
Mikael Åke Persbrandt, born 25 September 1963) is a Swedish actor. In Swedish films, he is perhaps best known for playing Gunvald Larsson in the Beck series of movies. He is internationally known for his starring role in the Academy Award-winning feature, In a Better World, directed by Susanne Bier. His performance earned him a 2011 European Film Award nomination for Best Actor. Other parts include the role of Carl Hamilton from the novels by Jan Guillou, Beorn in The Hobbit, as well as Jakob Nyman in the English TV series Sex Education. He has performed onstage with the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm and in numerous film and TV roles. Persbrandt is well known for his role as the hardboiled police inspector Gunvald Larsson, in the Beck series of films. He won the Guldbagge Award for Best Actor in a leading role twice, the first in 2009 for Everlasting Moments and the second in 2014 for Nobody Owns Me. In 2015, Persbrandt reported that he would quit starring in his popular role of Gunvald Larsson. In 2019, Persbrandt began playing Jakob Nyman in the Netflix comedy drama Sex Education. He was a leading actor in the film The Salvation.

Foundation
TV • 2021

Sex Education
TV • 2019

Beck
TV • 1999

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
MOVIE • 2014

Rederiet
TV • 1992

The Kingdom
TV • 1994

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
MOVIE • 2013

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
MOVIE • 2017

Svensson, Svensson
TV • 1994

Innocently Convicted
TV • 2008

The Girl in the Spider's Web
MOVIE • 2018

Invisible Heroes
TV • 2019

The Hypnotist
MOVIE • 2012

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
MOVIE • 2020

The Salvation
MOVIE • 2014

Medicinmannen
TV • 2005

Reindeer Mafia
TV • 2023

The Unlikely Murderer
TV • 2021