Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård has spoken candidly about the lasting effects of a stroke he suffered three years ago, which forced him to adopt new technology to continue acting. The 74-year-old star of Good Will Hunting and Dune told Vulture that the stroke weakened his argumentation and language skills, leaving him “really scared.”
“I feel that I cannot fight. I can’t have a discussion,” Skarsgård said. However, he has found a way to work using an earpiece with a prompter that feeds him lines. He explained that the prompter must deliver lines quickly and neutrally, and that the process requires significant training. “There’s more work now than there was before,” he added.
The actor admitted that he struggles to recall names and follow complex thoughts, but remains grateful to be alive and able to work. “I’m not afraid of dying, but I am afraid of not being capable of living,” he said, adding that his greatest fear is “being boring.”
Skarsgård also joked about his eight children, six of whom are actors, including Alexander, Gustaf, and Bill. He dismissed the idea of them being “nepo babies,” instead calling himself a “nepo daddy” for benefiting from their success.
