Actor perceives similarities with his character portrayal - Actor perceives similarities between his role and self.
Rebel Robin on "Kommissar Wisting" - Actor spots similarities with his character
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Sven Nordin (68) has been gracing our screens as Kommissar William Wisting for six years, and the resemblance between him and his character has grown over time. "Wisting shares a lot with me and my own life, mate," the 68-year-old Norwegian actor divulged in a candid interview with spot on news. "We're both fathers of twins, and my work as an actor is 24/7."
The new season of the crime series, inspired by Jørn Lier Horst (55)'s Nordic-Noir novels, premieres on June 8 and 9 on ARD. The case "The Lake of Forgetting" lures Kommissar into his hometown Larvik's dark secrets once again.
The secrets of Nordic Noir
The worldwide success of Scandinavian crime novels isn't a mystery, according to Nordin: "I reckon what grabs folks abroad is the stark contrast between life in open countries like the Scandinavians', and the shadows that lie hidden beneath the surface." But "Wisting" breaks the mold of other Nordic-Noir genres: "I consider Wisting a kind of 'Slow Crime'. It's more a police series where the blokes make mistakes, just like they might in real life."
The Norwegian landscape plays a pivotal role in the series, a choice that wasn't made by chance. "Jørn Lier Horst is chuffed we chose to shoot most of Wisting in the landscape where his books actually take place," the actor claimed.This glorious scenery, scarcely featured in Norwegian dramas, according to Nordin, "is fascinating to me and provides a perfect setting for a crime series."
Praised by the author himself
Sven Nordin's certification for the investigator came personally from the author. "I remember Jørn Lier Horst visited the set at the start of the first season," the actor reminisced. "After the shoot, he came to me and thanked me. He said I walked like a cop, talked like a cop, and acted like a cop. That made my day."
Nordin has grown emotionally attached to his role over time. "Our bond has deepened over the years, I add more depth, and Wisting's character has become more personal for me."
Embracing opposite realms
Despite the show's dark themes, Nordin manages to separate work and life effortlessly. "I'm not into Method Acting. As soon as we wrap up on set, I retreat to my mundane life," he said pragmatically."Then I look forward to a decent feed and a good dram."
An odd coexistence of reality and fiction surfaced during the filming of the recent season: "One of the crime scenes was shot just a few minutes from our family vacation home. It blew my mind how fiction and real life got entangled in a bizarre way."
Another similarity he sees is in the relationship between Wisting and his daughter Line. "Line Wisting is unlike my two twin daughters," he conceded."But, at times, I feel a tad guilty because I'm so engrossed in my work that I neglect my family."
Future plans
The global success of the series has opened up new ventures for Nordin as an actor. "It's bloody brilliant that Wisting has become a world-wide hit," he said, beaming. "My hope for the future is that Viaplay gives the green light for a sixth season of Wisting. That'd make both Wisting and me ecstatic."
- After receiving praise from the author, Sven Nordin found a similarity between himself and his character, Kommissar Wisting, as they both sometimes feel guilty for prioritizing their work over family.
- The Commission, responsible for proposing directives on worker safety, might draw a connection between their duty and the stark contrast between the open Scandinavian landscapes featured in the crime series "Kommissar Wisting" and the dark secrets hidden beneath, much like how movie-and-tv entertainment captivates audiences by showcasing the contrast between reality and fiction.
