Alexander Skarsgård usually gravitates toward morally conflicted characters. In Wicker, he plays one with none of that.
The Sundance hit from directors Eleanor Wilson and Alex Huston Fischer stars Olivia Colman as a fisherwoman shunned by her village who has a husband made for her by the local basketmaker (Peter Dinklage). Skarsgård plays that wicker husband, whose openness upends her guarded life and the village around them. Colman and Skarsgård spoke exclusively with BLKCinema.com about the Fisherwoman learning to let love in and the challenge of playing a character with no ulterior motives.
Olivia Colman on the Fisherwoman letting love in
Colman said the Fisherwoman’s armor, and what it takes to drop it, is what drew her to the role.
“I loved that journey that she had. She did feel strong. She’s had to develop an armor. She’s been on her own from very young, possibly can’t remember what it’s like to be loved, but somehow she has a very good moral compass. And although she’s mocked by everybody, I suppose the lesson she learns is that you can only really love and be loved if you do open yourself up to it,” Colman said. “So this wonderful soul that comes into her life teaches her as much as she teaches him. They teach each other what is needed to be loved. She definitely gets it wrong more than him, but I love that journey that they have together, and that’s one of the things I loved in the script. It was totally original. I didn’t want anyone else to play her. I would have got quite punchy.”
“Falling in love is exhilarating, but it’s also scary because you’re vulnerable. You’re opening yourself up. The Fisherwoman has that line in the movie, like, ‘You have my heart now.’ It’s scary. Someone else is in control of that,” she continued. “You can’t get hurt if you don’t let any people in, but it can also be quite lonely. She’s opening up and letting him in, and again, it’s beautiful, but it’s also intimidating.”
Alexander Skarsgård on playing a character without conflict
Skarsgård said the wicker husband’s earnestness was new territory for him.
“I found that fascinating, and it was also a little intimidating, because there was a purity to the character that was exciting, but also something I haven’t done before, really,” Skarsgård said. “I usually gravitate towards characters like the villagers, who are more morally conflicted, where there’s internal friction. It’s easy for me to lean into that and find a character. This didn’t have that. There was an earnestness and a purity to the character that was very important as a juxtaposition to the villagers and the social hierarchy that they adhere to.”
“But I saw that as a creative challenge. All right, well, he has this purity, but it was also important to make it not feel too flat, for the audience to invest in this relationship,” he continued. “It was definitely a character I hadn’t played before.”
When does ‘Wicker’ open in theaters?
As previously reported, Wicker opens in select theaters Oct. 23 before expanding nationwide Oct. 30 via Black Bear.
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