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Alexander's interview in The Times out of context "joke" or snobbery?


Here is the article: http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/alexander-skarsgard-brains-brawn-and-biceps-8sq7hqtjv

You need to sign up for an account to view it, so I will copy paste a particular point in the interview where he stated:

"He may not sound very Swedish now, but he is. He says the longer he lives in the US, the more Swedish he feels. He has a dark northern European sensibility that contrasts with LA’s sunny style. 'Swedes are a lot like Brits. You might only tell your mum you love her once in your life. In the States, the woman working in the grocery store will be, like, ‘I love you.’'

He likes 'a certain modesty' Swedes have that Americans lack. He tells me that the owner of Ikea drives an old Volvo, while America has 'a presidential candidate living in a gold tower with his name in gold letters, giving interviews from a golden throne'. He laughs: 'It’s the making of a Monty Python sketch.'"

So, let me get this straight. Alexander, who drives a Porsche (or Audi, on occasion), who had a generous Hollywood mansion that cost millions of dollars, says Americans (because we're all the same now) lack modesty. Then he compares one person from Sweden to a man like Donald Trump in order to support his blanket generalization that Americans are ostentatious. Not to mention he is dating (dated?) an English celebrity who embodies the very "American" traits he sneers at, even though he just said Brits are like people from his country.

Anyway, no idea if this was just a badly quoted joke of some kind, but his comment seemed ignorant and careless. It surprised me since he came across as a more observant and thoughtful sort of person in previous interviews. Oh, well!

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Just for the record AS never had a Hollywood mansion. He had a three bedroom house. He doesn't have that anymore either.

AS has never made any bones about the fact that he thinks Sweden is superior to American including their ideologies. He has every right to think that. I'm sure most non Americans think their country is superior to America. A good many of them would probably be correct too. I'm American and I can admit the we aren't the end all and be all of countries.

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Thank you for the clarification regarding the house - I always read that it was a mansion so I wasn't sure.

I do know that he did/does drive a Porsche or an Audi though. He has been photographed with several.

Which is my case in point - he absolutely has a right to feel his country is better. And that is fine to say that.

I just thought it was rather hypocritical of him to make this analogy about "IKEA guy from Sweden drives an old car while Donald Trump sits on a throne in America and that's why Sweden is better" when he himself drives a fancy car. AND I could pick one person from the US too to argue against his point. I could say, "WELL, Mark Zuckerberg drives an old car and he's rich and American, so THERE!"

Anyway, to each their own! I am from the US and don't like many things here either. In the end I suppose there are better things for me to do with my time than wonder about the motivations behind some celebrity's interview. Haha!

Thank you for replying! Have a good day. :)

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I guess he went after Trump because he's in the limelight right now.

Celebs are a whole different breed of people.

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He isn't actually quoted saying anything against America, his actual quote is about Trump. And I totally agree with what he says about Donald Trump.

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Brits are weirdly affectionate? Have you ever met one?

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this is reply of the previous comment, "Brits are affectionate, have u ever met one"?!?
I SOOO AGREE!! Though I have met a few 'warm' Britons, as a whole, they are very very reserved!
( and trust, I have spent a HUGE amount of time in England! )
just thought I'd put my penny in...THANKS FOR THIS DIALOGUE!

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