Krister Henriksson turned down the role of Wallander – eventually becoming an iconic star

Swedish actor Krister Henriksson enters the door of Svenska Teatern wearing a hood and glasses. There’s no mistaking him. Henriksson is just like Kurt Wallander.

– Oh, it’s great here, says Henriksson as he looks around the main stage.

– That ceiling is so great, comments Henriksson’s actor colleague Marie Göranzon.

Many Finns remember Göranzon from the Beck movies, where he plays inspector Beck’s boss.

He has brought Henriksson and Göranzon to Finland by August Strindberg Fröken Julie – guest performance, which will be shown this weekend at Svenska teatern. Both shows are almost sold out. In Sweden, it has received overflowing praise.

Both Henriksson, 76, and Göranzon, 80, have had a wildly long career as actors, both in front of the camera and on stage. And they have no intention of stopping. Both Actors are so familiar to the general public that they are recognized everywhere.

– I went to Stockmann before I came here to the theater. Didn’t someone come to ask me if I was Kurt Wallander, Henriksson smiles.

Refusal of a role

– I initially refused the role of Wallander, and not just once, but several times. I was one of the few in Sweden who had never even read the Wallander books. Of course I knew that Wallander was a lonely policeman who drank a little too much, Henriksson smiles.

Without Wallander author by Henning Mankell determination, Henriksson might never have ended up in the role of Wallander. Mankell had decided that Henriksson was Wallander.

– He asked me if I had read the books. I said I hadn’t, so Mankell mailed them to me. A good time, how many there were!

At first, Henriksson only read the back covers, until eventually he read all the books.

– How good they were! Why the hell did I refuse at first? I felt really at home in the role, and I became good friends with Henning.

Henriksson was seen for the first time as a policeman from Ystad in 2005 Wallander – Before the frost in the movie. In the end, a total of 32 films were made.

– I could never have imagined how popular they would become and how many of them would be made. Good time, Wallander is known in so many places. That’s the power of television.

Mankell died of cancer in October 2015. Before his death, Mankell and Henriksson thought together how to end Wallander’s story. They decided that Wallander was suffering from Alzheimer’s and no more films would be made.

– The Wallander time was great, and it means so much to me. And of course I also got financial security from it. I wouldn’t have to work anymore if I didn’t want to.

According to Henriksson, ending the film series was also a relief, as he was able to take on other interesting jobs.

Repayment

While Wallander is sometimes a bit awkward in social situations, Henriksson is completely different. He is talkative, makes eye contact and smiles a lot. And of course, as a polite man, he also wants to praise Finns.

– I consider my visit to the theater here a bit of “payback”.

Henriksson remembers how he worked as a Finnish theater manager in Stockholm when he was younger By Vivica Bandler under.

Many Finns visited the theater. Henriksson remembers well who these Finns were and he starts listing names; Esko Salminen, Asko Sarkola, Birgitta Ulfsson and Elina Salo.

– I was really influenced by Finnish theatre. This was long before the time when you were little and watched Moomins on TV, Henriksson says to the middle-aged reporter.

– And the dialect in which Finns speak Swedish. I would like to speak the same way myself.

In the future, Henriksson wants to stay healthy as long as possible. His other big dream is related to Russia.

– I hope that the Russians leave Ukraine and that Putin dies, that someone shoots him.

Friendly diva

Marie Göranzon plays alongside Henriksson in Fröken Julie. Even Göranzonin would not have to work anymore, but he wants to.

– I have never been to Finland. I know, I should have visited earlier, Göranzon says and slaps his knee.

Then he thinks for a moment, and remembers that he did a visiting performance at the theater in Vaasa.

– It was in the 80s, so it’s been a while.

Henriksson and Göranzon had been planning to do something together for a long time. The classic Fröken Julie came up in the talks, but at the time they felt they were too old for the roles, and the matter was buried.

– Krister called me two years ago and said should we do something before it’s too late. We decided to make Fröken Julie and now we don’t feel too old. That’s just how it goes, at fifty you feel you’re too old, but not anymore.

Göranzon is one of the most respected actors in Sweden, but he has never considered himself a great actor.

– Never, Göranzon says and waves his hand at the same time.

– When you see yourself on TV or on the big screen, you only see all the mistakes. Of course, sometimes you can be satisfied with something you have done. It’s good to keep a certain distance from yourself and always remember to respect the audience.

A special proposal

Whereas Henriksson is remembered for Wallander, Göranzon was remembered by many for the Beck films.

Göranzon remembers the Beck time fondly.

– We had a really good team, like Mikael Persbrandt and Peter Haber, and making the films was fun.

Göranzon starred in 16 films and eventually his character died.

The German production company later proposed to Göranzon to make 10 new films with Göranzon playing the sister of his dead character.

– I immediately said no. That’s the limit.

Göranzon, who speaks warmly about his grandchildren, says that he doesn’t dream about anything so much anymore.

– Maybe my dreams are related to staying healthy and being with my husband, who is a little older than me, as long as possible. We have had a wonderful acting life together.