--- name: "Ólafur Darri Ólafsson" canonical: "https://film.one/person/olafur-darri-olafsson" roles: ["Actor"] born: "3 March 1973" reviewed_on_fi1m: 3 average_fi1m_score: 80 average_as: "actor" average_over: 3 updated: "2026-09-17T14:17:23.107660+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." --- # Ólafur Darri Ólafsson Actor. Born 3 March 1973 in Connecticut, USA. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 3 March 1973, Connecticut, USA - **Active:** 2015–present - **Also known as:** Olafur Darri Olafsson, Olafur Darri, オラフル・ダッリ・オラフソン, اولافور داری اولافسون, Darri Ólafsson - **Average Fi1m score:** 80, as actor, over 3 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 2010s 81 (1), 2020s 79 (2) - **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 0 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 1 of 1 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Drama 3, Crime 2, Mystery 2, Comedy 1, Sci-Fi & Fantasy 1 - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%93lafur_Darri_%C3%93lafsson, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q16420426, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0959963/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/110902 ## Coming up - *Wildwood* (2026-10-21), as (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/wildwood.md) - *Operation Napoleon: Tears of the Wolf* (2027-01-28), as Einar - *How to Train Your Dragon 2* (2027-06-10), as Drago ## Streaming the US now - **Netflix:** [*Trapped*](https://film.one/tv/trapped-2015.md) (81) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Ólafur Darri Ólafsson > Ólafur Darri Ólafsson does less than most leading men and gets more from it: a large, patient presence who waits for a scene to come to him. In *Trapped* that is close to perfect; abroad he is mostly asked to be the quiet giant in the corner. In *Trapped* (2015) the police chief Andri Ólafsson asks a suspect a question, waits, and asks it again. That is most of what Ólafur Darri Ólafsson does for ten episodes, and it is enough. He is a huge man who speaks slowly, wears the same knitted jumper through most of a murder inquiry and never raises his voice, and the series takes its pace from him, because a blizzard has shut the town and nothing can be hurried anyway. We have watched a great many television detectives lose their temper across a table. Watching one sit there until the other man filled the silence made us hold our breath, and we had not expected a police interview to do that again. He came to the screen from the stage. He graduated from the Icelandic Drama School in 1998, worked with the National Theatre of Iceland and Reykjavík City Theatre, and co-founded the Vesturport company, where he first worked with Gísli Örn Garðarsson, who has written and acted alongside him several times since. The films that followed were small and Icelandic: *Children* (2006), which he co-wrote and led as Marinó, and *The Deep* (2012), a survival drama based on real events in which he plays Gulli and spends a good deal of the running time in cold water. *Trapped* changed the scale. Since it began in 2015 he has divided himself between Icelandic leads, among them *The Minister* (2020), and supporting parts in American film and television, most visibly as Mr Drummond in *Severance* (2022). What works is the stillness, and he knows where it comes from. He built Andri on his father, of whom he said: "I've never seen him cry, and he rarely gives anything away – but he can use silence very effectively." The director who understands this best is Baltasar Kormákur, who made *Trapped* and has worked with him five times on screen. Kormákur holds a shot on a face that is doing nothing visible and lets the viewer do the work. He gives Andri a reason for the quiet and then leaves him alone with it. What works less is what other people do with the stillness. Cast abroad, he is mostly asked to stand at the edge of the frame and be large and unreadable, and a face that does its work in silence needs a camera prepared to stay on it. American television rarely stays. The risk is plain: a man that size who says that little is easy to cast as a threat and harder to cast as anything else, and so far the English-language parts have taken the easy option. Start with *Trapped*, at home, an episode a night in winter, and give him the time he gives everyone else. We are still waiting for a part outside Iceland that asks for it. ## Biography Ólafur Darri Ólafsson is an Icelandic and American actor, born on 3 March 1973 in Connecticut, United States. He moved to Iceland at the age of four and graduated from the Icelandic Drama School in 1998. He has worked extensively in theatre and is a co-founder of the Vesturport theatre company in Reykjavík. He is known internationally for his leading role as Andri Ólafsson in the Icelandic series *Trapped* (2015–2021). His film credits include *The Secret Life of Walter Mitty* (2013), *A Walk Among the Tombstones* (2014), *The Last Witch Hunter* (2015), *The BFG* (2016), *Zoolander 2* (2016), *Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald* (2018) and *The Meg* (2018). *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.* ## On Fi1m (3) - *Your Friends & Neighbors* (2025), Fi1m 72, as Christian Tómasson — [page](https://film.one/tv/your-friends-and-neighbors.md) - *Severance* (2022), Fi1m 86, as Mr. Drummond — [page](https://film.one/tv/severance.md) - *Trapped* (2015), Fi1m 81, as Andri Ólafsson — [page](https://film.one/tv/trapped-2015.md) ## Complete filmography (91) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *How to Train Your Dragon 2* (2027), as Drago - *Operation Napoleon: Tears of the Wolf* (2027), as Einar - *Wildwood* (2026), as (voice) — coming soon, [page](https://film.one/film/wildwood.md) - *Hidden People* (2025), as Sig - *Reykjavík Fusion* (2025), series, as Jónas - *Your Friends & Neighbors* (2025), series, as Christian Tómasson — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/your-friends-and-neighbors.md) - *Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue* (2025), series, as Travis Davies - *La Palma* (2024), series, as Haukur - *Twilight of the Gods* (2024), series, as Tiwaz (voice), Tiwaz / First Wolf (voice) - *The Darkness* (2024), series, as Aki Haraldsson - *Boat Story* (2023), series, as Narrator (voice), Narrator / Elias - *As Long As We Live* (2023), series, as Haddi - *Kiff* (2023), series, as Centaur Claus (voice) - *Operation Napoleon* (2023), as Einar - *Summerlight and Then Comes The Night* (2022), as Kjartan, Producer - *Vikings: The Rise & Fall* (2022), series, as Narrator (voice) - *Beautiful Beings* (2022), as Svenni - *Severance* (2022), series, as Mr. Drummond — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/severance.md) - *Somebody Somewhere* (2022), series, as Víglundur 'Iceland' Hjartarson — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/tv/somebody-somewhere.md) - *The Tourist* (2022), series, as Billy Nixon - *The Rock of Ages* (2021), as The Rock - *Star Stable: Mistfall* (2021), series, as Sam - *The Minister* (2020), series, as Benedikt - *Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga* (2020), as Neils Brongus - *End of Sentence* (2019), as Stone - *The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance* (2019), series, as urVa (The Archer) (voice) - *NOS4A2* (2019), series, as Bing Partridge - *Murder Mystery* (2019), as Sergei - *The Widow* (2019), series, as Ariel Helgason - *The Vanishing* (2019), as Boor - *How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World* (2019), as Ragnar the Rock (voice) - *Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald* (2018), as Skender - *New Amsterdam* (2018), series, as Burl - *Let Me Fall* (2018), as Customer at the Beginning - *The Meg* (2018), as The Wall - *The Spy Who Dumped Me* (2018), as Finnish Backpacker - *Emerald City* (2017), series, as Ojo - *Patient Seven* (2016), as Alley Zombie (segment: "Undying Love") - *CUBS* (2016), as Per - *Quarry* (2016), series, as Credence Mason - *The White King* (2016), as Pickaxe - *The BFG* (2016), as Maidmasher / Cook - *Lady Dynamite* (2016), series, as Scott Marvel Casssidy - *Zoolander 2* (2016), as Hasidic Man - *I can't be seen like this* (2016), Acting - *Trapped* (2015), series, as Andri Ólafsson — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/trapped-2015.md) - *The Last Witch Hunter* (2015), as Belial - *Reverse* (2015), Acting - *East* (2015), Acting - *Artun* (2014), as Jaffi's Father (voice) - *A Walk Among the Tombstones* (2014), as Jonas Loogan - *Áramótaskaup: 2013* (2013), Acting - *The Secret Life of Walter Mitty* (2013), as Helicopter Pilot - *XL* (2013), as Leifur Sigurðarson, Producer - *Swim for your life* (2012), as Narrator - *The Deep* (2012), as Gulli (Guðlaugs Friðþjófssonar) - *Contraband* (2012), as Olaf - *Undying Love* (2011), as Alley Zombie - *Legends of Valhalla: Thor* (2011), Acting - *Stormland* (2011), as Böddi - *Permille* (2010), as Erik, Producer - *Undercurrent* (2010), Sævar, Writer - *King's Road* (2010), as Ray - *Epic Fail* (2009), Acting - *Reykjavik-Rotterdam* (2008), as Elvar - *Country Wedding* (2008), as Egill - *I Hunt Men* (2008), series, Acting - *White Night Wedding* (2008), as Sjonni - *The Box* (2008), as Camera Operator - *Parents* (2007), Producer - *Children* (2006), as Marino - *Thicker Than Water* (2006), as Börkur - *Beauty of Small Things* (2006), Acting - *Beowulf & Grendel* (2005), as Unferth - *The Eagle: A Crime Odyssey* (2004), series, as Computertyven - *Wine of the House* (2004), Acting - *Njalssaga* (2003), Acting - *Full House* (2003), Acting - *101 Reykjavik* (2000), as Marri - *Fiasco* (2000), as Gulli - *Out of the Ash and Into the Fire* (2000), Acting - *Robbie Rotten in LazyTown* (1999), as Pósturinn - *The Rooties* (1998), Acting - *Pearls and Swine* (1997), as Bjartmar - *How and Why*, as Bill Senior - *Dark Ocean*, Acting - *Dead Weight*, Producer - *Woyzeck*, as Entertainer - *God of War*, series, as Thor - *Blood on Snow*, Acting - *A Winter's Journey*, as Jakob ## Gallery - ![Ólafur Darri Ólafsson](https://film.one/media/person/379707/gallery-ace76cd7912a.jpg) Ólafur Darri Ólafsson — Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/64/Olafur_Darri_Olafsson_by_Gage_Skidmore.jpg/1280px-Olafur_Darri_Olafsson_by_Gage_Skidmore.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Ashleigh Cummings and Olafur Darri Olafsson speaking at the 2019 WonderCon, for "NOS4A2", at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. Please attrib](https://film.one/media/person/379707/gallery-b31f94155a1f.jpg) Ashleigh Cummings and Olafur Darri Olafsson speaking at the 2019 WonderCon, for "NOS4A2", at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. Please attrib — Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/09/Ashleigh_Cummings_%26_Olafur_Darri_Olafsson_%2832596622847%29.jpg/1280px-Ashleigh_Cummings_%26_Olafur_Darri_Olafsson_%2832596622847%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Ashleigh Cummings and Olafur Darri Olafsson speaking at the 2019 WonderCon, for "NOS4A2", at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. Please attrib](https://film.one/media/person/379707/gallery-77b6cfc6534b.jpg) Ashleigh Cummings and Olafur Darri Olafsson speaking at the 2019 WonderCon, for "NOS4A2", at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. Please attrib — Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/90/Ashleigh_Cummings_%26_Olafur_Darri_Olafsson_%2833662348298%29.jpg/1280px-Ashleigh_Cummings_%26_Olafur_Darri_Olafsson_%2833662348298%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Ashleigh Cummings and Olafur Darri Olafsson speaking at the 2019 WonderCon, for "NOS4A2", at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. Please attrib](https://film.one/media/person/379707/gallery-6c725574a43e.jpg) Ashleigh Cummings and Olafur Darri Olafsson speaking at the 2019 WonderCon, for "NOS4A2", at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. Please attrib — Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c0/Ashleigh_Cummings_%26_Olafur_Darri_Olafsson_%2846623612725%29.jpg/1280px-Ashleigh_Cummings_%26_Olafur_Darri_Olafsson_%2846623612725%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Ólafur Darri Ólafsson](https://film.one/media/person/379707/gallery-2abc29298e91.jpg) Ólafur Darri Ólafsson — Image via TMDB - ![Ólafur Darri Ólafsson](https://film.one/media/person/379707/gallery-53ff6245ce57.jpg) Ólafur Darri Ólafsson — Image via TMDB - ![Clark Collis, Jami O'Brien, Joe Hill, Zachary Quinto, Ashleigh Cummings, Olafur Darri Olafsson, Jahkara Smith and Ebon Moss-Bachrach speaking at the 2019 Wonder](https://film.one/media/person/379707/gallery-0442287e4c5a.jpg) Clark Collis, Jami O'Brien, Joe Hill, Zachary Quinto, Ashleigh Cummings, Olafur Darri Olafsson, Jahkara Smith and Ebon Moss-Bachrach speaking at the 2019 Wonder — Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cb/Clark_Collis%2C_Jami_O%27Brien%2C_Joe_Hill%2C_Zachary_Quinto%2C_Ashleigh_Cummings%2C_Olafur_Darri_Olafsson%2C_Jahkara_Smith_%26_Ebon_Moss-Bachrach_%2833662329878%29.jpg/1280px-Clark_Collis%2C_Jami_O%27Brien%2C_Joe_Hill%2C_Zachary_Quinto%2C_Ashleigh_Cummings%2C_Olafur_Darri_Olafsson%2C_Jahkara_Smith_%26_Ebon_Moss-Bachrach_%2833662329878%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Jami O'Brien, Joe Hill, Zachary Quinto, Ashleigh Cummings, Olafur Darri Olafsson, Jahkara Smith and Ebon Moss-Bachrach speaking at the 2019 WonderCon, for "NOS4](https://film.one/media/person/379707/gallery-60c84cad5689.jpg) Jami O'Brien, Joe Hill, Zachary Quinto, Ashleigh Cummings, Olafur Darri Olafsson, Jahkara Smith and Ebon Moss-Bachrach speaking at the 2019 WonderCon, for "NOS4 — Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Jami_O%27Brien%2C_Joe_Hill%2C_Zachary_Quinto%2C_Ashleigh_Cummings%2C_Olafur_Darri_Olafsson%2C_Jahkara_Smith_%26_Ebon_Moss-Bachrach_%2832596620187%29.jpg/1280px-Jami_O%27Brien%2C_Joe_Hill%2C_Zachary_Quinto%2C_Ashleigh_Cummings%2C_Olafur_Darri_Olafsson%2C_Jahkara_Smith_%26_Ebon_Moss-Bachrach_%2832596620187%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) ## Awards ### Other awards — 2 won - Edda Award for Best Leading Actor or Actress 2013: Edda Award for Best Leading Actor or Actress (won), for *The Deep* - Edda Award for Best Leading Actor or Actress 2011: Edda Award for Best Leading Actor or Actress (won), for *Stormland* *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/olafur-darri-olafsson