With Mads Mikkelsen and Nikolaj Arcel’s latest collaboration “The Promised Land” in theaters this week, it seems a good a time as any to take a spin through the distinctive Danish star’s illustrious career, which has moved seamlessly back and forth between his native country and more global Hollywood films, and features longstanding collaborations with many of Denmark’s finest auteurs.
The former professional dancer’s first feature film role came in 1996, with the gritty criminal underworld drama “Pusher,” directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, playing Tonny, a drug dealing associate of the main character, Frank. The film ballooned into a trilogy, with Mikkelsen’s Tonny taking the lead in the 2004 sequel, “Pusher II.” Check these films out for an early look at Mikkelsen and Refn’s work (Refn would go on to direct “Drive,” “Only God Forgives,” “The Neon Demon” and more). Stream both films on Prime Video, Hulu and Kanopy.
While Mikkelsen started appearing in U.S. films in 2004, starting with Antoine Fuqua’s “King Arthur,” his real global breakthrough was in the 2006 James Bond film “Casino Royale,” playing the one-eyed villain Le Chiffre opposite Daniel Craig. Stream the Martin Campbell-directed “Casino Royale” on Prime Video or rent it elsewhere online.
He was similarly cyclopian playing the pagan warrior One Eye while reteaming with Refn in the 2009 Viking movie “Valhalla Rising.” This moody, visually stunning film is nearly silent, making use of Mikkelsen’s stoic presence, and it’s a tone poem of violence and sweeping landscapes. Stream it on AMC+, the Roku Channel, Tubi and Mubi.