Bjørn Skagestad

At The National Theatre Bjørn Skagestad has interpreted, among much else, many of Ibsen's characters, Ejlert Lövborg in Hedda Gabler (1988 and 2010), Oswald in Ghosts (1988), Helmer in A Doll's House (1990), Erhard Borkman in John Gabriel Borkman (1991), Hjalmar Ekdal in The Wild Duck (1996), Johannes Rosmer in Rosmersholm (1998), Brack in Hedda Gabler (2002) and wholesaler Werle in The Wild Duck (2004).

He has had central parts in plays by Chekhov - Uncle Vanya in 1994, The Seagull in 1998 and The Cherry Orchard (2003).

In 1999 he was Faust opposite Monna Tandberg's Mephisto, he had the role of politician Paul Lange in Bjørnson's Paul Lange and Tora Parsberg (2000), and Gustav in Strindberg's Creditors in 2005. He had the role of the bishop in Fanny and Alexander (2009), and the title role in Galileo (2010).

Among his roles at other theatres are Georg von Trapp in Sound of Music (Edderkoppen 2008) and Anton Schindler in 33 Variations (The Norwegian Theatre 2012).

He has taken parts in several movies and TV series. He played Erlend in Liv Ullmann's filmatisation of Kristin Lavransdatter (1995) and had major parts in the TV series Western Wind (1994), At the King's Table (2005), Codename Hunter (2007),and Størst av alt* (Greatest of All) (2007).

Bjørn Skagestad was nominated for The Hedda Award 2006 in the best leading actor category for the role of Ray in Blackbird by David Harrower, produced by The National Theatre.

He received Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation'sradio theatre award Blå fugl (literally: Blue Bird) in 1991 and the Honorary Award of Per Aabel in 1998.

Bjørn Skagestad is son of the actor and artistic director Tormod Skagestad (1920-1997) and painter Karin Anna Jalm (born 1922).

A complete list of Bjørn Skagestad's roles at The National Theatre, can be found in the theatre's database. Skagestad has worked for the theatre from 1988, only with shorter leaves for the sake of roles in TV, movies or at other theatres.

Sources:

The Hedda Award

The National Theatre

Store Norske Leksikon on Bjørn Skagestad, http://snl.no/Bj%C3%B8rn_Skagestad

Norsk Biografisk Leksikon on Bjørn Skagestad, http://snl.no/.nbl_biografi/Bj%C3%B8rn_Skagestad/utdypning

*Not yet translated into English. The title within parentheses is the Norwegian title's literal meaning.

• The Per Aabel Honorary Award (Per Aabels ærespris) 1998 - The Per Aabel Honorary Award (Per Aabels ærespris) 1998

• The Hedda Award 2006 - Best leading actor