Mads Mikkelsen, a prominent Danish actor, has an estimated net worth of $14 million. He gained wide recognition in the United States for his performance in Casino Royale and as Dr. Hannibal Lecter in the NBC series Hannibal (2013-2015), where he appeared in 39 episodes.
Early Life and Background
Born on November 22, 1965, in Østerbro, Copenhagen, Denmark, Mads initially aspired to be a gymnast and dancer. Raised in the Norrebro district by his parents, Bente Christiansen and Henning Mikkelsen, who worked as a cab driver, Mads had an early passion for movement. He later studied at a ballet academy in Gothenburg, Sweden, where he became fluent in Swedish.
Journey into Acting
Mikkelsen began his career as a ballet dancer, performing in Sweden for a decade. Afterward, he turned to acting and graduated from the Arhus Theatre School. He made his film debut in Pusher (1996), an internationally successful project. This marked the start of his rise in European cinema. He then starred in Bleeder (1999), Flickering Lights (2000), and Shake It All About (2001), which expanded his popularity.
Notable Film Roles
In 2002, Mikkelsen earned critical acclaim for his role in Open Hearts, receiving a Best Actor nomination at the Rouen Nordic Film Festival. His portrayal in The Green Butchers won him the Fantasporto Award for Best Actor. His international breakthrough came in Rejseholdet (“Unit One”) (2000-2003), a Danish series where he played a sensitive policeman. In 2004, he appeared in King Arthur, a commercial success despite mixed reviews.
Hollywood Breakthrough
Mads gained worldwide fame in 2006 when he starred as Le Chiffre in Casino Royale, the James Bond film. This role significantly boosted his international career. That year, he also starred in the Oscar-nominated After the Wedding and received several awards, including the Palm Springs International Film Festival Award for Best Actor. His other roles in Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky (2009), Valhalla Rising (2009), and Clash of the Titans (2010) cemented his status as a versatile actor.
Career Highlights
In 2011, Mikkelsen starred in The Three Musketeers, a box-office hit. His portrayal in The Hunt (2012) earned him a Best Actor award at Cannes, and the same year, he appeared in A Royal Affair, a critically acclaimed historical drama. He played Hannibal Lecter in Hannibal (2013-2015), where his performance received widespread praise.
Later Career Projects
Mikkelsen continued to showcase his talent in films such as Charlie Countryman (2013), The Salvation (2014), and Doctor Strange (2016). He also joined the cast of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) and starred in Arctic (2018). In 2019, he appeared in Polar, though it was poorly received. Mikkelsen also featured in Carlsberg’s 2019 U.K. advertisement.
“Fantastic Beasts” Role and Recent Work
In 2020, Mikkelsen was confirmed to have been cast as the new Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts series after the departure of Johnny Depp. His portrayal in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022) was met with anticipation. Earlier that year, he starred in Another Round, which won the 2021 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
Personal Life
Mads Mikkelsen has been married to choreographer Hanne Jacobsen since 2000. The couple has two children, Viola (born 1992) and Carl (born 1997). Although Mads has spent most of his life in Denmark, he lived in Toronto while filming Hannibal. Mikkelsen is often voted Denmark’s sexiest man and was named a Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog in 2010. In 2016, he was honored by the French government with the Knight of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
