EXCLUSIVE !!!!

 

JEPPE BECK LAURSEN

 

Jeppe Beck Laursen, who was born in Oslo in Norway on 1 June 1972, performed for the first time in 1983. In 1995 he participated in an outdoor play in Norway at an amusement park. In that piece, Jeppe learned to fight safely with different weapons on stage. Here became his fascination for his work and so he went to many workshops throughout Europe to get better and eventually he even got a teacher degree in stagefighting. Jeppe also attended a stunt school in Sweden to be able to do his own stunts later. Between 2002 and 2010 he provided stunts for the films ‘I Am Dina’, ‘Olsenbanden Junior pa cirkus’, ‘Svein og Rotta og UFO – mysteriet’ and ‘Brodrene Dal og Vikingsverdets Forbannelse’. Stunt coordinator was Jeppe at some episodes of the TV series “Hotel Caesar”, the tv-movie ‘Deadline Torp’, the movies ‘Venner for livet’, ‘Naboer’, ‘Olsenbanden Junior pa cirkus’, ‘Uro’, ‘Sonner’, ‘Fritt vilt’, ‘Kalde fotter’, ‘Olsenbanden Jr. Solvgruvens hemmelighet’, ‘Rovdyr’ and ‘Varg Veum – Tornesrose’ and the short movie ‘Limbo’. He was action coordinator for the movie ‘Min misunnelige frisor’, stand-in at the movie 'O' Horten' and assistant of the fight director at the film ‘Brodrene Dal og Vikingsverdets Forbannelse’. Since 2006 Jeppe can be seen as an actor in the movies ‘Sonner’, ‘Kalde fotter’, ‘Olsenbanden Jr. Solvgruvens hemmelighet’, ‘Rovdyr’, ‘Varg Veum – Tornesrose’, ‘De Gales hus’, ‘Max Manus’, ‘Dod sno’, ‘Snarveien’, ‘Tomme tonner 1 - 2’, ‘Kurt Josef Wagle og legenden om Fjordheksa’, ‘En helt vanlig dag pa jobben’, ‘Brodrene Dal og Vikingsverdets Forbannelse’, ‘Hjelp, vi er i filmbransjen’, ‘Blafjell 2 – Jakten pa det magiske horn’, ‘Kill Buljo 2’, ‘Kule kidz gråter ikke’, ‘Børning’, ‘Gråtass – Gøy på landet’, ‘Birkebeinerne’, ‘Gråtass  gir gass’, ‘Karsten og Petra ut på tur’, ‘Gråtass redder gården’ and ‘Kurt Josef Wagle og mordmysteriet på Hurtigruta’, the miniseries ‘Luftens Helter’ and ‘Rekyl’ and he tv-series “Hvaler”. He participated in the short movies ‘Prima Vare’, ‘Limbo’, ‘Baluba Runa’, ‘Utkant’, ‘Tørt og kjølig’, ‘Liten Knute’, ‘2 gode torpedoer’, ‘A Modest Proposal’, ‘I grenseland’, ‘Flicker’, ‘iEksil: Når Æ dør’ and ‘Miko og de Enøyde’. Guestappearances had Jeppe in TV series as “Hotel Caesar”, “Verdens beste SFO”, “NAV”, “Dauinger” and “Kampen for tilvaerelsen”. He also plays in countless theatrical performances of which the play The Tempest from 2014 by William Shakespeare is his most recent.

 

He can also be seen in International projects. For example, since the second season, Jeppe can be seen as Haesten in the TV series "The Last Kingdom" from 2017. He also had roles in the films 'Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters' from 2013 and 'What Happened to Monday' from 2017. Perry from Moov.nl was given the opportunity to interview Jeppe Beck Laursen for the internet site.

 

001.What is your favorite CD and why?

       At the moment, I do not really have one favorite. I have a lot because I struggle to find one. But if I had to choose one, then it might be the CD ‘Crack

       the skye’ from the heavy metal group Mastodon. For me it is a real prog metal masterpiece.

002.What is your favorite song?

       I can not possibly bind myself to just one number. But if I have to name a song, it become the number "The Czar: Usurper/ Escape/Martyr/Spiral" of

       the group Mastodon.

003.Do you ever use music just before filming and/or performances?

       Oh yes, I use music very often to get into a specific attitude. So fortunately I am a fan of heavy metal and that helps me a lot to get me in the role of

       Haesten of "The Last Kingdom". For instance in battle scenes.

004.How important is music in your private life?

       Music is very important to me. I would hardly find it to spend one week without music.  I like to wear a headset and listen to music at airports for

       instance. Then I can be in my own bubble and just watch people going about their business. I like that.

005.Who is your favorite singer (male or female) and/or group?

       Oh, there are so many good male and female singers and groups in the world that it is impossible for me to choose one.

006.With who would you ever like to sing a duet someday?

       I would like to sing a duet with everyone who wants to sing with me.

007.What is your favorite sport to watch? And do you also practice a sport yourself?

       I love football! When I was younger, I played a lot of football. Both in my spare time with friends as at a club in Oslo. My absolute favorite team is the

       Norwegian football team Vålerenga IF from Oslo. I have a season ticket every season.

008.Have you followed an acting training?

       No, I did not follow a formal acting, but I started very early with acting. I did my first performance at the age of 11 and now I am 46 years old. The time

       flies. I also have a background in stunts and fight choreography because I think every actor can take advantage of those things.

009.You act in TV series ("The Last Kingdom" from 2017), movies ('Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunter' from 2013), did stunts ('I Am Dina' from

       2002), was stunt coordinator ('Rovdyr' from 2008), was stand-in ('O'Horten' from 2007) and was assistant to fight director ('Brødrene Dal og

       vikingsverdets forbannelse' from 2010). If you have to make a choice from all your work that you do most dearly, what would it be?

       I like to work for TV and film as well as in a live environment such as theater. The most recent piece that I did was The Tempest from 2014 by William

       Shakespeare. Here I played the character Stephano. Well, I must tell you that playing Haesten in the TV series "The Last Kingdom" is so far very high

       on my list.

010.You sometimes hear that every character who plays an actor or actress something have of them self. Can you name both an agreement

       and a big difference in terms of character between yourself and Haesten from "The Last Kingdom" of 2017?

       That is a difficult question. I would say yes and no. Luckily I have not much in common with Haesten. I think he is a narcissistic murdering opportunist.

       The only thing that we have in common is that we both think we look cool in the armor. But again, I have sometimes to studying my own darkness to

       understand Haesten and to defend his actions. I actually have a very strange job.

011.You have worked together with Kristofer Hivju ("Game of Thrones") on the films 'Rovdyr' from 2008 and 'The Last King' from 2016, with

       Famke Janssen ('GoldenEye') for the film 'Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunter' from 2013 and with Peter Stormare ("Prison Break") for the films

       'Hjelp, vi er i filmbransjen' from 2011 and 'Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunter' from 2013. Who made the most impression on you and with who

       would you like to work together someday?

       They all impressed me. Each in their own way. Some because they are very modest, sympathetic persons and others were just that opposite. But I

       will not name any more names. People are very different. Actors and actresses are no exceptions here. I can say that I am really dislike people who

       behave like a diva. There are a few different actors with who I would like to work with. But I think at this moment I would choose Tom Hardy (from 'The

       Dark Knight Rises' and 'Mad Max: Fury Road', ed.). He is not just a great one actor. He also seems like a cool guy.

012.At what point in your career are you so far the most proud and/or do you keep the best memories?

       I am very proud that I can still call myself an actor. There are many people who try it and then fail. Even very good actors who have to stop because

       there are not enough jobs. Or they disappear under the radar. I know many actors who unfortunately had to quit acting. Maybe it's that I refuse to

       stop. But I do not have a wife or children. So I am not accountable to anyone, except myself. I think "The Last Kingdom" is great! I love to be able to

       work on that show. In that series I can do what I not often do, play a bad guy. I think that's great fun to do!

013.The film 'I Am Dina' from 2002 was your first work as a stuntman. How did you become a stuntman?

       In 1995 I did an outdoor play in Norway at an amusement park called Vikingland. This amusement park no longer exists unfortunately. In that piece I

       learned to fight safely with different weapons on the stage and I fell in love with it. So I went to lots of workshops throughout Europe to get better and

       eventually I became a certified teacher in stagefighting. In that period I also attended a stunt school in Sweden to be able to do my own stunts later if

       needed. The only "disadvantage" was when I returned to Norway. I was the only schooled stuntman and that's why I got a lot of stunt work. Doing

       stunts yourself or coordinating others. The point was that at that moment one had forgotten that I was actually an actor. So for many years I worked

       almost exclusively in the stunt world. But I missed the acting so much, that ten years ago I had to turn down all the stunt assignments that were

       offered to me to be able to concentrate on acting again. It took a while before it succeeded, but in the end it went well. To this day I still get phone

       calls from people who ask ifI could do some stunts, but I tell them politely I don’t do that anymore. What is really great now is that I can use my work

       experience of the stunts in various productions. This was exactly what I wanted as a young actor.

014.What can we expect from you in the future in showbizz?

       From October 2020 I can be seen in the new Norwegian TV series "Beforeigners". I think that it is going to be really good. There will also be a fourth

       season of the TV series "The Last Kingdom ".

 

Watch fort he trailer of season three of the tv-series “The Last Kingdom” at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Za_bQYuL1w.

 

Photographer: Christian Rubeck

 

Interview: Perry Krootjes