Thue Ersted Rasmussen is an Danish actor born in Aalborg. His filmography includes many successful projects such as «Fast and the Furious 9», «New Nurses», «Sunday». This year he appeared as Ahlgren in the famous Netflix show «Shadow and Bone».
Hello, Thue! Congratulations for the «Shadow and Bone» season 2 premiere! Tell us, please, about your impressions of the filming of this project.
— Filming S&B was a great experience for me. We were shooting on and off in Budapest for a few months just as I was about to be a dad for the first time, which was a little nerve wrecking, but luckily I managed to do both; work on the set and enjoy my time there AND witness the birth of my son. Obviously it’s unfair to compare the two, but both were great experiences for me.
At what moment in your life did you decide to become an actor and why?
— I was about 12 years old. We did a school play and I really enjoyed being on stage. When I was 13, I wanted to become a hacker or an actor. At 15, acting had won. I do wonder, sometimes, what my life would have been like, if I had gone with my other passion at the time.
You are acting in theater, as well as playing in various films and TV series. Your filmography includes many successful projects, such as «Fast and the Furious 9», «New Nurses», «Sunday» and others. Do you have any favorite roles that you can single out from the entire list of roles you have played?
— I’ve really enjoyed filming Sunday – it’s a Danish, improvised comedy show about a local football club who goes to Africa to find reinforcements. All the good players are already taken, so the head coach hires his rickshaw-runner, Sunday. It’s far out, but funny and lovely and an absolute blast to film. S&B was really great as well – I enjoyed it a lot and I think I did a good job with Ahlgren.
Have you ever had a role that was more challenging than others? If so, what role was it?
— Fast9 was a big challenge, because it was such a big production. I had never worked on anything closely resembling that rocket ship of a production, so that was scary and challenging. Luckily I met some really nice people on set – like John Cena – and hanging out with them sort of normalized the experience for me.
If you could play any existing character, who would it be and why?
— A scientist, I think. I have great admiration for scientists and would love to portray one. Fifty years ago, everybody wanted to be rocket scientists and astronauts. Today everybody wants to be influencers. If I could help reverse that trend by portraying a scientist and making some kid change his mind, my life would be meaningful.
Do you watch TV shows you've been involved in?
— Sometimes. Most of the times, actually, but if I feel like I havent’ done a great job, I prefer the memory of my work rather than watching the final product.
Have you read any books from the Grishavers universe? If so, which one did you enjoy the most?
— Sadly I didn’t have time to read the books. I was about to be a dad and had plenty to do at home – and my character wasn’t in the books, so there wasn’t a lot to learn for me about my work from reading the books, it seemed. I focused on the script of the show instead. Maybe, when my son is a little older, I can read them to him. I do enjoy reading fantasy sometimes.
We are back to «Shadow and Bone» again! Can you tell us any behind-the-scenes stories from the filming?
— Only what a pleasure it was to hang out with Calahan Skogman and Dean Kelly. Those were the two actors I got closest with and they’re both beautiful, interesting people who I really enjoyed spending time with. We went out a few times and got really, really drunk in Budapest. I miss those nights.
Do you have any hobbies? What do you like to do in your spare time?
— I enjoy carpentry, physics, gaming, role playing, writing. Right now, with a 1-year old son, spare time is not really something I have a lot of, though.
In which projects will we see you in the future and could you tell us about them?
— I can’t tell you about future projects right now. There are a few projects in the pipeline, but nothing that’s set in stone. That’s the life of most actors, I think. Someone once described it as a life of jumping from sinking ice flake to sinking ice flake, hoping not to fall into the cold water of unemployment. You’re told that IF you find the right ice flakes, you might someday make it to shore, where there’s no chance of falling in the water, but from your perspective, there is not any land to be seen in any directions. That’s how it is most of the time, I think. Trying to navigate the ice flakes.
Your favorite movie?
— So many, but if I had to choose one it’d be Usual Suspects. Or What we do in the shadows.
Favorite TV series?
— White Lotus comes to mind right now.
Favorite book?
— I think it’d be a collection of Charles Baudelaire’s poems.
Your favorite quote?
— Basically anything from Oscar Wilde. Like: “I can resist anything, except temptation”.
Your favorite singer/band?
— I’m a jazz man, so I’d have to say the pianist Bill Evans.
Your favorite song?
— An old irish tune, Mary of the Wild Moor, sung by my mother.
Favorite season?
— Summer. Definitely. Here in Copenhagen, Denmark, the summer nights are endless and wonderful.
Marvel or DC?
— Marvel.
What's your Hogwarts House?
— I’d say Gryffindor with a Lion for a Patronus, but Wizarding World sorted me as Hufflepuff with a mouse as a patronus, so somewhere between those two.
Do you have an idol and if you do, who is it?
— Right now it’s Albert Schneppen, a 24-year old physicist from Denmark. He’s already changed the physics world with two papers: One about light travelling around a black hole and one about netron stars colliding. It’s awe inspiring that such a young person has already achieved so much.
