Mikael Persbrandt is a Swedish actor. A veteran of Swedish cinema with a film career spanning over two decades, Persbrandt is perhaps best known to the international audience for his leading role in the Academy Award winning drama thriller film In a Better World (2010). Besides this, he has also appeared in supporting roles in the fantasy adventure films The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013) and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014). However, Persbrandt’s most enduring role till date is his portrayal of Gunvald Larsson in the long-running film series based on Swedish police detective Martin Beck. Other notable film credits include Bang Bang Orangutang (2005), Hamilton: In the Interest of the Nation (2012), Alone in Berlin (2016) and King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017). For his performance in the Academy Award winning feature In a Better World, Persbrandt was nominated for a European Film Award for Best Actor in 2011.