NORWAY JAKOB OFTEBRO
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N O RWAY J A KO B O F T E B R O
“E V ERY TH I NG REALLY STARTED W H EN I WA S C A ST I N MA X MANUS. IT WA S A SMALL PART BUT I LOV ED IT. I WORKED AGAI N W ITH TH E SAM E DI REC TOR W H EN I WA S C A ST I N A MAI N ROLE FOR KON -TIKI.”
INTERVIEW
© ANDERS HEINRICHSEN
© P E R A R N E S E N / M I S O F I L M
What’s the best piece Tell me a bit about how of advice you’ve been given so far? you became an actor? You come Never give up. Stay positive. from an acting family… When Aksel Hennie ( who played the I was younger I was very shy, role of “Max Manus” in the and I didn’t want to be on stage, film ) said that to me. And, of but then there was this school course, my father has given play and I volunteered to be in Jakob Oftebro in period dress for “1864”. me a lot of advice. Originally, it. My parents were shocked I he advised against going into did it. I don’t think I was that acting as a career. He said it was so tough. But he also said, good, but it was fun. I conquered some personal fears, and if you want to do it, you have to apply yourself to it fully. kept on going. I began my studies in acting at the National Theater School in Oslo. But I always wanted to live in You’ve worked on some quality T V programs, like another country, so I moved to Copenhagen and did a final “The Bridge”. Why do you think the TV shows that are coming out year at the theater school there. of Scandinavia are so strong? I guess one thing is dark, cold When I was eleven or twelve years old, I started Scandinavia. It’s the right setting for good noir mysteries. auditioning for TV and movies. I got smaller parts. But There’s also a very special system here. Producers allow for me everything really started when I was cast in “Max the directors to do their thing. They allow them space Manus”. It was a small part but I loved it. I worked again for their ideas to develop. That can create a really good with the same director when I was cast in a main role working atmosphere for artists. Another thing is that we for “Kon-Tiki”. I was very lucky to be able to work with have strong female characters in the shows. Not just men so many good and established Norwegian actors on this drinking coffee, smoking cigarettes and killing other men! film.
EU RO PE A N SHOOTING STARS 2014
Jakob Oftebro, European Shooting Star, Norway.