Dave Davies

Tell us about getting into this character.

They were used to lying in all aspects of life, right?

Right.

And there are many, many other reactors with the same flaws that led to this disaster.

And nobody wants to deal with that because they're not telling each other the truth.

We are speaking with Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgard.

He's up for the Best Supporting Actor at the Academy Awards ceremony March 15th.

We'll talk more after this break.

This is Fresh Air.

You know, you've done a lot of independent films, but plenty of commercial work and often playing characters that are powerful, sometimes evil.

And I want to just you just tell us a little bit about the role in Dune, the science fiction series in which you play a galactic bad guy, Baron Harkonnen.

I could play a clip, but the audio wouldn't do it justice because what's amazing is what you look like.

You want to describe your character and what it took to get ready every day?

Yeah.

As I was getting ready for this interview and looking over your career, it's really remarkable.

You and I are not that far from the same age.

And I have this job where I get to talk to really interesting people like you for a radio program.

But I feel the effects of age.

I don't know how much longer I'm going to be able to do this and kind of meet the standard.

You've kind of never been a hotter property, I guess, than now when you've got this Oscar nomination and this terrific film and you're in demand.