Aksel Hennie
Encyclopedia
Aksel Hennie is a Norwegian
actor, director and writer. He has acted in a number of successful Norwegian movies, and has received several awards.
Hennie grew up in Lambertseter
in Oslo. In his late teens he was sentenced for graffiti
, and became an outcast in the community for confessing to the police. This personal story contributed much of the background for the movie Uno
. The conviction against Hennie was in fact one of the first such cases in Norway.
Hennie was admitted to the Norwegian National Academy of Theatre
after applying four times. He graduated in 2001, and has since acted both at Teatret Vårt
in Molde
(2001–2002) and at Oslo Nye Teater
(2002–), where he has been in plays such as Hamlet
, and Kvinnen som giftet seg med en kalkun (English: The woman who married a turkey).
His main success, however, has been as a film actor. He made his debut starring in the feature film Jonny Vang
in 2003. Though the director, Jens Lien
, originally thought Hennie was too young for the role, the actor convinced him he was the right man for the film. The same year he also acted in the movies Buddy
and Ulvesommer, and the next year he made his debut as a director and writer with the movie Uno, in which he also acted. For this film Hennie, and his co-star Nicolai Cleve Broch
, went into hard physical training for six months to perform convincingly as bodybuilders
.
He won the Amanda Award
– the main Norwegian film award – for "Best Direction" for the movie Uno in 2005, and that same year he was also among the nominees for "Best Actor" and "Best Film". He also won an Amanda award as "Best Actor" for the movie Jonny Vang
in 2003. He was named one of European films "Shooting Stars" by European Film Promotion in 2004. In 2001 he was also named "Theatre talent of the year" by the newspaper Dagbladet
. In 2008 Hennie starred in the movie Max Manus
, where he played the role of the Norwegian war hero by that name
. The movie had a large budget by Norwegian standards, and was met with great expectations. His next upcoming international film is Age of Heroes
, a World War II film primarily shot in Norway starring Sean Bean
and Danny Dyer
.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
actor, director and writer. He has acted in a number of successful Norwegian movies, and has received several awards.
Hennie grew up in Lambertseter
Lambertseter
Lambertseter is a suburb of the city of Oslo, Norway, and is part of the borough of Nordstrand.Lambertseter was built over a short period starting from 1951, and was the very first modern suburb of Oslo...
in Oslo. In his late teens he was sentenced for graffiti
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
, and became an outcast in the community for confessing to the police. This personal story contributed much of the background for the movie Uno
Uno (film)
Uno is a 2004 Norwegian drama film, directed by Aksel Hennie, who also stars in the film. The film was hailed by critics, and won Hennie an Amanda Award for Best Director.-Plot:...
. The conviction against Hennie was in fact one of the first such cases in Norway.
Hennie was admitted to the Norwegian National Academy of Theatre
Norwegian National Academy of Theatre
The Norwegian National Academy of Theatre was established as a three-year theater-education in 1953, under the name of Statens teaterskole.The school was given collegiate status in 1982...
after applying four times. He graduated in 2001, and has since acted both at Teatret Vårt
Teatret Vårt
Teatret Vårt is a regional theatre for Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It was established in 1972, and is based in Molde. The theatre cooperates with the annual Molde International Jazz Festival. Carl Morten Amundsen has been theatre director from 2000....
in Molde
Molde
is a city and municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Romsdal region. The municipality is located on the Romsdal Peninsula, surrounding the Fannefjord and Moldefjord...
(2001–2002) and at Oslo Nye Teater
Oslo Nye Teater
Oslo Nye Teater in Oslo is one of Norway's most visited theatres.The theatre opened in 1959 as a merge between Det Nye Teater and Folketeatret, and consists of four stages; Oslo Nye Hovedscenen, Oslo Nye Centralteatret, Oslo Nye Trikkestallen and Oslo Nye Caféscenen.-External links:*...
(2002–), where he has been in plays such as Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
, and Kvinnen som giftet seg med en kalkun (English: The woman who married a turkey).
His main success, however, has been as a film actor. He made his debut starring in the feature film Jonny Vang
Jonny Vang
Jonny Vang is a Norwegian film from 2003. It was directed by Jens Lien after a script by Ståle Stein Berg. The music was composed by the band Calexico. The plot is a drama-comedy from the Norwegian countryside, where the protagonist Jonny Vang is frustrated in his efforts to prosper as a breeder of...
in 2003. Though the director, Jens Lien
Jens Lien
Jens Lien is a Norwegian film director. He graduated from the London International Film School in 1993. His graduation project was the short film "Montana", that was featured at the short film festival in Grimstad that year. in 1995 he again participated in this festival, with the entry "Mitt...
, originally thought Hennie was too young for the role, the actor convinced him he was the right man for the film. The same year he also acted in the movies Buddy
Buddy (2003 film)
Buddy is a Norwegian film from 2003. It was directed by Morten Tyldum after a script by Lars Gudmestad. The music was composed by Lars Lillo-Stenberg, known from the band DeLillos...
and Ulvesommer, and the next year he made his debut as a director and writer with the movie Uno, in which he also acted. For this film Hennie, and his co-star Nicolai Cleve Broch
Nicolai Cleve Broch
Nicolai Cleve Broch is a Norwegian actor of theatre and film. He rose to national fame playing one of the leading roles in the 2002 drama series Lekestue, which aired on NRK in 2002. He is also known for playing the protagonist in Buddy, a romantic comedy from 2003. Other major film credits...
, went into hard physical training for six months to perform convincingly as bodybuilders
Bodybuilding
Bodybuilding is a form of body modification involving intensive muscle hypertrophy. An individual who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder. In competitive and professional bodybuilding, bodybuilders display their physiques to a panel of judges, who assign points based on their...
.
He won the Amanda Award
Amanda (award)
The Amanda Award is an award given annually at the Norwegian International Film Festival in Haugesund, Norway, to promote and improve Norwegian film. The award originated in 1985, and has since 2005 been exclusively a film award...
– the main Norwegian film award – for "Best Direction" for the movie Uno in 2005, and that same year he was also among the nominees for "Best Actor" and "Best Film". He also won an Amanda award as "Best Actor" for the movie Jonny Vang
Jonny Vang
Jonny Vang is a Norwegian film from 2003. It was directed by Jens Lien after a script by Ståle Stein Berg. The music was composed by the band Calexico. The plot is a drama-comedy from the Norwegian countryside, where the protagonist Jonny Vang is frustrated in his efforts to prosper as a breeder of...
in 2003. He was named one of European films "Shooting Stars" by European Film Promotion in 2004. In 2001 he was also named "Theatre talent of the year" by the newspaper Dagbladet
Dagbladet
Dagbladet is Norway's second largest tabloid newspaper, and the third largest newspaper overall with a circulation of 105,255 copies in 2009, 18,128 papers less than in 2008. The editor in chief is Lars Helle....
. In 2008 Hennie starred in the movie Max Manus
Max Manus (film)
Max Manus is a Norwegian 2008 biographic war film based on the real events of the life of resistance fighter Max Manus . The story follows Manus from the Winter War against the Soviet Union, through the outbreak of World War II and the German occupation of Norway until peacetime in 1945...
, where he played the role of the Norwegian war hero by that name
Max Manus
Maximo Guillermo "Max" Manus DSO, MC & Bar was a Norwegian resistance fighter during World War II.Manus was born in Bergen to a Norwegian father and a Danish mother...
. The movie had a large budget by Norwegian standards, and was met with great expectations. His next upcoming international film is Age of Heroes
Age of Heroes (film)
Age of Heroes is an action-thriller film directed by Adrian Vitoria. The film is based on the real-life events of the formation of Ian Fleming's 30 Commando unit during World War II The film was released in the United Kingdom in 2011.-Plot:...
, a World War II film primarily shot in Norway starring Sean Bean
Sean Bean
Shaun Mark "Sean" Bean is an English film and stage actor. Bean is best known for playing Boromir in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and, previously, British Colonel Richard Sharpe in the ITV television series Sharpe...
and Danny Dyer
Danny Dyer
Danny Dyer is an English actor, media personality, and chairman of Greenwich Borough, a non-League football team.-Biography:Daniel John Dyer was born in Custom House, an area of East London, to Antony and Christine Dyer...
.
Select filmography
- Age of HeroesAge of Heroes (film)Age of Heroes is an action-thriller film directed by Adrian Vitoria. The film is based on the real-life events of the formation of Ian Fleming's 30 Commando unit during World War II The film was released in the United Kingdom in 2011.-Plot:...
(2011) - A Somewhat Gentle ManA Somewhat Gentle ManA Somewhat Gentle Man is a 2010 Norwegian comedy film directed by Hans Petter Moland. It was nominated for the Golden Bear at the 60th Berlin International Film Festival.-Cast:* Stellan Skarsgård - Ulrik* Bjørn Floberg - Rune Jensen* Gard B...
(2010) - Max ManusMax Manus (film)Max Manus is a Norwegian 2008 biographic war film based on the real events of the life of resistance fighter Max Manus . The story follows Manus from the Winter War against the Soviet Union, through the outbreak of World War II and the German occupation of Norway until peacetime in 1945...
(2008) - Terkel i knipe (2005)
- Den som frykter ulven (2004)
- Hawaii, OsloHawaii, OsloHawaii, Oslo is a Norwegian film from 2004. It was directed by Erik Poppe after a script by Harald Rosenløw Eeg. The music was composed by John Erik Kaada and Bugge Wesseltoft. The film was well received by critics, and was awarded two Amanda Awards in 2005....
(2004) - UnoUno (film)Uno is a 2004 Norwegian drama film, directed by Aksel Hennie, who also stars in the film. The film was hailed by critics, and won Hennie an Amanda Award for Best Director.-Plot:...
(2004) - BuddyBuddy (2003 film)Buddy is a Norwegian film from 2003. It was directed by Morten Tyldum after a script by Lars Gudmestad. The music was composed by Lars Lillo-Stenberg, known from the band DeLillos...
(2003) - Jonny VangJonny VangJonny Vang is a Norwegian film from 2003. It was directed by Jens Lien after a script by Ståle Stein Berg. The music was composed by the band Calexico. The plot is a drama-comedy from the Norwegian countryside, where the protagonist Jonny Vang is frustrated in his efforts to prosper as a breeder of...
(2003) - Ulvesommer (2003)
- 1732 Høtten (1998)
- Bobby's verden(Dub) (1990–1998)