Why Alexander Skarsgard Dared to Play 'Incredibly Unsympathetic' Man

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwR5Sm87z30

In the midst of a curious teenage girl’s sexual awakening, a 35-year-old takes his girlfriend’s 15-year-old daughter as his lover in “The Diary of a Teenage Girl.”

Without any regret for his abuse of power, Alexander Skarsgard had to dig deep to portray his wayward character as anything more than a predator.

“I thought he could be incredibly unsympathetic and that was an interesting challenge,” he tells Made in Hollywood. “How do you make him three-dimensional? How do you make him real—and how do you make it interesting? Because it won’t be if he’s just preying on this young girl for the whole movie.”

The coming of age story, starring Bel Powley as Minnie, explores the world of a hormonal teen who lusts for and conquers her mother’s (Kristen Wiig) beau. In the aftermath, she feels empowered—not victimized—and holds Skarsgard’s Monroe emotionally captive.

“You want to find those beats where the connection is deep and genuine, and beats where it’s not. Beats where she’s in control and beats where he is,” Skarsgard says of the dynamics between the characters.

“The Diary of a Teenage Girl” hits theaters Friday. Watch the trailer below.