When one thinks of Scandinavian movie stars, the first name that comes to mind is Max von Sydow. Since his screen debut in 1949 in Alf Sjöberg's
Only a Mother, he has appeared in countless films, including titles as diverse as
Hannah and Her Sisters and
Conan the Barbarian,
The Emigrants and
The Exorcist,
Pelle the Conqueror and
Judge Dredd. The actor is easily recognized by his gaunt appearance: he is tall, with a long, lean face and sharp features. These physical characteristics have been an asset in both aspects of his screen career, comprised of the character roles he has played in English-language films and his status as a principal on-screen interpreter of Ingmar Bergman.
In the United States, von Sydow enjoys the reputation of a serious actor, due to the roles he plays—character ones, rather than leading men or traditional star parts—and his past association with Bergman. He earned his initial international acclaim in Bergman-directed films, particularly
The Seventh Seal (as the tormented knight who rides through the plague-ridden countryside in search of a good deed he might perform before the figure of Death takes him away) and
The Virgin Spring (as the father who avenges the rape-murder of his young daughter). Indeed, in his best roles for Bergman (in which he has, more often than not, played husbands and artists), von Sydow has embodied the anguished soul who suffers as a result of his desires, or guilt, or the guilt he feels because of his desires. Throughout his career, he has remained active on the stage, often working with Bergman on the latter's theatrical undertakings; in fact, he began his collaboration with Bergman in the 1950s when he joined the Municipal Theatre of Malmö, where Bergman was the principal director.
— International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers
Married the actress Kerstin Olin, 1951; sons: Clas and Henrik (divorced 1996).