Thure Lindhardt

A chameleonic powerhouse, actor Thure Lindhardt first reached international audiences with a small role in the Oscar-winning "Pelle erobreren" ("Pelle the Conqueror") (1987). Determined to reach his full potential as a serious actor, Lindhardt continuously chose challenging roles, including an autistic young man suspected of murder in "Her I nærheden" ("A Place Nearby") (2000). Winning several international awards, he went on to notch high-profile roles in "Nordkraft" (2005), "Flame and Citron" (2008), "Broderskab" ("Brotherhood") (2009) and "The Island" (2011) as well as supporting turns in mainstream American projects like "Into the Wild" (2007) and "Angels & Demons" (2009).

He wowed critics around the world for his unforgettable turn as a gay filmmaker enmeshed in a searing, addiction-plagued romance with a closeted lawyer (Zachary Booth) in the powerful independent film "Keep the Lights On" (2012), which earned him considerable acclaim. Considered by many to be one of the greatest Danish actors of his generation, Thure Lindhardt brought an impressive intensity to any role which he chose to inhabit.

Born Dec. 24, 1974 in Copenhagen, Denmark, Thure Frank Lindhardt made his screen debut at age 12 as a mail carrier in "Negerkys og labre larver" (1987), but achieved his international breakthrough as a schoolboy in Bille August's Oscar-winning "Pelle erobreren" ("Pelle the Conqueror") (1987). Lindhardt's taste of early film success strengthened his desire to make his mark as an actor, and after finishing his schooling, he pursued a versatile spectrum of challenging screen roles. After a series regular role on Lars von Trier's "Morten Korch - Ved stillebækken" (1999-2000), he appeared in the international productions "Far from China" (2001), "Nude, Descending " (2002) and "Her I nærheden" ("A Place Nearby") (2000), for which he was nominated for Best Actor from the Robert Festival and Bodil Awards.

Lindhardt went on to star in the bizarre comedies "One Hell of Christmas" (2002) and "Slim Slam Slum" (2002), but fared better with a performance in the addiction tale "Nordkraft" (2005) and a Zulu Award-winning performance in the World War II drama "Flame and Citron" (2008).

After lending his voice to the series "Jungledyret Hugo" (2003-04) and "The Fairytaler" (2004-05), he boosted his American profile with supporting roles in "Into the Wild" (2007) as a Danish tourist and in "Angels & Demons" (2009) as a Swiss Guardsman. He earned excellent reviews as a secretly gay neo-Nazi in the drama "Broderskab" ("Brotherhood") (2009) and a screenwriter navigating the ups and downs of relationships in "Sandheden om mænd" ("Truth About Men") (2010).

Although he continued to work steadily in such projects as "The Island" (2011), he dazzled critics around the world for his fearless performance as a documentary filmmaker in the addiction-fueled gay romance "Keep the Lights On" (2012). With much of the wrenching film resting on Lindhardt's shoulders, the actor earned fantastic reviews as well as nominations for a Breakthrough Actor Gotham Award as well as a Best Male Lead Independent Spirit Award.

By Jonathan Riggs