Alexander Skarsgård has finally addressed long-running speculation about his sexuality while clarifying comments that sparked widespread discussion online last year.
The actor, best known for roles in Big Little Lies, Succession and True Blood, spoke candidly in a new Variety cover story, explaining that remarks he made while promoting his upcoming film Pillion were never intended as a personal revelation.
The speculation first gained traction following Skarsgård’s appearance at the Zurich Film Festival, where he discussed Pillion, which opens February 6.
In the film, Skarsgård stars as the dominant partner in a gay BDSM relationship, and was asked what aspects of his own life he brought to the role.
‘I found that in this case, it’s not really relevant what my background is. I mean, I do have a kid, but what I’ve done in the past, who I’ve been with, men, women…,’ he said at the time. ‘To me, what was important was that this felt like an opportunity to tell a story about a subculture I hadn’t seen portrayed this way – with so much authenticity.’
Those comments were widely interpreted on social media as Skarsgård coming out as bisexual.
Alexander Skarsgård has finally addressed long-running speculation about his sexuality while clarifying comments that sparked widespread discussion online last year (seen in 2025)
In his latest interview, however, the actor made clear that was not the case.
‘Oh,’ he said when asked about the reaction. ‘That it resonated with my past? It was definitely not an intended statement. I don’t know what I was talking about. Maybe it has to do with – there’s a lot of focus sometimes on me as an actor. Maybe it was trying to shift the focus more to the story and these characters. And the importance of telling the story like this.’
Elsewhere in the Variety interview, Skarsgård addressed the attention surrounding his increasingly bold, gender-fluid and bondage-inspired red carpet looks while promoting Pillion.
‘Um,’ he said hesitantly, ‘I never buy clothes. If you saw my closet, my wardrobe is very limited. I’m not a big consumer of fashion. I don’t spend money on expensive brands. I really enjoy the creativity of it, but it’s not like I’m out shopping for these outfits. I guess it’s something I’ve leaned into a bit more of late.’
Skarsgård’s comments arrive after years of public fascination with his on-screen portrayals of queer and sexually fluid characters.
He is perhaps best known for playing Eric Northman on HBO’s True Blood from 2008 to 2014 – an openly bisexual, pansexual vampire whose storylines included relationships with both men and women.
And, back, in 2006, he portrayed a transgender woman in the film Kill Your Darlings.
More recently, Pillion has again placed Skarsgård at the center of conversations about sexuality and subculture.
In the A24 film, he portrays Ray, a dominant biker who enters a BDSM-focused relationship with a younger man played by Harry Melling.
The actor spoke candidly in a new Variety cover story, explaining that remarks he made while promoting his upcoming film Pillion were never intended as a personal revelation
‘Oh,’ he said when asked about the reaction. ‘That it resonated with my past? It was definitely not an intended statement. I don’t know what I was talking about’
Previously, Skarsgård joked about his on-screen kissing experiences.
When asked in 2016 to name the best kisser among Margot Robbie, Nicole Kidman and Ryan Kwanten, he quipped: ‘Out of the three I’ve got to say Ryan Kwanten is surprisingly a good kisser actually.’
‘He’s very tender. You wouldn’t think it because he’s kind of a tough guy but very soft, gentle, tender touch,’ he added.
Skarsgård famously locked lips with Kwanten during a raunchy scene on True Blood in 2014.
Most recently, the actor made headlines at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival after his film Pillion received a seven-minute standing ovation.
To celebrate the moment, Skarsgård hugged and kissed fellow actor Pedro Pascal, planting a kiss on the cheek of a smiling Pascal as cameras rolled.
He is perhaps best known for playing Eric Northman on HBO’s True Blood from 2008 to 2014 – an openly pansexual vampire whose storylines included relationships with men and women
And, back, in 2006, he portrayed a transgender woman in the film Kill Your Darlings (seen R)
In 2016, he also discussed having a gay uncle with Pride Source in 2016.
‘I don’t know if you know this, but gay men love you,’ the Pride Source reporter said. ‘Is that surprising to hear?
‘I don’t know how to answer that question, but thank you. That’s very flattering to hear,’ Skarsgård explained. ‘It’s always been the most natural thing to me because my uncle and godfather is a gay man. So, growing up – even as a little toddler – it was just as natural as being straight.’
‘My aunt would show up with her husband, and my uncle would show up with his husband,’ the actor added. ‘He was, by far, out of my father’s four siblings, the most fashionable and the most trendy, cool guy. So, when I was a kid, he was the one I looked up to. I thought he was really badass: Fit and awesome and cool, and obviously not just because he was gay. When I became a teenager and the kids made fun of other teenagers who were gay, I never really understood that.’
Skarsgård concluded, ‘It just baffled me because my idol, my godfather, was gay… And he was the coolest guy I knew. I just couldn’t understand how that could be an insult.’
