If you’ve ever seen a tall, vaguely menacing, yet undeniably charming Swedish man on your screen, there’s a roughly 80% chance his last name is Skarsgård. It's wild. Most people know Alexander from True Blood or his recent Emmy-winning run, but the guy is actually the leader of a literal army of siblings.
Honestly, trying to keep track of the Alexander Skarsgård siblings is like trying to map out a small European country. There are eight of them. Yes, eight. And while the world is obsessed with the "Skar-bros" dominating Hollywood, the actual family dynamic is way more interesting than just a bunch of handsome actors sharing a DNA pool. It's a mix of world-class surgeons, casting directors, and literal teenagers who are already better at acting than most veterans.
The Original Six: The My Skarsgård Era
Alexander is the eldest. He was born in 1976 to the legendary Stellan Skarsgård and his first wife, My Skarsgård. My is a physician, and that’s a detail that actually matters a lot in this family. While Stellan was out becoming one of the most famous actors in the world, My was the grounding force.
Between 1976 and 1995, they had six kids: Alexander, Gustaf, Sam, Bill, Eija, and Valter.
Gustaf: The Artistic Soul
Gustaf is only four years younger than Alex. If you’ve seen Vikings, you know him as Floki. He’s often described as the most "theatrical" of the bunch. He didn't just fall into acting; he studied it intensely. There’s a specific kind of intensity Gustaf brings that’s different from Alex’s brooding vibe. He’s the guy who went to the Stockholm Academy of Dramatic Arts and really ground it out.
Sam: The One Who "Actually Matters"
This is where the family gets cool. Sam Skarsgård is the third child, and he’s not an actor. Well, he tried it once as a kid in a film called Jim & Piraterna Blom, but he quickly realized it wasn't for him. Instead, he followed his mother into medicine.
Sam is an ICU doctor in Stockholm. Alexander has said in multiple interviews that there’s a bit of "actor's guilt" in the family. When they all sit down for dinner, you’ve got these guys who get paid millions to pretend to be vampires or clowns, and then you have Sam, who literally spent his day saving lives in an intensive care unit.
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Bill: The Global Phenomenon
You know Bill. Everyone knows Bill. He’s Pennywise from IT. He’s the star of The Crow (2024) and Nosferatu. Even though he’s much younger than Alexander, he’s arguably just as famous now. Bill has this specific look—those eyes—that makes him perfect for horror, but he’s also incredibly humble about the "family business." He once told Interview magazine that acting feels a bit silly compared to what his mom and brother Sam do.
Eija: The Only Sister (In the First Batch)
Eija is the only girl among the first six siblings. She started out as a model—which makes sense, given the family's average height is somewhere near the stratosphere—but she eventually moved behind the camera. Today, she’s a successful casting director. It’s kind of poetic, isn’t it? She’s the one deciding who gets the roles, while her brothers are the ones auditioning.
Valter: The Youngest of the First Set
Valter was born in 1995. He’s a massive star in Sweden, though he’s becoming more well-known globally through Netflix shows like The Playlist. He’s often the one you’ll see roasting his older brothers on social media. The age gap between him and Alex is nearly 20 years, yet they are remarkably close.
The "New" Addition: Ossian and Kolbjörn
Stellan and My divorced in 2007. A few years later, Stellan married Megan Everett, and they added two more to the tally: Ossian (born 2009) and Kolbjörn (born 2012).
These two are Alexander’s half-brothers, but in the Skarsgård household, those distinctions don't really seem to exist. They are just the "little ones." And, because the universe loves a theme, they are also acting.
- Ossian appeared in the film The Wife with his dad.
- Kolbjörn recently landed his first lead role in a Swedish TV show called Blood Cruise (Färjan) in 2025.
Basically, by the time we reach 2030, the entire IMDb database might just be a Skarsgård family tree.
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Why the Alexander Skarsgård Siblings Aren't Like Other Hollywood Families
We talk about "nepo babies" a lot these days. It’s a hot topic. But the Skarsgårds feel... different? Maybe it’s the Swedish sensibility. There is no "Main Character Energy" competition.
In a 2026 interview, Alexander mentioned that their house in Södermalm was always chaotic. It wasn't a "shh, dad is rehearsing" kind of home. It was a "bohemian, everyone is invited, there’s wine and loud talking" kind of home. This lack of preciousness about the craft is probably why they all seem so normal.
They don't compete for roles. Alex is the "leading man" type. Gustaf is the "character actor." Bill is the "chameleon." They each have their own lane.
The Height Factor (Seriously, it's a thing)
You can’t talk about this family without mentioning that they are giants.
- Alexander: 6'4"
- Bill: 6'4"
- Gustaf: 6'4"
- Stellan: 6'3"
When they all show up to a premiere together, it looks like a Viking raiding party in tuxedos. This physical presence has definitely helped them land specific types of roles—usually authority figures, villains, or supernatural beings.
Breaking Down the "Doctor vs. Actor" Dynamic
The most fascinating part of the Alexander Skarsgård siblings saga is the divide between the arts and sciences. It keeps them grounded.
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When Alexander won his Golden Globe for Big Little Lies, he reportedly went home and was just "big brother Alex" again. There’s a famous story about how they all hang out in South Stockholm, and despite the fame, they still take the subway and go to the same local bars.
Sam and their mother My are the anchors. They remind the "famous" ones that while storytelling is great, it’s not the only way to contribute to the world. That perspective is rare in Hollywood. It prevents the kind of ego-driven blowups we see in other famous dynasties.
What You Should Know If You're a Fan
If you're trying to keep up with the latest from the clan, here’s the current state of play as we head into the mid-2020s:
- Alexander is leaning more into producing and directing, though his role in the Murderbot series is currently his big focus.
- Bill is officially the king of "weird cinema." If a role requires someone to look beautiful yet terrifying, he’s getting the call.
- Valter is the one to watch for the "next big crossover." He’s moved past being "the little brother" and is leading his own series now.
- Eija is arguably the most powerful person in the family behind the scenes in the Swedish industry.
The Skarsgård name has become a brand of quality. If you see a Skarsgård on the poster, you know the performance will be grounded, intense, and probably involve some very impressive bone structure.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans
To really appreciate the family beyond just Alexander, check out these specific projects from the "lesser-known" siblings to see the range:
- Watch Gustaf in the Swedish film The Emigrants (Utvandrarna)—it’s a masterclass.
- Check out Valter in The Playlist on Netflix to see the modern side of Swedish acting.
- Look for Eija’s name in the credits of Scandinavian indies; she has an incredible eye for talent.
The Skarsgård dynasty isn't slowing down. With Ossian and Kolbjörn entering their teens and starting to take on major roles, we are looking at another twenty years of this family dominating the cultural conversation. They’ve managed to turn a household in Stockholm into a global talent pipeline, all while keeping a sense of humor and a deep respect for the medical professionals in their ranks.
Invest your time in following the younger siblings now. By the time they hit the Oscars, you can say you saw them coming before they were household names.
Next Steps for Deep-Diving:
Track the upcoming release schedules for Valter Skarsgård's new international projects to see how he is following Alexander’s path into the English-speaking market. Additionally, keep an eye on Swedish casting credits for Eija Skarsgård, as her influence on Nordic Noir continues to grow.