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Icelandic-American actor (born 1973) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ólafur Darri Ólafsson (born 3 March 1973)[1] is an Icelandic-American actor, producer, and screenwriter.[2] He is known for Fangavaktin, Children, Trapped and The Deep. On the international stage, he is known for his appearances in Lady Dynamite, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, and Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga.
Ólafur Darri Ólafsson | |
|---|---|
Ólafur in 2019 | |
| Born | 3 March 1973 Connecticut, U.S. |
| Citizenship |
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| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1998–present |
| Known for | Children Fangavaktin Trapped The Minister |
| Partner | Lovísa Ósk Gunnarsdóttir |
| Children | 2 |
Ólafur was born to Icelandic parents in Connecticut, United States, where his father studied medicine. His family returned to Iceland when he was around four years old.[3][4][5]
Ólafur graduated from the Icelandic Drama School in 1998. Afterward, he became involved in numerous productions with the National Theatre of Iceland and Reykjavík City Theatre, also working with various independent theatre groups. He is one of the founders of Vesturport Theatre in Reykjavík.[6]
Ólafur is best known internationally for his role as Andri, the chief of police in the small town of Seyðisfjörður in the east of Iceland, in the series Trapped. Baltasar Kormákur, who devised the series, has said that the actor was chosen because he was not a typical leading man. In the UK, the Guardian TV critic called his performance "as remarkable as the landscape". Ólafur himself has said that he based the character on his own father.[4]
In June 2016, Ólafur lip synced in the music video for Winter Sound by the Icelandic band Of Monsters and Men.[7]
In 2019, the actor was cast in AMC's series adaptation of Joe Hill's NOS4A2 as Bing Partridge.[8]
He is also an Icelandic dubber and has provided the voices of various characters in animated films, such as Ice Age, Lilo & Stitch, Brother Bear, and Kung Fu Panda, among others. [9]
Ólafur is in a relationship with Icelandic dancer Lovísa Ósk Gunnarsdóttir. They have two daughters, born in 2010 and 2014.[10]
Due to being born in the United States, he holds an American citizenship as well as an Icelandic one.[3]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | The Eagle | Computer thief | 1 episode |
| 2009 | 1066 The Battle for Middle Earth | Gyrd | 1 episode |
| Fangavaktin | Loðfíllinn | 7 episodes | |
| 2014 | Banshee | Jonah Lambrecht | 2 episodes |
| True Detective | Dewall | 1 episode | |
| Banshee Origins | Jonah Lambrecht | 1 episode | |
| 2015–21 | Trapped | Andri Ólafsson | 21 episodes |
| 2016 | The Missing | Stefan Andersen | 4 episodes |
| Quarry | Credence Mason | 4 episodes | |
| 2016–17 | Lady Dynamite | Scott Marvel Cassidy | 13 episodes |
| 2017 | Emerald City | Ojo[12] | 7 episodes |
| 2018 | Hilda | 13 episodes | |
| 2019 | The Widow | Ariel Helgason | 8 episodes |
| New Amsterdam | Burl | 1 episode | |
| NOS4A2 | Bing Partridge | 20 episodes | |
| The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance | The Archer (voice) | 6 episodes | |
| 2020 | Cursed | Rugen the Leper King | 1 episode |
| The Minister | Benedikt Ríkharðsson | 8 episodes | |
| 2021 | Vegferð | Ólafur Darri | 6 episodes |
| 2022 | The Amazing Race 34 | Himself | 1 episode |
| 2022–24 | The Tourist | Billy Nixon | 6 episodes |
| 2023 | Boat Story | Narrator | 6 episodes |
| 2024 | Twilight of the Gods | Tiwaz | 5 episodes |
| 2024 | Somebody Somewhere | Víglundur 'Iceland' Hjartarson | Season 3 |
| TBA | Severance | Season 2 | |
| TBA | Reykjavik Fusion | Jónas | Lead role |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | For Honor | Highlander[13] | Voice role |
| 2023 | The Last Worker | Kurt[14] | Voice role |
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