Aksel Hennie (born 29 October 1975) is a Norwegian actor, director, and screenwriter. He is best known for his roles in the films Headhunters (2011), Hercules (2014), and The Martian (2015).

Aksel Hennie
Hennie posing with one of his graffiti works in October 2017
Born (1975-10-29) 29 October 1975 (age 49)
Oslo, Norway
Occupation(s)Actor, director, screenwriter
Spouse
Karoline Hegbom
(m. 2019)
Children3

Early life

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Hennie was born in the Lambertseter suburb of Oslo on 29 October 1975.[1] In his late teens, he was arrested for graffitiing, and became an outcast in the graffiti community after confessing to the police. His "writes" or signatures were "Ceel" and "Mikro" and can still be seen around Oslo. Most of them are crossed out or lined over because of his confession. This personal story contributed much of the background for the film Uno. The conviction against Hennie was one of the first such cases in Norway.[1]

Career

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Hennie was admitted to the Norwegian National Academy of Theatre after applying four times.[2] He graduated in 2001, and has acted both at Teatret Vårt in Molde (2001–2002) and at Oslo Nye Teater (since 2002), where he has been in plays such as Hamlet and Kvinnen Som Gifftet Seg Med en Kalkun (The Woman Who Married a Turkey).[3]

Hennie's most notable success has been as a film actor. He made his debut starring in the feature film Jonny Vang in 2003. Although the director, Jens Lien, originally thought Hennie was too young for the role, the actor convinced him he was the right man for the film.[4] That same year, he also acted in the films Buddy and Ulvesommer. The next year, Hennie made his debut as a director and writer with the film, Uno, in which he also acted. For this role, Hennie and his co-star, Nicolai Cleve Broch, undertook six months of hard physical training in order to perform convincingly as bodybuilders.[2]

In 2001, Hennie was named "Theatre Talent of the Year" by the newspaper Dagbladet.[5] Hennie won the Amanda Award (an important Norwegian film award), for "Best Direction" for Uno in 2005. That year he was among the nominees for "Best Actor" and "Best Film." He won an Amanda Award for "Best Actor" for Jonny Vang in 2003. He was named one of European film's "Shooting Stars" by the European Film Promotion in 2004.

In 2008, Hennie starred in Max Manus, where he played the Norwegian war hero of the same name. The film had a large budget by Norwegian standards.[6] In 2011, Age of Heroes was released, a World War II film primarily shot in Norway.[7] On 30 August 2013, Pionér, a docudrama, was released. Hennie plays the main role as a commercial offshore diver in the North Sea during the 1970s who witnesses an accident while diving under extreme conditions, prompting him to search for answers.[8]

On 1 December 2013, Hennie won an Angela Award at the Subtitle European Film Festival in Kilkenny for his role in the film 90 Minutes. That evening he appeared at a showing of Headhunters, and did a question and answer session with the audience in the theatre after the film.[9]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1990–1998 Bobby's Verden
1998 1732 Høtten Arnt-Olaf
2000 Fort Forever Even Short film
2002 Anolit Stefan Short film
2003 Buddy Geir
Jonny Vang Jonny Vang
Ulvesommer Pål
2004 Den Som Frykter Ulven Stefan
Hawaii, Oslo Trygve
Uno David Also directed
Tell me everything goes well Smith Short film
The one who fears the wolf Stefan
2005 Terkel in Trouble In the Norwegian version, all voices were performed by actor Aksel Hennie
The Hardest Words In The World The Husband Short film
2007 Torpedo (TV series) Sebastian
2008 Max Manus: Man of War Max Manus
Salary Christer
In a mirror, in a riddle Enge
2010 A Somewhat Gentle Man Samí
2011 Headhunters Roger Brown
Age of Heroes Lieutenant Steinar Mortensen
2012 90 minutter Trond
2013 Pioneer Petter Jensen
2014 24 Karl Rask Day 9: 4:00pm–5:00pm
Hercules Tydeus
2015 Last Knights Geza Mott
The Martian Dr. Alex Vogel
2016 Nobel Erling Riiser NOMINATED- 2017 Gullruten Best Actor, TV Drama
Smuggler Arthur Omre
2018 The Cloverfield Paradox Volkov
Mordene i Kongo Joshua French
2020 The Doorman Borz
White Wall Lars Ruud
2021 The Trip/ I Onde Dager Lars
The Middle Man Arthur Clintstone
2022 Sisu Bruno Helldorf Finnish film
Kent State

Theatre

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Year Title Role Director Theatre
2022 2023 Actor Peer Gynt written by Henrik Ibsen Per Olav Sörensen Gålå

Awards and nominations

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Year Organization Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
2001 Dagbladet Theatre Talent of the Year Himself Won
2003 Brussels European Film Festival Best Actor Himself for Jonny Vang Won
Amanda Award Best Male Lead Himself for Jonny Vang Won
2004 Viareggio EuropaCinema FIPRESCI Prize Himself for Uno Won
Molodist Film Festival Best Actor Himself for Uno Nominated
Molodist Film Festival Best Young Actor Himself for Uno Won
Nordic Filmtage Lübeck Church Film Prize Himself for Uno Won
2005 Amanda Award Best Director Himself for Uno Won
Amanda Award Best Male Actor Himself for Uno Nominated
Festival Premiers Plans d'Angers Special Jury Prize Himself for Uno Won
Cinequest Film Festival Best First Feature Award Himself for Uno Won
Nordic Film Festival Jury's Grand Prix Himself for Uno Won
Kosmorama Film Festival The Canon Prize for Best Himself for Uno Won
Kosmorama Film Festival The best prize Himself for Uno Won
Palic International Film Festival Silver Tower Himself for Uno Won
2008 Amanda Award Best Male Actor Himself for Cold Lunch Nominated
2009 Amanda Award Best Male Actor Himself for Max Manus: Man of War Won
2012 Amanda Award Best Male Lead Himself for Headhunters Nominated
2013 Canon Prize Best Male Lead Himself for Pioneer Nominated
2014 Amanda Award Best Male Actor Himself for Pioneer Won [10]
2016 Elle Norway's Most Sexy Man 2016 Himself Won
2017 Gullruten Best Actor, TV Drama Himself for Nobel Nominated [11]

References

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  1. ^ a b Heyerdahl, Nicolai; Frode Hansen (2004-10-07). "Aksel Hennies hemmelige fortid". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2008-07-23.
  2. ^ a b Hartz, Kine B (2004-07-03). "Skuddsikker". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2008-07-23.
  3. ^ "Aksel Hennie" (in Norwegian). Oslo Nye Teater. Archived from the original on 2007-10-10. Retrieved 2008-07-23.
  4. ^ Sissel Fantoft (2002-06-28). "En bygdelatino går til filmen". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2008-07-23.
  5. ^ "Aksel Hennie" (in Norwegian). Snurrfilm.no. Archived from the original on November 10, 2007. Retrieved 2008-07-23.
  6. ^ Thorkildsen, Joakin (2008-02-06). "Disse Skal Lage Norsk Krigsfilm til 50 Mill". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2008-07-23.
  7. ^ Maaland, Borghild (2010-03-31). "Aksel Hennie I Britisk Krigsfilm Innspilling Over Påske". VG (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2010-10-14.
  8. ^ Maugesten, Hanne Marie (2013-08-09). "Pionéren - Vi Kan Takke Magn Muledal og Hans Kolleger for Velferden vår, Mener Aksel Hennie". Aftenposten A-magasinet (in Norwegian). p. 10.
  9. ^ "Angela Awards Announced". Archived from the original on 2015-11-05. Retrieved 2015-07-28.
  10. ^ Amanda Award: «Pioneer» mot «Skam»
  11. ^ Gullruten: «Nobel» mot «vinnerne 2014»
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