Jakob Oftebro: “I want to keep a foot both in Denmark and in Norway”

The Shamer’s Daughter in which you play Nicodemus, heir to the kingdom of Dunark, is one of the most anticipated Danish films of the year. What attracted you to the role?
Jakob Oftebro: I was sent the script from Anders Thomas Jensen and fell in love with it. I thought it was so daring to do a Harry Potter/Games of Thrones for kids type of movie in Scandinavia. 

I liked the fact that the character changes during the film. At the beginning, he has a lot of self-pity and is angry at people and himself. Then dramatic events force him to grow up and act in a heroic way. 

In the film the Shamer’s daughter Dina has the unique gift which is to make people feel ashamed of themselves and guilty of their wrongdoings by looking into their eyes. What do you think of that particular gift and exploration of moral emotions in Lene Kaaberbol’s book?
JO: One of the reasons why the book has become such a success in Denmark is because it is both unique and universal. It’s about being different, and every teenager has felt misunderstood at some point. It’s also about having power and knowing how to use it. The topic of shame is also very interesting and again many youngsters can relate to that feeling. I have my own memories of feeling ashamed and afraid of a lot of things.

Your character is ashamed because he feels he is unable to meet his father’s expectations. Your father is the prominent actor Nils Ole Oftebro. Did you feel the pressure of having to meet your father’s expectations?
JO: No I have never felt any pressure whatsoever, on the contrary. It’s only been a great advantage being the son of an established actor. He knows me so well and makes me benefit from his experience.  At the beginning he didn’t want me to be an actor because he knew how hard it is. But when he saw that I really wanted it, he said: Ok….I guess I have to support you!

After fighting sharks in Kon-Tiki, you fight dragons in The Shamer’s Daughter. How is it to work on movies using sophisticated SFX?
J.O.: It’s real fun! You get to stab into a cardboard box and to be chased by another guy in a green suit! The real magicians are those creating the special effects.

After The Shamer’s Daughter, you’ve had title roles in several historical films yet to open, Henrik Ruben Genz’s Tordenskiold, Daniel Dencik’s Gold Coast, Nils Gaup’s The Last King. Which part was the most challenging both physically and mentally? Was it Gold Coast in which you play the 19th century Danish botanist and visionary Wulff??
JO: Yes I think so. It was the toughest because my character was supposed to become very ill at some point, so I had to lose a lot of weight. We had to shoot long days in Africa [Ghana] under extremely hot weather and with people who had never worked in movies before. It was a true challenge, but so awe-inspiring. Ghana was such a beautiful country and the people were so nice and willing to do a great job. Daniel Dencik is a true genius and it was a great experience working with him.

In Tordenskiold where you embody the 18^th century naval hero of the same name, your character is the total opposite to Wulff, extravagant and even comical under Henrik Ruben Genz’s direction…
JO: Yes Tordenskiold was one of the funniest productions I’ve ever worked on. Erlend Loe -who wrote the script–is one of my favourite writers, known for his dead-pan humour and Henrik Ruben also has a great dark humour. 

Kon-Tiki was a turning point in your career and since then you have alternated major roles in Denmark and in Norway, both for cinema and television. Was this a strategic move from your part to develop your career across the Nordic region?
JO: I was born and raised in Norway but always wanted to work in Denmark. When I graduated from the Norwegian Academy of Performance Arts at the age of 21, I went to Denmark and was lucky to find a place at the small independent theatre Mungo Park close to Copenhagen. It was so much fun being there and I realised then that I wanted to keep a foot in both countries. 

A few months ago you received a Nordic Language Prize (Norden språks pris 2014). Was did this award mean to you?
JO: I was very moved to receive the award because I felt I hadn’t achieved so much yet and took it almost like a motivation award. I also think it’s important that we get better in seeing movies and productions in original language from our neighbouring countries.

Is Hollywood your next move, like your colleagues Kristofer Hivju and Aksel Hennie?
JO: For me working both in Denmark and Norway was already a big step. Right now, I’m very busy in Scandinavia and it’s been an amazing journey working on The Shamer’s Daughter, Tordenskiold, Gold Coast, The Last King as well as the Swedish film Heaven on Earth by the great Kay Pollak. But if something interesting comes up outside of Scandinavia, I’m open to new challenges.
After The Last King that just wrapped, I’m actually going to Holland to make the Dutch/Norwegian film Disappearance by Boudewijn Koole who did the Dutch Oscar-candidate Kauwboy in 2012.