Joel Kinnaman’s schedule is packed, with roles spanning from Mars to the streets of San Francisco, and even into the intense realms of war and crime drama. During a sit-down with Deadline at a restaurant in London, Kinnaman shares that he’s recently wrapped up shooting for Apple TV’s The Husbands and Imperfect Women, while also diving into the latest season of For All Mankind. Additionally, he’s taken on significant roles in Jo Nesbø’s Detective Hole on Netflix, starred in Bishop for Prime Video, and is involved in post-production for the Iraq War drama High Value Target on TNT.
Among the many projects, Jo Nesbø’s Detective Hole stands out, currently making waves on Netflix’s top charts, setting the stage to delve into Kinnaman’s recent flurry of activities.
Harry Hole
Kinnaman describes Nesbø’s storytelling as intense and unconstrained by the typical boundaries of Scandinavian Noir, a genre Kinnaman is familiar with from his time in the U.S. remake of The Killing. “Nesbø’s imagination is boundless and his productivity is impressive,” Kinnaman remarks.
In this series, Kinnaman portrays Tom Waaler, a morally corrupt and unpredictable Swedish police officer. “He’s definitely not one of the good guys,” says Kinnaman, who sees his character as a malignant narcissist, a step away from a sociopath.
Speaking Swedish for the role has reignited Kinnaman’s interest in pursuing more projects in his native language. “I’ve rediscovered a different dimension in acting in Swedish, which I hadn’t explored for over 15 years,” he explains. Kinnaman plans to undertake at least one Swedish-language project every 18 months, with his next venture post-Bishop being in Swedish.
Fresh from filming in Montreal, which stands in for San Francisco in the Prime Video crime drama Bishop, Kinnaman takes on the role of Bishop Graves, a deeply scarred police detective hunting a serial killer. John Malkovich stars as his father, Lincoln.
“My character is a billionaire’s son who turned to police work as a way to cope with his traumatic upbringing, becoming an extreme detective who dangerously courts death,” Kinnaman explains.
Debriefing Becomes High Value
Shifting focus to High Value Target, where Kinnaman also serves as an executive producer, he notes its timely relevance amid renewed conflicts in the Middle East. Originally developed as Debriefing the President for TNT, Kinnaman stars as John Nixon, the CIA agent who interrogated Saddam Hussein (portrayed by Waleed Zuaiter). The series, expected to release later this year, delves into the deceptive underpinnings of the Iraq War.
“It’s incredibly pertinent as it explores the deceit that led to the Iraq War, not just simple misjudgments,” Kinnaman states. He describes the series as an eye-opening experience into the manipulations that worsen global situations.
As both the lead and an executive producer, Kinnaman admits that the role was one of his most challenging, likening the experience to a personal ‘Heart of Darkness’ due to its intense demands and the heavy nature of the subject matter.
Imperfect Women & For All Mankind
Following a taxing shoot for High Value Target, Kinnaman planned a break but instead found himself drawn into Apple’s Imperfect Women alongside Elisabeth Moss, Kerry Washington, and Kate Mara, his former co-star from House of Cards. “The script was irresistible and it was refreshing to not always be in the lead role,” he reflects.
He also continues his journey in the Apple series For All Mankind, now in its fifth season, which explores human colonization of Mars and the emerging Martian identity that transcends earthly politics, mirroring contemporary issues of class struggle and immigration.
An Attic of Husbands
Back in North London, Kinnaman wraps up with Deadline discussing The Husbands, a high-concept series by A24 where he plays one of Juno Temple’s many husbands. In the show, Temple’s character Lauren encounters a husband she doesn’t recognize, who then disappears into an attic, only for another man to emerge, triggering a cycle of ever-changing lives.
“Each husband appears to represent a different timeline of her life. I emerge as her affluent Swedish husband, where everything seems perfect, yet she feels unhappy,” Kinnaman explains.
With a continuous stream of acting and executive producing roles, plus an upcoming indie film and a Swedish series, Kinnaman is also contemplating a move behind the camera. “Directing is a next step for me; I’m scouting for projects where I might not be the lead,” he teases, hinting at future endeavors amidst his bustling schedule.
Daniel Hayes is a business journalist with a focus on market trends, startups, and corporate strategies.
His sharp analysis and investigative reports make complex financial topics accessible to all readers.
