---
name: "Max von Sydow"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/max-von-sydow"
fi1m_id: "max-von-sydow"
imdb_id: "nm0001884"
tmdb_id: 2201
wikidata_id: "Q203215"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "10 April 1929"
died: "8 March 2020"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 23
average_fi1m_score: 71
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 23
updated: "2026-10-05T11:53:27.381382+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Max von Sydow

## Identity

Max von Sydow

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/max-von-sydow
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** max-von-sydow
- **IMDb ID:** nm0001884
- **TMDB ID:** 2201
- **Wikidata ID:** Q203215
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_von_Sydow, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q203215, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001884/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/2201

Actor. Born 10 April 1929 in Lund, Skåne län, Sweden. Died 8 March 2020.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 10 April 1929, Lund, Skåne län, Sweden
- **Died:** 8 March 2020
- **Active:** 1957–2015
- **Also known as:** Max Carl Adolf von Sydow, Max Von Sydow, Макс фон Сюдов, Carl Adolf von Sydow
- **Frequently works with:** [Ingmar Bergman](https://film.one/person/ingmar-bergman.md), [Allan Ekelund](https://film.one/person/allan-ekelund.md), [Gunnar Björnstrand](https://film.one/person/gunnar-bjornstrand.md), [Lorenzo Semple Jr.](https://film.one/person/lorenzo-semple-jr.md), [Dino De Laurentiis](https://film.one/person/dino-de-laurentiis.md), [Linda Blair](https://film.one/person/linda-blair.md), [Liv Ullmann](https://film.one/person/liv-ullmann.md), [Walter F. Parkes](https://film.one/person/walter-f-parkes.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 2 Oscar nominations
- **Average Fi1m score:** 71, as actor, over 23 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1950s 88 (2), 1960s 81 (3), 1970s 73 (4), 1980s 74 (4), 1990s 56 (2), 2000s 68 (4), 2010s 63 (4)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 70 to 66 across 20 titles
- **Score spread:** 11 at 80+, 7 at 60–79, 5 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 2 of 21 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 13, Action 7, Adventure 5, Thriller 5, History 3, Horror 3
- **Screen time:** 43 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $4,243m across 18 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_von_Sydow, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q203215, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001884/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/2201

## Streaming the US now

- **Apple TV:** [*Minority Report*](https://film.one/film/minority-report.md) (81), [*Shutter Island*](https://film.one/film/shutter-island.md) (80), [*Star Wars: The Force Awakens*](https://film.one/film/star-wars-the-force-awakens.md) (77), [*Robin Hood*](https://film.one/film/robin-hood-2010.md) (55)
- **Pluto TV:** [*Hannah and Her Sisters*](https://film.one/film/hannah-and-her-sisters.md) (88), [*Three Days of the Condor*](https://film.one/film/three-days-of-the-condor.md) (80)
- **HBO Max:** [*The Seventh Seal*](https://film.one/film/the-seventh-seal.md) (88), [*Through a Glass Darkly*](https://film.one/film/through-a-glass-darkly.md) (82)
- **Tubi:** [*Awakenings*](https://film.one/film/awakenings.md) (73), [*Rush Hour 3*](https://film.one/film/rush-hour-3.md) (38)
- **Netflix:** [*Conan the Barbarian*](https://film.one/film/conan-the-barbarian.md) (74)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close*](https://film.one/film/extremely-loud-and-incredibly-close.md) (41)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Max von Sydow

> Von Sydow makes quiet authority convincing, and we value the distress beneath his solemnity. He is worth seeking out beyond the priests and villains, even if some films ask little more of him than an imposing presence.

In *Minority Report* (2002), von Sydow's Director Lamar Burgess has the weight of someone accustomed to being listened to. He brings quiet authority to Steven Spielberg's crime-prediction thriller without making a supporting part feel overworked. Tom Cruise and Samantha Morton carry the greater emotional burden, and his economy is useful alongside them. We were gripped by the film because its convincing future makes the prospect of crime prediction feel uncomfortably close. The later plotting takes too much explaining, but there is little wasted effort in von Sydow's contribution.

His work with Ingmar Bergman made more of his capacity for distress. In *The Seventh Seal* (1957), his disillusioned knight Antonius Block plays chess with Death; the gaunt presence belongs to a man who needs answers. Across eleven films together, Bergman gave that solemnity room for grief and doubt. The move into American films came with Jesus in *The Greatest Story Ever Told* (1965). Hollywood could use the dignity, but did not always ask as much of it.

*Awakenings* (1990) offers a gentler use of his presence as the compassionate doctor Peter Ingham. Penny Marshall's medical drama is worth an evening chiefly for Robert De Niro and Robin Williams, who make its concern for the patients convincing. Ingham belongs within that approach, though we would not recommend the film principally on von Sydow's account. The script and score press harder than they need to, and even such assured casting cannot make that insistence less noticeable.

The recurrent limitation was the casting. English-language films repeatedly made him the foreigner, priest or villain, while a commercial part such as *Flash Gordon* (1980) asked less of him. The resilient father in *Pelle the Conqueror* (1987) allowed the dignity to belong to an ordinary man facing hardship. Lars von Trier's *Europa* (1991) found a different use for him through hypnotic narration. Begin with *Minority Report* if a thriller is wanted; choose *The Seventh Seal* when the interest is von Sydow himself.

## Biography

Max von Sydow (born Carl Adolf von Sydow) was a Swedish actor who also held French citizenship from 2002. He was born on 10 April 1929 in Lund, Sweden, and died on 8 March 2020.

He appeared in eleven films directed by Ingmar Bergman, beginning with *The Seventh Seal* (1957), in which he played the knight Antonius Block. Other notable roles include Father Lankester Merrin in *The Exorcist* (1973) and Dr. Peter Ingham in *Awakenings* (1990). He also appeared in *Minority Report* (2002), *Shutter Island* (2010) and *Star Wars: The Force Awakens* (2015).

Von Sydow received Academy Award nominations for Best Actor for *Pelle the Conqueror* (1987) and Best Supporting Actor for *Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close* (2011).

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (23)

- *Star Wars: The Force Awakens* (2015), Fi1m 77, as Lor San Tekka — [page](https://film.one/film/star-wars-the-force-awakens.md)
- *Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close* (2011), Fi1m 41, as The Renter — [page](https://film.one/film/extremely-loud-and-incredibly-close.md)
- *Robin Hood* (2010), Fi1m 55, as Sir Walter Loxley — [page](https://film.one/film/robin-hood-2010.md)
- *Shutter Island* (2010), Fi1m 80, as Dr. Naehring — [page](https://film.one/film/shutter-island.md)
- *Rush Hour 3* (2007), Fi1m 38, as Varden Reynard — [page](https://film.one/film/rush-hour-3.md)
- *The Diving Bell and the Butterfly* (2007), Fi1m 87, as Papinou — [page](https://film.one/film/the-diving-bell-and-the-butterfly.md)
- *The Tudors* (2007), Fi1m 65, as Cardinal Von Waldburg — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-tudors.md)
- *Minority Report* (2002), Fi1m 81, as Director Lamar Burgess — [page](https://film.one/film/minority-report.md)
- *A Kiss Before Dying* (1991), Fi1m 38, as Thor Carlsson — [page](https://film.one/film/a-kiss-before-dying.md)
- *Awakenings* (1990), Fi1m 73, as Peter Ingham — [page](https://film.one/film/awakenings.md)
- *Hannah and Her Sisters* (1986), Fi1m 88, as Frederick — [page](https://film.one/film/hannah-and-her-sisters.md)
- *Never Say Never Again* (1983), Fi1m 64, as Ernst Stavro Blofeld — [page](https://film.one/film/never-say-never-again.md)
- *Conan the Barbarian* (1982), Fi1m 74, as King Osric — [page](https://film.one/film/conan-the-barbarian.md)
- *Flash Gordon* (1980), Fi1m 70, as The Emperor Ming — [page](https://film.one/film/flash-gordon.md)
- *Exorcist II: The Heretic* (1977), Fi1m 38, as Father Lankester Merrin — [page](https://film.one/film/exorcist-ii-the-heretic.md)
- *Three Days of the Condor* (1975), Fi1m 80, as G. Joubert — [page](https://film.one/film/three-days-of-the-condor.md)
- *The Exorcist* (1973), Fi1m 89, as Father Lankester Merrin — [page](https://film.one/film/the-exorcist.md)
- *The Emigrants* (1971), Fi1m 85, as Karl Oskar — [page](https://film.one/film/the-emigrants.md)
- *Hour of the Wolf* (1968), Fi1m 74, as Johan Borg — [page](https://film.one/film/hour-of-the-wolf.md)
- *Winter Light* (1963), Fi1m 88, as Jonas Persson — [page](https://film.one/film/winter-light.md)
- *Through a Glass Darkly* (1961), Fi1m 82, as Martin — [page](https://film.one/film/through-a-glass-darkly.md)
- *The Seventh Seal* (1957), Fi1m 88, as Antonius Block — [page](https://film.one/film/the-seventh-seal.md)
- *Wild Strawberries* (1957), Fi1m 88, as Åkerman — [page](https://film.one/film/wild-strawberries.md)

## Complete filmography (167)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *The Resurrection of Christ* (2026), Actor
- *Echoes of the Past* (2021), as Nikolas Andreou (Aged)
- *Kursk* (2018), as Admiral Vladimir Petrenko
- *Tuschinski's Dream* (2017), Actor
- *The First, the Last* (2016), as Le croque-mort
- *Star Wars: The Force Awakens* (2015), as Lor San Tekka — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/star-wars-the-force-awakens.md)
- *The Letters* (2014), as Celeste van Exem
- *Dragons: Real Myths and Unreal Creatures* (2013), as Dr. Alistair Conis
- *Starring Sigmund Freud* (2012), Actor
- *Branded* (2012), as Marketing Guru
- *Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close* (2011), as The Renter — Fi1m 41, [page](https://film.one/film/extremely-loud-and-incredibly-close.md)
- *Game of Thrones* (2011), series, as Three-Eyed Raven — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/game-of-thrones.md)
- *The Last Norwegian Troll* (2010), as The Last Norweigian Troll (voice)
- *Behind the Moomins* (2010), as Narrator (voice)
- *Robin Hood* (2010), as Sir Walter Loxley — Fi1m 55, [page](https://film.one/film/robin-hood-2010.md)
- *Shutter Island* (2010), as Dr. Naehring — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/shutter-island.md)
- *Solomon Kane* (2009), as Josiah Kane
- *Oscar and the Lady in Pink* (2009), as Le docteur Dusseldorf
- *A Man and His Dog* (2009), as Le commandant
- *Emotional Arithmetic* (2008), as Jakob Bronski
- *Rush Hour 3* (2007), as Varden Reynard — Fi1m 38, [page](https://film.one/film/rush-hour-3.md)
- *The Diving Bell and the Butterfly* (2007), as Papinou — Fi1m 87, [page](https://film.one/film/the-diving-bell-and-the-butterfly.md)
- *The Final Inquiry* (2007), as Tiberius
- *L'inchiesta - Anno Domini XXXIII* (2007), series, as Tiberio
- *The Tudors* (2007), series, as Cardinal Von Waldburg — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-tudors.md)
- *Heidi* (2005), as Uncle Alp
- *Ring of the Nibelungs* (2004), series, as Eyvind
- *Ring of the Nibelungs* (2004), as Eyvind
- *Hidden Children* (2004), as Valobra
- *Minority Report* (2002), as Director Lamar Burgess — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/minority-report.md)
- *Intacto* (2001), as Samuel
- *Druids* (2001), as Guttuart
- *Sleepless* (2001), as Moretti
- *The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: The Perils of Cupid* (2000), as Freud
- *Nuremberg* (2000), series, as Samuel Rosenman
- *Snow Falling on Cedars* (1999), as Nels Gudmundsson
- *What Dreams May Come* (1998), as The Tracker
- *Professione fantasma* (1998), series, as Psicoanalista dell’aldilà
- *Solomon* (1997), as Davide
- *Solomon* (1997), series, as David
- *The Princess and the Pauper* (1997), as Epos
- *La principessa e il povero* (1997), series, as Epos
- *Hostile Waters* (1997), as Admiral Chernavin
- *Their Frozen Dream* (1997), as S.A. Andrée (voice)
- *Private Confessions* (1996), as Jacob
- *Jerusalem* (1996), as Vicar
- *Hamsun* (1996), as Knut Hamsun
- *Delblanc* (1996), as Narrator (voice)
- *Radetzky March* (1995), series, as Baron Franz von Trotta und Sipolje
- *Lumière & Company* (1995), as Jacob (segment "Liv Ullman")
- *Captured: Meet Robert A. Robinson Photographer* (1995), as Narrator (voice)
- *Stjärnbilder* (1995), as (archive footage)
- *Judge Dredd* (1995), as Chief Justice Fargo
- *The Atlantic* (1995), as Narrator (voice)
- *Citizen X* (1995), as Dr. Alexandr Bukhanovsky
- *Anders Zorn - Med egna ord* (1995), as Narrator (voice)
- *Depth Solitude* (1995), as Narrator (voice)
- *Onkel Vanja* (1994), as The Professor
- *A che punto è la notte* (1994), series, as Arcivescovo di Torino
- *Time is Money* (1994), as Joe Kaufman
- *Minns ni?* (1993), as (archive footage)
- *Needful Things* (1993), as Leland Gaunt
- *Morfars resa* (1993), as Simon S.L. Fromm
- *Och ge oss skuggorna* (1993), as Eugene O'Neill
- *The Silent Touch* (1992), as Henry Kesdi
- *The Best Intentions* (1992), as Johan Åkerblom
- *The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles* (1992), series, as Sigmund Freud
- *The Ox* (1991), as Vicar
- *Until the End of the World* (1991), as Henry Farber
- *East of the Sun, West of the Moon* (1991), as Narrator (voice)
- *Europa* (1991), as Narrator (voice)
- *A Kiss Before Dying* (1991), as Thor Carlsson — Fi1m 38, [page](https://film.one/film/a-kiss-before-dying.md)
- *Awakenings* (1990), as Peter Ingham — Fi1m 73, [page](https://film.one/film/awakenings.md)
- *Father* (1990), as Joe Mueller
- *Hiroshima: Out of the Ashes* (1990), as Father Siemes
- *Cellini: A Violent Life* (1990), as Pope Clement VII
- *The Bachelor* (1990), as Von Schleheim
- *The Simpsons* (1989), series, as Klaus Ziegler (voice) — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-simpsons.md)
- *Red King, White Knight* (1989), as Szaz
- *Ghostbusters II* (1989), as Vigo (voice) (uncredited) — Fi1m 60, [page](https://film.one/film/ghostbusters-ii.md)
- *Katinka* (1988), Director
- *Ingmar Bergman: The Magic Lantern* (1988), as Voice
- *The Human Factor* (1988), Actor
- *Pelle the Conqueror* (1987), as Lasse Karlsson - Farmhand
- *The Second Victory* (1987), as Dr. Huber
- *Duet for One* (1986), as Dr. Louis Feldman
- *The Wolf at the Door* (1986), as August Strindberg
- *Gösta Berlings saga* (1986), series, as Melchior Sinclaire
- *Hannah and Her Sisters* (1986), as Frederick — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/hannah-and-her-sisters.md)
- *The Repenter* (1985), as Spinola
- *Code Name: Emerald* (1985), as Jürgen Brausch
- *Christopher Columbus* (1985), series, as Re Giovanni del Portogallo
- *Quo Vadis?* (1985), series, as Petrus
- *The Last Place on Earth* (1985), series, as Fridtjof Nansen
- *Kojak: The Belarus File* (1985), as Peter Barak
- *Dune* (1984), as Doctor Kynes
- *The Soldier's Tale* (1984), as The Devil (voice)
- *Le dernier civil* (1984), as Gérard Bauerle
- *Dreamscape* (1984), as Paul Novotny
- *Samson and Delilah* (1984), as Sidka
- *Never Say Never Again* (1983), as Ernst Stavro Blofeld — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/never-say-never-again.md)
- *Strange Brew* (1983), as Brewmeister Smith
- *Circle of Passions* (1983), as Carlo di Vilalfratti
- *Target Eagle* (1982), as Coronel O'Donnell
- *The Flight of the Eagle* (1982), as Salomon August Andrée
- *The Cinema of Carl Th. Dreyer* (1982), Actor
- *Conan the Barbarian* (1982), as King Osric — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/conan-the-barbarian.md)
- *Venetian Lies* (1981), as Marcello Herrighe
- *Escape to Victory* (1981), as Major Karl von Steiner
- *She Dances Alone* (1981), as Nijinsky (voice)
- *Flash Gordon* (1980), as The Emperor Ming — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/flash-gordon.md)
- *Death Watch* (1980), as Gerald Mortenhoe
- *Hurricane* (1979), as Dr. Danielsson
- *Brass Target* (1978), as Shelley Martin Webber
- *Black Journal* (1977), as Lisa Carpi / Carabinieri Marshal
- *March or Die* (1977), as François Marneau
- *Exorcist II: The Heretic* (1977), as Father Lankester Merrin — Fi1m 38, [page](https://film.one/film/exorcist-ii-the-heretic.md)
- *Voyage of the Damned* (1976), as Captain Schroeder
- *The Desert of the Tartars* (1976), as Cap. Ortiz
- *Foxtrot* (1976), as Larsen
- *Illustrious Corpses* (1976), as Supreme Court President
- *Heart of a Dog* (1976), as Professor Filipp Filippovich Preobrazenski
- *The Ultimate Warrior* (1975), as Baron
- *Three Days of the Condor* (1975), as G. Joubert — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/three-days-of-the-condor.md)
- *The Broken Mirror* (1975), as Matthew Lawrence
- *Egg! Egg! A Hardboiled Story* (1975), as The Father
- *Steppenwolf* (1974), as Harry Haller
- *The Emigrants* (1974), series, as Karl Oskar
- *The Exorcist* (1973), as Father Lankester Merrin — Fi1m 89, [page](https://film.one/film/the-exorcist.md)
- *Embassy* (1972), as Gorenko
- *The New Land* (1972), as Karl Oskar
- *The Apple War* (1971), as Roy Lindberg
- *The Touch* (1971), as Andreas Vergerus
- *The Emigrants* (1971), as Karl Oskar — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/film/the-emigrants.md)
- *The Night Visitor* (1971), as Salem
- *The Kremlin Letter* (1970), as Colonel Kosnov
- *The Passion of Anna* (1969), as Andreas Winkelman
- *Made in Sweden* (1969), as Magnus Rud
- *Shame* (1968), as Jan Rosenberg
- *Black Palm Trees* (1968), as Gustav Olofsson
- *Hour of the Wolf* (1968), as Johan Borg — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/hour-of-the-wolf.md)
- *The Diary of Anne Frank* (1967), as Otto Frank
- *Here Is Your Life* (1966), as Smålands-Pelle
- *The Quiller Memorandum* (1966), as Oktober
- *Hawaii* (1966), as Abner Hale
- *The Reward* (1965), as Scott Swenson
- *The Greatest Story Ever Told* (1965), as Jesus
- *4 x 4* (1965), as Kvist
- *Interlude in the Marshland* (1965), as Alex Kvist
- *Winter Light* (1963), as Jonas Persson — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/winter-light.md)
- *Wonderful Adventures of Nils* (1962), as The Father
- *The Mistress* (1962), as The Man
- *Through a Glass Darkly* (1961), as Martin — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/through-a-glass-darkly.md)
- *The Wedding Day* (1960), as Anders Frost
- *The Virgin Spring* (1960), as Töre
- *The Magician* (1958), as Albert Emanuel Vogler
- *Rabies* (1958), as Bo Stensson Svenningson
- *Spion 503* (1958), as Horst, Gestapo-mand
- *Brink of Life* (1958), as Harry Andersson
- *The Minister of Uddarbo* (1957), as Gustaf Ömark
- *Wild Strawberries* (1957), as Åkerman — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/wild-strawberries.md)
- *Mr. Sleeman Is Coming* (1957), as Hunter
- *The Seventh Seal* (1957), as Antonius Block — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/the-seventh-seal.md)
- *The Right to Love* (1956), as Bergman
- *No Man's Woman* (1953), as Olof
- *Miss Julie* (1951), as Groom
- *Only a Mother* (1949), as Nils

## Gallery

- ![Max von Sydow as Father Lankester Merrin in The Exorcist (1973)](https://film.one/media/title/1794/still-fdcc88d61443.jpg) Max von Sydow as Father Lankester Merrin in *The Exorcist* (1973) — Image via TMDB
- ![Max von Sydow as Antonius Block in The Seventh Seal (1957)](https://film.one/media/title/5734/still-99b2f86221fe.jpg) Max von Sydow as Antonius Block in *The Seventh Seal* (1957) — Image via TMDB
- ![Max von Sydow](https://film.one/media/person/77694/gallery-efe2134386b9.jpg) Max von Sydow — Image via TMDB
- ![Max von Sydow](https://film.one/media/person/77694/gallery-73c90676d3b7.jpg) Max von Sydow — Image via TMDB
- ![Max von Sydow](https://film.one/media/person/77694/gallery-33ef55a41ed3.jpg) Max von Sydow — Image via TMDB
- ![Max von Sydow](https://film.one/media/person/77694/gallery-593d3f436b73.jpg) Max von Sydow — Image via TMDB
- ![Max von Sydow](https://film.one/media/person/77694/gallery-cc6472654340.jpg) Max von Sydow — Image via TMDB
- ![Max von Sydow](https://film.one/media/person/77694/gallery-fafd0a9c9b57.jpg) Max von Sydow — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 0 won, 2 nominated

- 2012: Best Supporting Actor (nominated), for *Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close*
- 1989: Best Actor (nominated), for *Pelle the Conqueror*

### Other awards — 7 won

- Sitges Grand Honorary Award 2016: Sitges Grand Honorary Award (won)
- Knight of the Legion of Honour 2012: Knight of the Legion of Honour (won)
- Donostia Award 2006: Donostia Award (won)
- European Film Award for Best Actor 1988: European Film Award for Best Actor (won), for *Pelle the Conqueror*
- Guldbagge Award for Best Director 1988: Guldbagge Award for Best Director (won), for *Katinka*
- Litteris et Artibus 1978: Litteris et Artibus (won)
- Swedish Academy's Theatre Award 1968: Swedish Academy's Theatre Award (won)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/max-von-sydow