Þröstur Leó Gunnarsson
Encyclopedia
Þröstur Leó Gunnarsson born 23 April 1961 in Reykjavík
, Iceland, is an Icelandic stage, film and television actor.
Þröstur Leó Gunnarsson graduated from the Icelandic School of Drama in 1985. He then began his career onstage at the Leikfélag Reykjavíkur, Reykavik's premier theatre company, where he appeared in productions as: John Steinbeck
's' The Grapes of Wrath
, William Shakespeare
's Hamlet
, Molière
's Tartuffe
, Anton Chekhov
's Platonov
and Birgir Sigurðsson
's Degi vonar.
Gunnarsson's first film role came in the 1986 Hilmar Oddsson-directed drama Eins og skepnan deyr (English release title: The Beast). He then followed in a number of films and television movies. He is possibly best recalled internationally for his roles in Baltasar Kormákur
's 2000 romantic comedy 101 Reykjavik
, opposite Spanish actress Victoria Abril
, Kormákur's 2002 drama Hafið
(English release title: The Sea), 2002's United States/Icelandic coproduction of No Such Thing, a bilingual fantasy starring Sarah Polley
, Helen Mirren
and Julie Christie
, and Dagur Kári
's 2003 drama Nói albínói
(Nói the Albino).
In 2008, Gunnarsson won Iceland's Edda Award
for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the Baltasar Kormákur
-directed drama Brúðguminn.
In May 2009, Gunnarsson began directing the play Við Borgum, Við Ekki! Borgum Ekki! (English title: We Can't Pay! Won't Pay!), a comedy centering on the 2008–2011 Icelandic financial crisis at the Borgarleikhúsið Reykjavik City Theatre
.
In November 2009, he was the beneficiary of the Mrs. Stefania Guðmundsdóttir Memorial Fund (Icelandic: Minningarsjóður frú Stefaníu Guðmundsdóttur), a fund established in 1938 to promote Icelandic drama and theatre.
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
, Iceland, is an Icelandic stage, film and television actor.
Þröstur Leó Gunnarsson graduated from the Icelandic School of Drama in 1985. He then began his career onstage at the Leikfélag Reykjavíkur, Reykavik's premier theatre company, where he appeared in productions as: John Steinbeck
John Steinbeck
John Ernst Steinbeck, Jr. was an American writer. He is widely known for the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden and the novella Of Mice and Men...
's' The Grapes of Wrath
The Grapes of Wrath
The Grapes of Wrath is a novel published in 1939 and written by John Steinbeck, who was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1940 and the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962....
, William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's 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...
, Molière
Molière
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière, was a French playwright and actor who is considered to be one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature...
's Tartuffe
Tartuffe
Tartuffe is a comedy by Molière. It is one of his most famous plays.-History:Molière wrote Tartuffe in 1664...
, Anton Chekhov
Anton Chekhov
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was a Russian physician, dramatist and author who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short stories in history. His career as a dramatist produced four classics and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics...
's Platonov
Platonov (play)
Platonov is the name in English given to an early, untitled play written in Russian by Anton Chekhov in 1878. It was the first large-scale drama by Chekhov written specifically for Maria Yermolova, rising star of Maly Theatre...
and Birgir Sigurðsson
Birgir Sigurðsson
Birgir Sigurðsson is an Icelandic writer born in Reykjavík on August 28, 1937. He was a journalist and then an elementary teacher in Iceland in the 1960s, but then moved to Amsterdam to study singing. While there he quit singing, but became a poet and returned to Iceland as such. He continued to...
's Degi vonar.
Gunnarsson's first film role came in the 1986 Hilmar Oddsson-directed drama Eins og skepnan deyr (English release title: The Beast). He then followed in a number of films and television movies. He is possibly best recalled internationally for his roles in Baltasar Kormákur
Baltasar Kormákur
Baltasar Kormákur is an Icelandic actor, theater and film director, and film producer. He is best known for directing the films 101 Reykjavík, Hafið, A Little Trip to Heaven , and a film based on the book Mýrin by Arnaldur Indriðason...
's 2000 romantic comedy 101 Reykjavik
101 Reykjavík
101 Reykjavík is a 2000 film set in Reykjavík, Iceland based on a book of the same name by Hallgrímur Helgason. It was directed by Baltasar Kormákur and stars Victoria Abril and Hilmir Snær Guðnason. The name of the film is taken from the postal code for down-town Reykjavík, "the old city"...
, opposite Spanish actress Victoria Abril
Victoria Abril
Victoria Abril is a Spanish film actress. She is best known to international audiences for her performance in the movie ¡Átame! by director Pedro Almodóvar....
, Kormákur's 2002 drama Hafið
Hafið
The Sea, , is a 2002 Icelandic film, directed by Baltasar Kormákur. The film tells the story of a wealthy Icelandic family, owners of a fish industry company in a small Icelandic coastal town, and various family issues they have to deal with.-Cast:*Gunnar Eyjólfsson as Thórdur*Hilmir Snær Guðnason...
(English release title: The Sea), 2002's United States/Icelandic coproduction of No Such Thing, a bilingual fantasy starring Sarah Polley
Sarah Polley
Sarah Polley is a Canadian actress, singer, film director, and screenwriter. Polley first attained notice in her role as Sara Stanley in the Canadian television series, Road to Avonlea...
, Helen Mirren
Helen Mirren
Dame Helen Mirren, DBE is an English actor. She has won an Academy Award for Best Actress, four SAG Awards, four BAFTAs, three Golden Globes, four Emmy Awards, and two Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Awards.-Early life and family:...
and Julie Christie
Julie Christie
Julie Frances Christie is a British actress. Born in British India to English parents, at the age of six Christie moved to England, where she attended boarding school....
, and Dagur Kári
Dagur Kári
Dagur Kári is an Icelandic film director.He was born in Paris, France to Icelandic parents and returned to Iceland when he was 3 years old. Dagur graduated from the National Film School of Denmark in 1999, with art house short movie Lost Weekend...
's 2003 drama Nói albínói
Nói Albínói
Noi the Albino is an Icelandic film by director Dagur Kári released in 2003. The film explores the life of teenage outsider Nói Kristmundsson in a remote fishing village in western Iceland. It won multiple awards....
(Nói the Albino).
In 2008, Gunnarsson won Iceland's Edda Award
Edda Award
The Edda Award is an accolade bestowed by The Icelandic Film and Television Academy , and is the most prominent film and television award in Iceland...
for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the Baltasar Kormákur
-directed drama Brúðguminn.
In May 2009, Gunnarsson began directing the play Við Borgum, Við Ekki! Borgum Ekki! (English title: We Can't Pay! Won't Pay!), a comedy centering on the 2008–2011 Icelandic financial crisis at the Borgarleikhúsið Reykjavik City Theatre
Reykjavik City Theatre
Reykjavik City TheatreIn 1989, after 90 years of performing in a small wooden building in the city centre, the company inaugurated a new, modern theatre complex. The large new building , comparable to many of Europe's best theatres, has very modern facilities and four highly technical and...
.
In November 2009, he was the beneficiary of the Mrs. Stefania Guðmundsdóttir Memorial Fund (Icelandic: Minningarsjóður frú Stefaníu Guðmundsdóttur), a fund established in 1938 to promote Icelandic drama and theatre.
Filmography
- 1986 Eins og skepnan deyr (English release title: The Beast)
- 1987 Áramótaskaup 1987 (Icelandic television movie)
- 1989 Flugþrá (Icelandic television short) – Boy
- 1989 Magnús – Gísli
- 1992 Sódóma ReykjavíkSódóma ReykjavíkRemote Control is an Icelandic film from 1992 directed by Óskar Jónasson. The plot is a farce, revolving around the young car mechanic Axel and his adventure in the Reykjavík underworld which starts when his mother insists that he must recover the remote control to her TV...
(English release title: Remote Control) – Áslákur - 1993 Í ljósaskiptunum (Icelandic video)
- 1995 Tár úr steini (English: Tears of Stone) – Jón
- 1996 Áramótaskaup 1996 (Icelandic television movie)
- 1997 Perlur og svín – Erlingur
- 1997 Stikkfrí (English release title: Count Me Out) – Siggi
- 1998 Áramótaskaup 1998 (Icelandic television movie)
- 1999 Skaupið: 1999 (Icelandic television movie)
- 2000 101 Reykjavík101 Reykjavík101 Reykjavík is a 2000 film set in Reykjavík, Iceland based on a book of the same name by Hallgrímur Helgason. It was directed by Baltasar Kormákur and stars Victoria Abril and Hilmir Snær Guðnason. The name of the film is taken from the postal code for down-town Reykjavík, "the old city"...
– Brúsi - 2000 Óskabörn þjóðarinnar (English release title: Plan B)
- 2001 No Such Thing – First mate
- 2002 HafiðHafiðThe Sea, , is a 2002 Icelandic film, directed by Baltasar Kormákur. The film tells the story of a wealthy Icelandic family, owners of a fish industry company in a small Icelandic coastal town, and various family issues they have to deal with.-Cast:*Gunnar Eyjólfsson as Thórdur*Hilmir Snær Guðnason...
(English release title: The Sea) – Kalli Bumba - 2003 Nói albínóiNói AlbínóiNoi the Albino is an Icelandic film by director Dagur Kári released in 2003. The film explores the life of teenage outsider Nói Kristmundsson in a remote fishing village in western Iceland. It won multiple awards....
(English release title: Noi the Albino) – Kiddi Beikon - 2003 Þriðja nafni (English release title: The Third Name) – Arnar
- 2003 Njálssaga (Icelandic television movie) – Melkólfur
- 2004 Áramótaskaup 2004 (Icelandic television movie) – various roles
- 2005 Carjackin (short film) – Manager
- 2005 Beowulf & GrendelBeowulf & GrendelBeowulf & Grendel is a 2005 film loosely based on the Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf. Filmed in Iceland and directed by Sturla Gunnarsson, it stars Gerard Butler as Beowulf, Stellan Skarsgård as Hrothgar, Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson as Grendel and Sarah Polley as the witch Selma...
– Guard - 2006 Köld slóð (English: Cold Trail) – Baldur
- 2007 Parents – Addi
- 2008 Support (short film) – Suicidal patient
- 2008 Brúðguminn (English release title: White Night Wedding) – Börkur
- 2008 Sveitabrúðkaup (English release title: Country Wedding) – Svanur
- 2008 Reykjavik-RotterdamReykjavík-RotterdamReykjavík-Rotterdam is an Icelandic film directed by Óskar Jónasson and starring Baltasar Kormákur.-Plot synopsis:Like a fish on a dry land, Kristofer is stuck in a dull everyday routine, working as a security guard. He got fired from the freight ship he worked on, when he was caught smuggling...
– Jensen - 2009 Reyndu aftur (short film) – Axel
- 2009 The Cliff (Icelandic television series) – Freyr
- 2010 Kóngavegur (English: King's Road) – Kári
- 2010 Algjör Sveppi og dularfulla hótelherbergið – Jón Gamli
- 2011 Djúpið (post-production) – Lárus
- 2011 EldfjallVolcano (2011 film)Volcano is a 2011 Icelandic drama film directed by Rúnar Rúnarsson. The film has been selected as the Icelandic entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 84th Academy Awards.-Cast:* Auður Drauma Bachmann as Tinna* Þorsteinn Bachmann as Ari...
(English release title: Volcano) – Janitor