Nosferatu’s Count Orlok was almost played by these three actors before Bill Skarsgard
Daniel Day-Lewis as Count Dracula? In another world, director Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu could have given us exactly that.
“Nosferatu” is reminiscent of silent film actor Max Shreck, with his bald head and pointy ears, as he played the vampire Count Orlok. But in Eggers’ new “Nosferatu,” Orlok actor Bill Skarsgård looks nothing like that – nor does he look like himself.
Similar to Skarsgård’s appearance as Pennywise in IT He completely submits to the figure, disappears behind make-up and (in “Nosferatu”) an echo effect in his voice. I completely agree with /Film’s Chris Evangelista that when you watch Skarsgård’s Orlok, you don’t feel like you’re watching a performance, but rather a real evil unfolding on the screen. In that way, it’s the most heavily cast villain portrayal I can remember since Heath Ledger’s Joker in The Dark Knight.
Now this can all sound like a backhanded compliment, with Skarsgård being treated as a mere stand-in while the make-up and sound design do the work. But I think it’s a sign of humility and skillful restraint when you see that most actors want it own Face on the screen as Skarsgård buries his. Orlok’s movements, body language and intonation also come from Skarsgård; The makeup is only so convincing because it slips on so easily.
Skarsgård was originally cast as the film’s heroic male lead, Thomas Hutter, who was eventually played by Nicholas Hoult. I think it worked; They are both extremely handsome men, but Hoult has a more boyish innocence (although… He will soon play Lex Luthor in James Gunn’s Superman.). Skarsgård, with his sharp features and large eyes, is scarier.
If Skarsgård had But who would have played Hutter, who would have been Orlok? Eggers’ wish list reportedly included Day-Lewis, Mads Mikkelsen and Willem Dafoe (who instead played the renamed Van Helsing, Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz).
