Editing Max von Sydow

{{Short description|Swedish and French actor (1929–2020)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Max von Sydow
| image              = Max von Sydow Cannes 2016.jpg
| caption            = Von Sydow in 2016
| birth_name         = Carl Adolf von Sydow
| birth_date         = {{birth date|1929|4|10|df=yes}}
| birth_place        = [[Lund]], Sweden
| death_date         = {{death date and age|2020|3|8|1929|4|10|df=yes}}
| death_place        = [[Marseille]], France
| citizenship        = {{ubl|Sweden (until 2002)|France (from 2002)}}
| occupation         = Actor
| alma_mater         = [[Royal Dramatic Theatre]]
| years_active       = 1949–2020
| spouse             = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|Christina Olin|1951|1979|end=divorced}}
* {{marriage|Catherine Brelet|1997}}
}}
| children           = 4
| parents            = [[Carl Wilhelm von Sydow]] (father)
| awards             = [[List of awards and nominations received by Max von Sydow|Full list]]
}}
'''Max von Sydow''' ({{IPAc-en|f|ɒ|n|_|ˈ|s|iː|d|oʊ}};<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.loc.gov/nls/about/organization/standards-guidelines/uvwx/#v |title=NLS: Say How |work=loc.gov |access-date=2 January 2017}}</ref> born '''Carl Adolf von Sydow'''; 10 April 1929 – 8 March 2020) was a Swedish and French actor. He had a 70-year career in European and American cinema, television, and theatre, appearing in more than 150 films and several television series in multiple languages.<ref name=Atlantic2015>{{cite web |last=Rafferty |first=Terrence |date=December 2015 |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/12/the-greatest-actor-alive/413167/ |title=The Greatest Actor Alive |work=[[The Atlantic]] |access-date=10 March 2020}}</ref><ref name=VillageVoice2012>{{cite web |last=Hynes |first=Eric |date=28 November 2012 |url=https://www.villagevoice.com/2012/11/28/staring-down-death-the-singular-career-of-max-von-sydow/ |title=Staring Down Death: The Singular Career of Max von Sydow |work=[[The Village Voice]] |access-date=10 March 2020}}</ref> Capable in [[Max von Sydow filmography|roles]] ranging from stolid, contemplative protagonists to sardonic artists and menacing, often gleeful villains, von Sydow received [[List of awards and nominations received by Max von Sydow|numerous accolades]] including honors from the [[Cannes Film Festival]] and the [[Venice Film Festival]]. He was nominated for two&nbsp;[[Academy Awards]]: for&nbsp;[[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]]&nbsp;for ''[[Pelle the Conqueror]]'' (1987) and for [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor|Best Supporting Actor]] for ''[[Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (film)|Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close]]'' (2011).

Von Sydow was first noticed internationally for playing the 14th-century knight Antonius Block in [[Ingmar Bergman]]'s ''[[The Seventh Seal]]'' (1957), which features iconic scenes of his character challenging [[Personifications of death|Death]] to a game of chess. He appeared in eleven films directed by Bergman, including ''[[Wild Strawberries (film)|Wild Strawberries]]'' (1957), ''[[The Virgin Spring]]'' (1960), ''[[Through a Glass Darkly (film)|Through a Glass Darkly]]'' (1961), ''[[Winter Light]]'' (1963), ''[[Shame (1968 film)|Shame]]'' (1968), and ''[[The Touch (1971 film)|The Touch]]'' (1971).

Von Sydow made his American film debut as [[Jesus Christ]] in the Biblical epic film ''[[The Greatest Story Ever Told]]'' (1965) and went on to star in films such as ''[[Hawaii (1966 film)|Hawaii]]'' (1966), ''[[The Exorcist]]'' (1973), ''[[Three Days of the Condor]]'' (1975), ''[[Flash Gordon (film)|Flash Gordon]]'' (1980), ''[[Conan the Barbarian (1982 film)|Conan the Barbarian]]'' (1982) and the [[James Bond]] adaptation ''[[Never Say Never Again]]'' (1983). He also appeared in supporting roles in ''[[Dune (1984 film)|Dune]]'' (1984), ''[[Hannah and Her Sisters]]'' (1986), ''[[Awakenings]]'' (1990), ''[[Minority Report (film)|Minority Report]]'' (2002), ''[[The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (film)|The Diving Bell and the Butterfly]]'' (2007), ''[[Shutter Island (film)|Shutter Island]]'' (2010), ''[[Robin Hood (2010 film)|Robin Hood]]'' (2010), and ''[[Star Wars: The Force Awakens]]'' (2015). He portrayed the main antagonist Leland Gaunt (The Devil) in the film adaptation of Stephen King's  ''[[Needful Things]]'' (1993). In 2016, he portrayed the [[Three-eyed Raven]] in the [[HBO]] fantasy series ''[[Game of Thrones]]'', for which he was nominated for the [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.emmys.com/bios/max-von-sydow|title= Max von Sydow|website= Emmys.com|accessdate= February 22, 2021}}</ref>

Von Sydow received the Royal Foundation of Sweden's Cultural Award in 1954, was made a [[Ordre des Arts et des Lettres|Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres]] in 2005, and was named a [[Legion of Honour|Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur]] on 17 October 2012.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.dn.se/arkiv/kultur/max-von-sydow-dubbad-till-riddare/ |newspaper=[[Dagens Nyheter]] |title=Max von Sydow dubbad till riddare |trans-title=Max von Sydow knighted |author=TT Spektra |date=24 January 2011 |access-date=19 October 2016 |language=sv |author-link=Tidningarnas Telegrambyrå}}</ref>

==Early life==
Carl Adolf von Sydow was born on 10 April 1929 in [[Lund]], Sweden.<ref name=NYTObit>{{cite web |last=Berkvist |first=Robert |date=9 March 2020 |title=Max von Sydow, Star of 'Seventh Seal' and 'Exorcist', Dies at 90 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/09/movies/max-von-sydow-dead.html?action=click&module=News&pgtype=Homepage |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=9 March 2020}}</ref> His father, [[Carl Wilhelm von Sydow]], was an [[ethnologist]] and professor of [[folkloristics]] at [[Lund University]].<ref name=SweAmeHQ>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sYUOAQAAMAAJ&q=Greta+Rappe+sydow |title=The Swedish–American Historical Quarterly |publisher=Swedish Pioneer Historical Society |date=1996 |page=110 |access-date=6 October 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Dundes |first=Alan |date=1999 |title=International Folkloristics: Classic Contributions by the Founders of Folklore |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jQ6bGz4qmWsC&pg=PA137 |page=137 |location=USA |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. |isbn=0-8476-9515-8 |access-date=14 July 2015}}</ref> His mother, Baroness Maria Margareta Rappe, was a schoolteacher.<ref name=NYTObit/><ref name=SweAmeHQ/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/16/Max-von-Sydow.html |title=Max von Sydow |work=FilmReference.com}}</ref><ref name=LATimesObit>{{cite web |last=Saad |first=Nardine |date=9 March 2020 |title=Max von Sydow, Swedish star of Bergman films, 'The Exorcist,' dies at 90 |url=https://www.latimes.com/obituaries/story/2020-03-09/max-von-sydow-dead |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |access-date=9 March 2020}}</ref> Sydow was of part-German ancestry. A paternal ancestor, David Sydow ([[Von|"von" or "Von"]] was added later to the family name), emigrated from [[Pomerania]] to the [[Kalmar]] region in 1724. His mother was also of part-[[Pomerania]]n descent.<ref>{{cite book |last=Johnsson |first=Daniel |date=2015 |title=Vimmerby stads historia: 1350-1799 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jZO6BwAAQBAJ&q=max+von+sydow |publisher=BoD - Books on Demand |pages=129 |isbn=9789174635812 |language=sv}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=9 March 2020 |title=Filmstar Max von Sydow mit 90 Jahren gestorben |url=https://www.afp.com/de/nachrichten/18/filmstar-max-von-sydow-mit-90-jahren-gestorben-doc-1pq3597 |newspaper=[[Agence France-Presse]] |language=de |access-date=9 March 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200309145116/https://www.afp.com/de/nachrichten/18/filmstar-max-von-sydow-mit-90-jahren-gestorben-doc-1pq3597 |archive-date= 9 March 2020}}</ref> Sydow was raised as a [[Lutheran]], but became an [[agnostic]] in the 1970s.<ref name="Bergmanorama">{{cite web |title=The Face of the Actor (Reprint) |url=http://bergmanorama.webs.com/repertory/von_sydow_ff76.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120717041356/http://bergmanorama.webs.com/repertory/von_sydow_ff76.htm |archive-date=17 July 2012 |first=Gordon |last=Gow |work=Films and Filming |year=1976 |access-date=16 December 2009}}</ref>

Sydow attended [[Katedralskolan, Lund|Lund Cathedral School]], where he learned English at an early age.<ref name=NYTObit/> Originally expected to pursue a career in law, he became interested in acting after seeing a production of ''[[A Midsummer Night's Dream]]'' during a class trip to [[Malmö]],<ref name=WaPoObit>{{cite web |last=Bernstein |first=Adam |date=9 March 2020 |title=Max von Sydow, brooding star of Ingmar Bergman's torment-ridden dramas, dies at 90 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/max-von-sydow-brooding-star-of-ingmar-bergmans-torment-ridden-dramas-dies-at-90/2020/03/09/14a7af2a-6203-11ea-845d-e35b0234b136_story.html |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=10 March 2020}}</ref><ref name=EbertObit>{{cite web |last=Hadadi |first=Roxana |date= 10 March 2020 |title=Max von Sydow: 1929-2020 |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/balder-and-dash/max-von-sydow-1929-2020 |newspaper=[[RogerEbert.com]] |access-date=10 March 2020}}</ref> which prompted him to establish an amateur theatrical group along with his friends back at school.<ref name=NYTObit/><ref name=LATimesObit/>

Sydow served for two years in the Swedish Army with the [[Swedish Army Quartermaster Corps|Army Quartermaster Corps]], where he adopted the name "Max" from the star performer of a [[flea circus]] he saw.<ref name=NYTObit/><ref name=THRObit>{{cite web |last1=Byrge |first1=Duane |date=9 March 2020 |title=Max von Sydow, Star of 'The Seventh Seal' and 'The Exorcist', Dies at 90 |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/max-von-sydow-dead-seventh-seal-exorcist-actor-was-90-992680 |newspaper=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |access-date=9 March 2020}}</ref> After completing his service, Sydow studied at the [[Royal Dramatic Theatre]] in Stockholm where he trained between 1948 and 1951.<ref name=NYTObit/> During his time at the Royal Dramatic Theatre, he helped start a theatre group, of which actress [[Ingrid Thulin]] was a member.<ref name=THRObit/> He made his stage debut in a small part in the [[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe|Goethe]] play ''[[Egmont (play)|Egmont]]'', which he considered "almost a disaster," but received good reviews for his performance.<ref name=LATimesObit/>

==Career==

===Early career===
[[File:Mats Johansson 1961 (cropped).jpg|thumb|Max von Sydow in 1961]]
While at the [[Royal Dramatic Theatre]], Sydow made his screen debuts in [[Alf Sjöberg]]'s films ''[[Only a Mother]]'' (''{{lang|sv|Bara en mor}}'', 1949) and ''[[Miss Julie (1951 film)|Miss Julie]]'' (''{{lang|sv|Fröken Julie}}'', 1951).<ref name=THRObit/> In 1951, Sydow joined the [[Norrköping]]-[[Linköping]] Municipal Theatre, appearing in nine plays including ''[[Peer Gynt]]''. In 1953, he moved on to the [[Helsingborg City Theatre|City Theatre]] in [[Hälsingborg]] (Helsingborg), playing eleven parts in a two-year stint, including [[Prospero]] in ''[[The Tempest]]'' and the title role of the [[Luigi Pirandello|Pirandello]] play ''[[Henry IV (Pirandello)|Henry IV]]''.<ref name=TelegraphObit>{{cite news |date=9 March 2020 |title=Max von Sydow, actor who played chess with Death in 'The Seventh Seal' – obituary |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2020/03/09/max-von-sydow-actor-played-chess-death-seventh-seal-obituary/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2020/03/09/max-von-sydow-actor-played-chess-death-seventh-seal-obituary/ |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |access-date=9 March 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Sydow's theatrical work won him critical recognition, and in 1954 he received the Royal Foundation of Sweden's Cultural Award, a grant to young, promising actors.<ref name=THRObit/>

===1955–1960s===
In 1955, Sydow moved to Malmö and joined the [[Malmö City Theatre]], whose chief director at the time was [[Ingmar Bergman]].<ref name=TelegraphObit/> Sydow had previously sought to play a small part in Bergman's ''[[Prison (1949 film)|Prison]]'' (''{{lang|sv|Fängelse}}'', 1949), but the director rejected the proposition.<ref name=BFI10>{{cite web |last=Parkinson |first=David |date=10 April 2017 |title=Max von Sydow: 10 essential films |url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/lists/max-von-sydow-10-essential-films |publisher=[[British Film Institute]] |access-date=9 March 2020}}</ref> Bergman and Sydow's first film was ''[[The Seventh Seal]]'' (''{{lang|sv|Det sjunde inseglet}}'', 1957), in which Sydow portrayed Antonius Block, a disillusioned 14th-century knight returning from the [[Crusades]] to a plague-stricken Sweden.<ref name=GuardianObit>{{cite web |last=Bergan |first=Ronald |date= 9 March 2020 |title=Max von Sydow obituary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/mar/09/max-von-sydow-obituary |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=9 March 2020}}</ref> The scene of his character playing a game of chess with [[Personifications of death|Death]] has come to be regarded as an iconic moment in cinema.<ref name=BFI10/> Sydow went on to appear in a total of 11 Bergman films.<ref name=GuardianFrench>{{cite web |last=French |first=Philip |title=Philip French's screen legends: No 3: Max von Sydow 1929– |work=[[The Observer]] |date=10 February 2008 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2008/feb/10/art|access-date=9 March 2020}}</ref> In ''[[The Magician (1958 film)|The Magician]]'' (''{{lang|sv|Ansiktet}}'', 1958), Sydow starred as Vogler, a 19th-century traveling illusionist who remains silent for most of the film.<ref name=GuardianObit/><ref name=WaPoObit/> In ''[[The Virgin Spring]]'' (''{{lang|sv|Jungfrukällan}}'', 1960), he played a medieval landowner who takes vengeance on the men who raped and murdered his daughter.<ref name=Atlantic2015/> In ''[[Through a Glass Darkly (film)|Through a Glass Darkly]]'' (''{{lang|sv|Såsom i en spegel}}'', 1961), he portrayed the husband of a [[Schizophrenia|schizophrenic]] woman, played by [[Harriet Andersson]].<ref name=GuardianObit/> During this period, he also had roles in films including ''[[Wild Strawberries (film)|Wild Strawberries]]'' (''{{lang|sv|Smultronstället}}'', 1957), ''[[Brink of Life]]'' (''{{lang|sv|Nära livet}}'', 1958) and ''[[Winter Light]]'' (''{{lang|sv|Nattvardsgästerna}}'', 1963).<ref name=NYTObit/><ref name=GuardianFrench/> Films starring Sydow were submitted by Sweden for the [[Academy Award for Best International Feature Film|Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film]] in [[List of Swedish submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film|five out of six years]] between 1957 and 1962.{{citation needed|date=March 2020}} Under Bergman, Sydow also continued his stage career, playing Brick in ''[[Cat on a Hot Tin Roof]]'', Peer in ''Peer Gynt'', Alceste in ''[[The Misanthrope]]'' and Faust in ''[[Goethe's Faust|Urfaust]]''. In his company were [[Gunnar Björnstrand]], Ingrid Thulin, [[Bibi Andersson]] and [[Gunnel Lindblom]], all frequent collaborators of Bergman on screen.<ref name=GuardianObit/>

[[File:Sydow Ramel Wolgers 1968.jpg|thumb|Max von Sydow (left) with [[Povel Ramel]] and [[Beppe Wolgers]], 1968]]
Despite his rising profile, Sydow limited his work exclusively to Sweden early in his career, constantly refusing offers to work outside the country.<ref name=GuardianObit/> He was first approached at the [[1959 Cannes Film Festival]] to act in U.S. films, but refused the proposition, saying that he was "content in Sweden" and "had no intention of starting an international career".<ref name=NYT1983>{{cite web |last=Goldberg |first=Robert |date= 10 April 1983 |title=Max von Sydow, Actor Without a Country |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/04/10/arts/max-von-sydow-actor-without-a-country.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=9 March 2020}}</ref> He also refused the opportunity to play the [[Julius No|title role]] for ''[[Dr. No (film)|Dr. No]]'' (1962) and [[Georg von Trapp|Captain von Trapp]] in ''[[The Sound of Music (film)|The Sound of Music]]'' (1965).<ref name=TelegraphObit2>{{cite news |date=9 March 2020 |title=Max von Sydow, star of The Exorcist and Game of Thrones, dies aged 90 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2020/03/09/max-von-sydow-star-exorcist-game-thrones-dies-aged-90/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2020/03/09/max-von-sydow-star-exorcist-game-thrones-dies-aged-90/ |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |access-date=9 March 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In 1965, Sydow finally accepted [[George Stevens]]'s offer and made his international debut, playing Christ in the epic ''[[The Greatest Story Ever Told]]''.<ref name=GuardianObit/> He accepted the part against the advice of Bergman, spent six months at the [[University of California, Los Angeles]], preparing for the role, and adopted a [[Good Amercan Speech|Mid-Atlantic accent]].<ref name=TelegraphObit2/> The film introduced Sydow to a wider audience, but ultimately performed below expectations at the box office.<ref name=NYTObit/> He went on to play a crop-dusting pilot in ''[[The Reward (1965 film)|The Reward]]'' (1965) and a fanatic missionary in ''[[Hawaii (1966 film)|Hawaii]]'' (1966).<ref name=GuardianObit/> For his performance in ''Hawaii'', Sydow received his first [[Golden Globe Awards|Golden Globe]] nomination.<ref name=LATimesObit/> To his own frustration, however, Sydow would become frequently cast in villainous roles, such as a neo-Nazi aristocrat in ''[[The Quiller Memorandum]]'' (1966), a Russian colonel in ''[[The Kremlin Letter]]'' (1970), a meticulous and elegant international assassin in ''[[Three Days of the Condor]]'' (1975), Emperor [[Ming the Merciless]] in ''[[Flash Gordon (film)|Flash Gordon]]'' (1980) and James Bond's nemesis [[Ernst Stavro Blofeld]] in ''[[Never Say Never Again]]'' (1983).<ref name=NYTObit/><ref name=GuardianObit/>

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Sydow was often paired with [[Liv Ullmann]] in Bergman films. In 1968's ''[[Hour of the Wolf]]'' (''{{lang|sv|Vargtimmen}}''), Sydow played an artist living on an isolated island with his pregnant wife, played by Ullmann.<ref name=CriterionObit>{{cite web |last=Hudson |first=David |date=9 March 2020 |title=The Wide and Deep Range of Max von Sydow |url=https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/6852-the-wide-and-deep-range-of-max-von-sydow | newspaper=[[The Criterion Collection|Criterion]] |access-date=10 March 2020}}</ref> In the same year, the two appeared in the drama ''[[Shame (1968 film)|Shame]]'' (''{{lang|sv|Skammen}}''), about a couple (both former musicians) living on a farm on an island during a war.<ref name=Atlantic2015/> Sydow and Ullmann returned for the 1969 Bergman film ''[[The Passion of Anna]]'' (''{{lang|sv|En passion}}'').<ref name=CriterionObit/> In 1971 and 1972, Sydow again starred alongside Ullmann in the [[Jan Troell]] epic duology, ''[[The Emigrants (film)|The Emigrants]]'' (''{{lang|sv|Utvandrarna}}'') ''[[The New Land (1972 film)|The New Land]]'' (''{{lang|sv|Nybyggarna}}''), the story of a Swedish peasant family that emigrates to America in the mid-19th century.<ref name=Atlantic2015/>

===1970s–1980s===
In 1971, Sydow starred in ''[[The Touch (1971 film)|The Touch]]'', Bergman's first English-language film, playing a doctor whose wife is having an affair.<ref name=GuardianObit/> In 1973, Sydow appeared in one of his most commercially successful films, [[William Friedkin]]'s ''[[The Exorcist]]'' (1973).<ref name=NYTObit/> He played Father [[Lankester Merrin]], the film's titular Jesuit priest, which earned him his second Golden Globe nomination.<ref name=LATimesObit/> He reprised the role in the film's sequel, ''[[Exorcist II: The Heretic]]'' (1977).<ref name=TelegraphObit/> In 1977, Sydow made his Broadway debut alongside [[Eileen Atkins]] and Bibi Andersson in [[Per Olov Enquist]]'s ''The Night of the Tribades'', a play about the writer [[August Strindberg]]. In 1981, he starred with [[Anne Bancroft]] in the [[Tom Kempinski]] play ''[[Duet for One]]'' about the cellist [[Jacqueline du Pré]].<ref name=NYTObit/> Sydow made his British stage debut at [[The Old Vic]] in 1988 as Prospero in ''The Tempest'', a role he had first played in Sweden three decades before.<ref name=EbertObit/><ref>{{cite web |last=Wolf |first=Matt |date=28 May 1988 |title=Swedish Actor Von Sydow Turns to London Stage |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-05-28-ca-3510-story.html | newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |access-date=10 March 2020}}</ref>

In the 1980s, in addition to ''Flash Gordon'' and ''Never Say Never Again'', Sydow appeared in [[John Milius]]'s ''[[Conan the Barbarian (1982 film)|Conan the Barbarian]]'' (1982), [[Jan Troell]]'s ''[[Flight of the Eagle]]'' (1982), [[Rick Moranis]]'s & [[Dave Thomas (actor)|Dave Thomas]]'s ''[[Strange Brew]]'' (1983), [[David Lynch]]'s ''[[Dune (1984 film)|Dune]]'' (1984) and [[Woody Allen]]'s ''[[Hannah and Her Sisters]]'' (1986).<ref name=LATimesObit/><ref name=NYTObit/><ref name=GuardianObit/> In 1985, Sydow was a member of the jury at the [[35th Berlin International Film Festival]].<ref name="Berlinale 1985">{{cite web |url=http://www.berlinale.de/en/archiv/jahresarchive/1985/04_jury_1985/04_Jury_1985.html |title=Berlinale: Juries |access-date=8 January 2011 |publisher=[[Berlin International Film Festival]]}}</ref> In the 1987 [[Bille August]] film ''[[Pelle the Conqueror]]'', Sydow portrayed an impoverished Swedish labourer who brought his son to Denmark to try to build a better life for themselves.<ref name=NYTObit/> The role won him international acclaim and is often considered one of the best roles in his career. For his performance, Sydow received a [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]] nomination at the [[61st Academy Awards]]; the film won [[Academy Award for Best International Feature Film|Best Foreign Language Film]] as Denmark's official Oscar entry.<ref name=LATimesObit/> 
[[File:Max von Sydow & Lars Jacob 1992.jpg|thumb|Von Sydow with a writer in the employees' lobby of the [[Royal Dramatic Theatre]] in 1992]]
In 1988, Sydow made his only directorial foray with ''[[Katinka (film)|Katinka]]'', a film based on the [[Herman Bang]] novel, ''[[Ved Vejen]]''.<ref name=TelegraphObit/> The film won the [[Guldbagge Awards]] for Best Film and Best Director but was not widely seen outside Sweden.<ref name=FTObit>{{cite news |last=Andrew |first= Nigel |date=9 March 2020 |title=Max von Sydow, actor, 1929-2020 |url=https://www.ft.com/content/cb131bca-6224-11ea-b3f3-fe4680ea68b5 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/cb131bca-6224-11ea-b3f3-fe4680ea68b5 |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription | newspaper=[[Financial Times]] |access-date=9 March 2020 }}</ref> In 1989, Sydow appeared in the television film ''[[Red King, White Knight]]'', for which he received his first [[Primetime Emmy Award]] nomination. He also supplied the voice for Vigo the Carpathian in the 1989 film, ''[[Ghostbusters II]]''.<ref name=LATimesObit/>

===1990s–2000s===
Sydow and Bergman did not work together for an extended period. A part in Bergman's ''[[Fanny and Alexander]]'' (1982) was specifically written for Sydow, but his agent demanded too large a salary. Sydow came to regret missing out on the role.<ref name=FTObit/> The two did eventually reunite in 1991 with ''[[The Best Intentions]]'', directed by Bille August with a script from Bergman.<ref name=GuardianObit/> In 1996, Sydow made his final appearance in a Bergman film, ''[[Private Confessions]]'', directed by [[Liv Ullmann]] and written by Bergman.<ref name=LATimesObit/> In 1997, Sydow played Nobel Prize-winning Norwegian novelist and Nazi sympathizer [[Knut Hamsun]] in the biopic ''[[Hamsun (film)|Hamsun]]''.<ref name=NYTObit/> Throughout the rest of the 1990s, Sydow also appeared in films such as ''[[Father (1990 film)|Father]]'' (1990), ''[[Awakenings]]'' (1990), ''[[Until the End of the World]]'' (1991), ''[[Needful Things (film)|Needful Things]]'' (1993), ''[[Judge Dredd (film)|Judge Dredd]]'' (1995) and ''[[Snow Falling on Cedars (film)|Snow Falling on Cedars]]'' (1999).<ref name=TelegraphObit/><ref name=THRObit/><ref name=BFI10/> For his performance in ''Father'', Sydow won the [[AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role|Australian Film Institute Best Actor Award]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.aacta.org/aacta-awards/past-awards/range/1990-1999/year/1990/ |title=AFI Past Awards 1990 |publisher=[[Australian Film Institute]] |access-date=10 March 2020}}</ref>

In 2002, Sydow acted in one of his biggest commercial successes, playing the [[PreCrime]] director opposite [[Tom Cruise]] in [[Steven Spielberg]]'s science fiction [[Thriller film|thriller]] ''[[Minority Report (film)|Minority Report]]''.<ref name=TelegraphObit/><ref name=THRObit/> In 2004, Sydow appeared in a television adaptation of the ''[[Der Ring des Nibelungen|Ring of the Nibelung]]'' saga. The show set ratings records and was later released in the United States as ''[[Dark Kingdom: The Dragon King]]''.<ref name=TelegraphObit/> In 2007, he starred in the box-office hit ''[[Rush Hour 3]]'' as one of the antagonists opposite [[Jackie Chan]] and [[Chris Tucker]], and played the father of the protagonist in ''[[The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (film)|The Diving Bell and the Butterfly]]'', [[Julian Schnabel]]'s adaptation of the memoir by [[Jean-Dominique Bauby]]. In 2009, Sydow appeared in the drama series ''[[The Tudors]]''.<ref name=TelegraphObit/>

===2010s===
[[File:Max von Sydow (6836497933).jpg|upright|thumb|Von Sydow in 2012]]
In 2010, Sydow played a sinister German doctor in [[Martin Scorsese]]'s ''[[Shutter Island (film)|Shutter Island]]'',<ref name=GuardianObit/> and Robin Hood's blind stepfather Sir Walter Loxley in [[Ridley Scott]]'s ''[[Robin Hood (2010 film)|Robin Hood]]''.<ref name=TelegraphObit/> He received his second Academy Award nomination for his performance as a mute elderly renter in [[Stephen Daldry]]'s ''[[Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (film)|Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close]]'' (2011), based on the novel by [[Jonathan Safran Foer]].<ref name=NYTObit/><ref>{{cite web |last=Pond |first=Steve |date=28 December 2011 |title=Max von Sydow on Tragedy, Typecasting and 'Emotional Stupidity' |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUS148022762220111228 |publisher=[[Reuters]] |access-date=9 March 2020}}</ref>

In April 2013, Sydow was honored at the Turner Classic Movie (TCM) Festival in Hollywood, with screenings of two of his classic films, ''Three Days of the Condor'' and ''The Seventh Seal''.<ref>{{cite web |last=King |first=Susan |date=25 April 2014 |title=Max von Sydow, from Jesus to the evil brewmeister |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-xpm-2013-apr-25-la-et-mn-max-von-sydow-20130425-story.html |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |access-date=9 March 2020}}</ref>

In March 2014, Sydow provided the voice of an art forger named in ''[[The War of Art (The Simpsons)|The War of Art]]'' episode of ''[[The Simpsons]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=The War of Art |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3181612/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_7 |website=IMDb.com |publisher=IMDb, Inc. |access-date=1 June 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Ng |first1=David |title='The Simpsons': A lesson in art forgery, with Max von Sydow |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-the-simpsons-art-forgery-max-von-sydow-20140324-story.html |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=24 March 2014 |access-date=1 June 2022}}</ref>

In 2015, he played the explorer Lor San Tekka in ''[[Star Wars: The Force Awakens]]''.<ref name=THRObit/> In 2016, he joined the [[HBO]] series ''[[Game of Thrones]]'' as the [[Three-eyed Raven]]. For his performance, Sydow received his second Primetime Emmy Award nomination.<ref name=THRObit/>

In addition to his film and television work, Sydow also made forays into video games. He voiced Esbern, a mentor of the protagonist in ''[[The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim]]'' (2011), and narrated the game's debut trailer.<ref>{{cite web |last=Yin-Poole |first= Wesley |date=22 October 2011 |title='TESV: Skyrim voice cast revealed |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-09-27-tesv-skyrim-voice-cast-revealed | newspaper=[[Eurogamer]] |access-date=9 March 2020 }}</ref> He also lent his voice to the 2009 game ''[[Ghostbusters: The Video Game]]'' and reprised his role as Lor San Tekka in ''[[Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens]]'' (2016).<ref>{{cite web |last=Ankers |first=Adele |date=9 March 2020 |title=Star Wars, Skyrim Actor Max Von Sydow Dies Aged 90 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/star-wars-skyrim-actor-max-von-sydow-dies-aged-90 | newspaper=[[IGN]] |access-date=9 March 2020 }}</ref>

In 2018, Sydow appeared in [[Thomas Vinterberg]]'s film ''[[Kursk (film)|Kursk]]'', also known as ''The Command'', based on the true story of the [[Kursk submarine disaster]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/845683-kursk-movie-production|title=Thomas Vinterberg's Kursk movie, now in production, will shoot all over Europe|work=ComingSoon.net|date=8 May 2017|access-date=10 May 2017}}</ref>

His final role was in [[Nicholas Dimitropoulos]]' war drama ''[[Echoes of the Past]]'' (2021). He portrayed Nicolas Andreou, one of the last living survivors of the [[Kalavryta massacre|Kalavryta massacre of 1943]] committed by Nazi troops during the [[Axis occupation of Greece]].<ref name="FTObit" />

==Personal life==
Max von Sydow married actress Christina Inga Britta Olin in 1951. They had two sons. The couple divorced in 1979.<ref name=LATimesObit/> Von Sydow married French documentarian Catherine Brelet in 1997 and adopted Brelet's two adult sons from her previous marriage.<ref name=LATimesObit/><ref name=GuardianObit/>

Sydow relocated to Paris following his marriage to Brelet. In 2002, he became a citizen of France, at which time he had to relinquish his Swedish citizenship.<ref name=LATimesObit/><ref name="Aftonbladet">{{cite web |title=Han bryter med Sverige |url=http://www.aftonbladet.se/nojesbladet/article14127418.ab |work=[[Aftonbladet]] |date=25 December 2011 |access-date=15 June 2013 |language=sv}}</ref>

Sydow was reported to be either an agnostic<ref name="Bergmanorama"/> or an [[atheist]].<ref>{{cite web |author=Tim Appelo |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/exorcist-director-worked-because-i-692092 |title=''Exorcist'' Director: It Worked Because 'I Made That Film as a Believer' |date=29 March 2014 |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] }}</ref> In 2012, he told [[Charlie Rose]] in an interview that [[Ingmar Bergman]] had told him he would contact him after death to show him that there was a life after death. When Rose asked Sydow if he had heard from Bergman, he replied that he had but chose not to elaborate further on the exact meaning of this statement. In the same interview, he described himself as a doubter in his youth but stated this doubt was gone and indicated he came to agree with Bergman's belief in the afterlife.<ref>{{YouTube|id=KKpQlx79fmU|Max von Sydow on Ingmar Bergman}}</ref>

==Death==
Max von Sydow died on 8 March 2020 at his home in [[Provence]], France, at age 90.<ref name=THRObit/>

== Filmography ==
{{main|Max von Sydow filmography}}

== Awards and nominations ==
{{main|List of awards and nominations received by Max von Sydow}}

He was nominated for two [[Academy Awards]], for his performances in [[Bille August]]'s ''[[Pelle the Conqueror]]'' (1987) and [[Stephen Daldry]]'s ''[[Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (film)|Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close]]'' (2011). At the age of 82, von Sydow was one of the oldest Oscar acting nominees. He also received two [[Golden Globe Awards]] nominations as well as two [[Primetime Emmy Awards]] nominations. In 1982 he received the Best Actor prize at the [[Venice International Film Festival]] for his performance in ''[[Flight of the Eagle]]''. He was also the winner of 3 [[Guldbagge Awards]] and received a festival trophy from the [[Cannes Film Festival]] in 2004.

== See also ==
* [[List of actors with two or more Academy Award nominations in acting categories]]
* [[List of oldest and youngest Academy Award winners and nominees]]
* [[List of Academy Award records]] – first Nordic actor to be nominated for acting, for ''[[Pelle the Conqueror]]'' (1988)
* [[List of actors nominated for Academy Awards for non-English performances]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{IMDb name|0001884|Max von Sydow}}
*{{Sfdb name}}
*{{IBDB name}}
*{{TCMDb name}}
* {{Discogs artist|Max Von Sydow}}

{{Navboxes
|title = [[List of awards and nominations received by Max von Sydow|Awards for Max von Sydow]]
|list =
{{AACTA Award Best Actor in a Leading Role}}
{{Donostia Award}}
{{European Film Award for Best Actor}}
{{Guldbagge Award Best Actor}}
{{Guldbagge Award Best Director}}
{{TokyoInternationalFilmFestivalBestActor}}
}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sydow, Max von}} <!--see authority control -->
[[Category:1929 births]]
[[Category:2020 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century Swedish male actors]]
[[Category:21st-century French male actors]]
[[Category:21st-century Swedish male actors]]
[[Category:Best Actor AACTA Award winners]]
[[Category:Best Actor Bodil Award winners]]
[[Category:Best Actor Guldbagge Award winners]]
[[Category:Best Actor Robert Award winners]]
[[Category:Best Director Guldbagge Award winners]]
[[Category:Knights of the Legion of Honour]]
[[Category:European Film Award for Best Actor winners]]
[[Category:Former Lutherans]]
[[Category:French expatriate male actors in the United States]]
[[Category:French male film actors]]
[[Category:French male television actors]]
[[Category:French male video game actors]]
[[Category:French male voice actors]]
[[Category:French people of German descent]]
[[Category:Naturalized citizens of France]]
[[Category:Male actors from Lund]]
[[Category:People from Provence]]
[[Category:Male actors from Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur]]
[[Category:Swedish agnostics]]
[[Category:Swedish Army soldiers]]
[[Category:Swedish emigrants to France]]
[[Category:Swedish expatriate male actors in the United States]]
[[Category:Swedish expatriates in Spain]]
[[Category:Swedish male film actors]]
[[Category:Swedish male stage actors]]
[[Category:Swedish male television actors]]
[[Category:Swedish male voice actors]]
[[Category:Swedish nobility]]
[[Category:Swedish people of German descent]]