Already famous in Europe,
Mads Mikkelsen first gained wide recognition in America for his turn as 007's nemesis in
Casino Royale, but now he's set to star in a whole slate of movies, including the Viking saga
Valhalla Rising, in which he plays a one-eyed mute man-killer, and the highly-anticipated remake of
Clash of the Titans.
For
Valhalla, Mikkelsen starved himself to get that
"skinny prison look," but he beefed up for his role as Draco in
Clash of the Titans. He described his character as a
"long-haired, full-blooded guy, a classical Greek warrior." While the work-outs and sets were tough at times, what Mikkelsen said was really difficult was filming opposite invisible oponents:
"It’s always easier to have something there, something or someone you can act to, it goes without saying. But after a while, you find a way of doing it. And it’s really hard to find those big scorpions these days."
Clash of the Titans Synopsis:
Born of a god but raised as a man, Perseus (Sam Worthington) is helpless to save his family from Hades (Ralph Fiennes), vengeful god of the underworld. With nothing left to lose, Perseus volunteers to lead a dangerous mission to defeat Hades before he can seize power from Zeus ( Liam Neeson) and unleash hell on earth. Leading a daring band of warriors, Perseus sets off on a perilous journey deep into forbidden worlds. Battling unholy demons and fearsome beasts, he will only survive if he can accept his power as a god, defy his fate and create his own destiny.