very good in school and had no great talents or dreams.

Småpessimistisk

He describes it as he was a bit småpessimistisk for their own future. Maybe he could be half shitty copywriter at a third-class advertising agency in Sveg. The only thing he was good at was relationships, social life, and he had a large circle of friends. Experience was what he was going to be rich.

Relatively unconcerned wandering teenager Joel Kinnaman ahead in life despite poor attendance meant that he did not receive any high school grades. Money, he was always in through short positions in barsvängen.

After high school, he decided to travel for seven years, and then, when he turned 26, simply take a decision on the future. To get closer to the trip he took to Oslo and worked at the factory and lied to a barchefsjobb in the French Alps, a job he was utterly unqualified for.

- The masked me by being incredibly rude to all guests. Then it seems that you know what you're doing. I thought. Every time someone ordered a drink I could not so I said: It does not exist anymore. I was schooled in Stockholm restaurant world, then you should be rude. In the end, I was startled because I was not feeling so good about that.

Seven-year journey

After three or four months, Joel Kinnaman collected enough money to begin a seven year journey out into the world.

Joel Kinnaman has dual citizenship. His American father deserted the Vietnam War, lived on the run in Laos and northern Thailand for five years and ended up in Sweden. So that part of the world is important to the family mythology as Joel Kinnaman puts it.

He went to an ordinary municipal nursery that had an English-speaking department and later in elementary school, he went into a home language class, which resulted in the overnight party in one million program suburb of Tensta, as well as in the affluent Djursholm. English was free which makes it a lot easier when he makes Hollywood career.

His sister became a child star

While growing up was acting there as a kind of familiar. His half sister Melinda Kinnaman who became a child star in My Life as a Dog 1985 showed up the world and when Joel Kinnaman was ten years old, he got a role in the SVT focus Metropolitan of Ingmar Bergman's son Daniel who was with Melinda.

The seven rib was only one and a half and when Joel Kinnaman stopover in Stockholm to save up for a new journey, to South America, he became interested when one of his best friends, Gustaf Skarsgård, passionately talked about acting and Stage School, where he went then. So Joel searched where he and prepared a lot, including a monologue from Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night . Emotions welled up and he really felt at home in Edmunds showdown with his father. Joel Kinnaman read to Gustaf Skarsgård and shook and sweated and lived himself into the role so much that it just became aggressive grunts. He said not a single intelligible word. In Joel's own head was all clearly, but only there.

Missed Stage School

But there were moments when it felt right, when everything was one big calm. In the Stage School, he is not on the first two attempts. Instead, he went a year at a small theater school, worked as a bartender and got a couple of film roles, including eight replicas in the thriller The Invisible . Eventually, he came into the Theatre Academy in Malmö.

- Then I thought: If I do not belong to the top ten percent of my generation within five years after I passed out, then I'll find something else to do. But what the hell, I could not otherwise. But then it felt right to have a goal. It's a scary and uncertain profession.

He puffs on his electric cigarette and celebrates education but sighs that many of the school went into a role. It could be in a certain way.

- My parents were communists when I grew up but I was still annoyed that all would be left. It was and is unpleasant for everyone to think the same thing.

Sets Ultimatum

He is a little drastic, Joel Kinnaman. Like when he once again and threatens himself and sets ultimatum. Now it's about the theater he did not spend any time in recent years.

- If I do not come back to the theater in a few years, it is purely negative for my development.

When he talks about the acting profession, he is far from the drama The Myth of severe anxiety. Romanticism about the suffering artist makes him feel sick. That attitude put him to the test when he was cast as Raskolnikov in Crime and Punishment in Backa Theatre 2007th

- Yes, it was an open goal. It was made to walk around by yourself at night in the streets of Gothenburg. Being depressed and not talking to anyone, sit at home and drink wine and go into some kind of semi-psychosis. I decided instead that I would feel so damn good during the rehearsal process. Otherwise, it can be like an acting competition in feel worst.

Misplace

Joel Kinnaman has lost four phones this year alone. Distracted is the word he uses. But now, with the money that success gives him, he can afford to replace the things he misplace.
U.S. becomes more and more at home for him, which he did not believe the Bush administration days, when he could not imagine spending much time there. Soon he gives into the Brazilian director José Padilhas RoboCop-world.

- It will be good. He is perfect for the film. He's tough. The film has type $ 160 million in the budget and many are very nervous when their careers are at stake. Flops such a film get top company boss rush, so it's just. Then you have to have a director who has big enough balls to keep his vision and make the right trade-offs.

Manage position

He is well aware that he has been an important year ahead of him to manage his position in the acting world. It is now he has the opportunity to do the lead role in the budget-quality films, it's the roles he is looking for and it is in anticipation of the great movie will have its premiere as the smaller films can free ride on all the attention that some actors give.

- Sure, I think strategically. I'm building a career course. The goal is to get greater and greater choice and hence power. With this power you can start your own projects and ultimately produce their own films where you can choose which ones are included. And what stories they want to tell. There will not be in Sweden, says Joel Kinnaman and continues:

- It's amazing the film that does not need to be profitable, as it may be in Sweden, and that makes our cultural life is rich. But to get there you have to have a different type of skill, one that I have not. I want to work with my extended family of friends and colleagues whom I respect.

Stockholm is home

Hollywood career in spite of Stockholm is home of Joel Kinnaman is now going to buy a new apartment in the capital. There are also plans to have a base in New York while he spends a lot of time in Los Angeles.

It's fine now Joel Kinnaman, on several levels. During the summer, he has increasingly open and increasingly appeared with actress and model Olivia Munn.

Yet, despite the film star status, he does not see his career as a revenge because he was not a particularly successful pupil.

- In high school, there were probably a few teachers that would have little småglada if I had died. It was really bad and if you saw the weaknesses of any teacher there and where to cut. But otherwise, I was not a bad student, I missed the most discipline to take me to school. The discipline has come in old age.

Martin Röshammar

CHARLES JOEL KINNAMAN NORDSTRÖM, 32



What makes you laugh?
- My friends.

What are you most proud of?
- My family.

During the reading lamp?
- I read about A Million Little Pieces by James Frey.

Who would you like to be?
- Steven Seagal.

Who are you most inspired by?
- Chuck Norris.

What is the best advice you have received?
- It's how you handle your adversity that defines you.

New York or Los Angeles?
- Both.

Vain?
- I'm not particularly vain!

Family
Large. Together with actress Olivia Munn.

Lives
Going to buy a new apartment in Stockholm but also plans to have its future base in New York.

MUSIC


Joel Kinnaman love black music, especially hip hop.Which just made him an oddity at the Theatre Academy in Malmö. He listens a lot on Kendrick Lamar and one may assume that Joel did not miss Asap Rocky on Way out West last weekend.


THEATRE


Television series The Killing, where he made the role as Stephen Holder is abandoned after two seasons and 26 episodes. Maybe it opens for a comeback on the stage while Joel Kinnaman notes that "to be in a play does nothing for one's career."

HOLLYWOOD


As a foreigner in show business in the U.S. has an advantage as Joel Kinnaman. Not least because they do not know much about the culture and the environment they come from. "You have to be a little hard, show this, I accept this and I do not accept."

[ohva]

source: la-confidential-magazine.com/channels/personalities/insights/swede-success?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Joel Kinnaman Conquers Hollywood
Talented actor transforms himself from gritty TV cop to RoboCop.
SEPTEMBER 05, 2012

Read more at la-confidential-magazine.com/channels/personalities/insights/swede-success?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter#Sl5icssmMJzi6ljG.99



Joel Kinnaman is living the dream. His performance as the scruffy yet shrewd Detective Stephen Holder on the AMC drama The Killing has put him on a short list of Hollywood’s leading men. And, in a move that will forever cement his status as movie star, he is about to headline the 2013 remake of RoboCop. Looking at the past year, it seems the 32-year-old actor’s rise to fame has been nothing short of meteoric.

But for the native Swede, the path to stardom has been decades in the making. Kinnaman was raised in Stockholm by a Swedish therapist mother and an American father who came to Sweden after deserting the US Army during the Vietnam War. When he was 10, he landed a part on a soap opera, but gave up acting a year later when the show was canceled. Kinnaman was inspired to finally pursue acting as a career when, at 20, his best friend from high school, Gustaf Skarsgård (Stellan’s son, Alexander’s brother) got into theater school.

“[Acting] was the first thing in my life that I felt I was good at,” admits Kinnaman, who was accepted into theater school on his fourth try (this is typical in Scandinavia, where most prestigious art programs accept no more than 10 students annually) and quickly established himself as a working actor. “I felt I’d always been mediocre at everything else. This was something I could do.”

When Kinnaman wants something, he is nothing if not determined. In person, he can come across as a no-nonsense kind of guy, brightening up noticeably when discussing Sweden, where he lives when not in Los Angeles or Vancouver, where The Killing films. But he quickly realized his straightforward demeanor wasn’t working for him at American auditions. “I thought, ‘Oh, this Hollywood thing is going to be easy. I got this!’ But, no, no, no,” he says, laughing. “It was months of constant rejection. The note I was getting for everything was, ‘Very intense.’ Or, ‘For this romantic comedy, we don’t want a psychopath.’”

It’s easy to joke about it now, but the experience almost kept him from auditioning for his current role. “I was dragging my feet,” admits Kinnaman, who by the time he received the script had already returned home to Sweden to promote Easy Money, a film he starred in. “I was sick of all the rejection. But I finally manned up and put myself on tape.”

As Holder, the narc-turned-homicide detective who battles demons from his own substance abuse, Kinnaman’s intensity has finally found its perfect outlet. His slightly misspent teenage years hanging with the wrong crowd and getting into brawls in pre-gentrified Stockholm served as great research for a character far more comfortable on the streets than behind a desk. “That’s the beauty of acting,” he says. “You can really use the negative experiences you’ve had in your life and make them into something positive, creative, and possibly beautiful. As an actor, the most ugly moments of life are the most interesting to explore.”

The challenge he now faces, as he prepares for the RoboCop reboot, is bringing humanity to a movie that is expected to be an action spectacle of massive proportions. Not that Kinnaman is turning his nose up at being an action star. The actor, who now spends most of his days in arduous training, is clearly psyched about what’s ahead. “I’m boxing and weight training, getting licensed to ride a motorcycle, and shooting rifles out in the desert,” he says, with boyish glee. “Life is pretty f---ing awesome.”

—Carita Rizzo
PHOTOGRAPH BY JENNIFER ROCHOLL/SESSIONS/RETNA LTD

[ohva]

Since there is no news and no new pictures, I am bumping this article. For some reason, the tweeting Swedes just noticed this September issue of a Swedish magazine yesterday, where he said he was a Social Democrat politically. Really, they should visit the Dome more often. The article has been sitting here since it came out. There were lots of tweets liking and disliking this, of course.

Although he is invisible in the USA right now, he's getting lots of tweets in Sweden. People are watching the Johan Falk series, and The Killing has recently started playing there. Plus the release of Snabba II on DVD. Some are even watching Lola Versus. He is a very big deal in Sweden, the major star.

Google translations:

Anna ❤ ❤ ❤ RT @ sweettoothannie Joel Kinnaman , the heart, brain and good vision = is a socialist: http:// whinar.se/2013/01/11/joe ...d
22hJenny M @ millbergskan

22hStargazer Maren @ Elin Lime
http:// damernasvarld.se/art/247851/nrg ngen_intervju_med_joel_kinn / ... Joel Kinnaman like the left block and want the citizens to fall, preferably yesterday. Damn good looking he is

23hغزال @ ghazmerize
Hey Joel Kinnaman comes out as tax on the welfare lover in this interview, unexpected! http:// damernasvarld.se/art/247851/nrg ngen_intervju_med_joel_kinn / ... (via @sweettoothannie )

11 JanDillePille @ DillePille
Aw Joel Kinnaman is Labour.

January 11Johan Martinsson @ Martinsson Vallarta
@ HGullby Joel Kinnaman is apparently pronounced Labour and now people happy.

January 11Johan Martinsson @ Martinsson Vallarta
All right. Did I understand it right now. Folks today are suddenly birthday party for Joel Kinnaman "Come out" by Labour? I can not.

January 11TOVA @ djtova
Yeah Joel Kinnaman is Labour? It may be we still ...

January 11David Eklind Kloo @ davideklindkloo
Some days I like the Ladies World extra. Joel Kinnaman about his Socialist beliefs: http:// damernasvarld.se/art/247851/nrg ngen_intervju_med_joel_kinn / ...

January 11Maja Prahl @ prahl_
Joel Kinnaman is Labour. Disappointment. There will never be us.

January 11Hanna @ hanna_lindquist
Today's top news: Joel Kinnaman 's Labour! Quite right.

January 11Markus Mattila @ Markus_Mattila
Joel Kinnaman is probably Sweden hunkigaste Labour. Without competition.

January 11Robin Zachari @ RobinZachari
Joel Kinnaman is Sweden's second hunikigaste Labour.

January 11Claes Nordmark @ Claes_Nordmark
Interesting interview with Joel Kinnaman who talk politics and is clear that he is Labour. http:// damernasvarld.se/art/247851/nrg ngen_intervju_med_joel_kinn / ...

January 11Sandra Ackefjord @ SandraAckefjord
A novelty to all brides out there. Joel Kinnaman is a Social Democrat. Wonderful! # svpol

January 11Robin Zachari @ RobinZachari
Want to become superhunkig? Do as Joel Kinnaman , becoming Labour you! http:// damernasvarld.se/art/247851/nrg ngen_intervju_med_joel_kinn / ...

January 11Nenne Tank @ NenneMehari
Joel Kinnaman is arguably Sweden's pride in the film industry.