Joel Kinnaman on Playing Complex Characters and Acting in Sweden

Swedish actor Joel Kinnaman has received critical acclaim for his role as J.W. in “Easy Money,” a film based on the best-selling Swedish novel “Snabba Cash.” Released in 2010, the film tells the story of a working class Swedish college student who becomes involved in the drug trade to help afford the expensive lifestyle of his wealthy circle of friends.

Living a double life, J.W. gets in over his head, falling for an heiress and becoming more and more embroiled in criminal activity. Kinnaman, who also stars in AMC’s “The Killing,” and will star in the remake of “RoboCop” sat down with Back Stage to talk about his experience filming the Swedish hit, which hit U.S. theaters on Wednesday, as well as his training as an actor.

What was the audition process for “Easy Money”?
Joel Kinnaman: It was actually a traumatic experience. Daniel Espinosa, the director, was a friend of mine. He came to see a play I was in and said he was in talks of getting “Easy Money.” The book had been a huge success in Sweden, and I had read the book while I was in acting school, and I told everybody that if they made a movie out of it, I was going to play the lead. Then Daniel happened to get the film, and he asked me if I wanted to play J.W., and I was like, “Are you kidding me? Of course.” So then I brag to everyone I know about getting this role, and then five months later, he tells me I have to audition for it. I was not a name in Sweden at the time, and it was going to be a huge fight for him if he was going to tell the producers he was giving the role to me. It was an excruciating seven-month audition process.

What did you learn as an actor from playing a complex character like J.W.?
Kinnaman: He is one of those people who has a lot of confidence but low self-esteem. That’s a very interesting combination. It’s not that uncommon, but it’s almost like he doesn’t have his own soul, because he’s a chameleon. He’s only concerned with how people see him, and that’s enough for him. He has this big emptiness. How all of this manifested itself was interesting to take on as an actor. But it’s very human to be a chameleon. We are all a unique person with everyone we meet. With J.W., it was just much more extreme. The American audience won’t pick up on it, but he changes his dialect according to who he is speaking to. That was a big part of my preparation for the role, too, learning the upper crust dialect and the gangster way of speaking.


"Easy Money" (Weinstein Company)

Besides learning different Swedish dialects, what else did you do prepare for the role?
Kinnaman: I sort of did J.W.’s journey a little bit, because I was not a member of the upper class either. I am from the South side of Stockholm, which is a traditionally working class area, and in my neighborhood it’s looked down upon to look up to them. If you are striving to be like the upper class, it’s a taboo, and that was really difficult for me to overcome. I had that resentment for those rich kids that I had since I was a kid, but then I had to try to become one of them because that’s what my character was doing. I would hang out with nobles through friends of friends. We have nobility in Sweden, and it comes from the old British aristocracy. The manners of how you eat and how you sit, are so imbedded in them, they can tell right away if you aren’t one of them, so I had to learn their etiquette. It was fun.

Can you go more into detail about your training as an actor?
Kinnaman: I went to a national Swedish dramatic school. All of our colleges are free in Sweden, but this acting program is the second most expensive education for the government. It’s difficult to get in. There are around 1,500 applicants, and 10-12 applicants are accepted each year. I was accepted, and I studied there for five years.

What advice do you have for young actors who are just starting out?
Kinnaman: Educate yourself. Get on stage. Respect the history of the craft because that is something that will always pay off. An amateur can be great in front of the camera, but you need an education to get on stage where you have full control as an actor.

You say stage experience is important, what is a stage experience that has been important to you?
Kinnaman: In Gothenburg I did “Crime and Punishment,” which is still one of my fundamental moments as an actor. It was a very important experience for me. I played Raskolnikov. I was on stage for 3 hours and 45 minutes. I never left the stage. It was a big play with 30 actors and a stage 40 yards wide. It was really cool.

You seem to be focusing mostly on television and film right now. What are your upcoming projects?
Kinnaman: There is a sequel to “Easy Money” opening in August in Sweden. I am shooting “RoboCop” in September. Right now I am focusing more on American film. “Easy Money 2” will be the last big role I play in a Swedish film for a couple of years at least. It depends on how long “The Killing” goes on. Shooting “The Killing” makes it hard because there is so little time left in the year. I don’t really have time for projects of the heart. I like both TV and film, but I think I prefer to make movies, because I am so restless.