FRIDA GUSTAVSSON TALKS SWOON

Interviewed by Culture Coast Talks editor Daniel John. Interview transcripts might have been edited for length and clarity.

Many have said that you're debuting as an actress with 'Swoon' and maybe that is somewhat true if looking at it as your acting breakthrough, but it is not really your first role, is it?

As a child I was drawn to theater and acted at Vår Teater and even auditioned for some things at SVT. Like many other young girls, and probably boys too, I suffered from low self-esteem and lost the desire to be on stage. Instead, I spent most of my youth training and competing in athletics, a space where the focus shifted from appearance to performance, which suited me perfectly as a competitive and ambitious kid. When I later started my journey as a model, I always had the dream of acting etched into my mind. My hope was that modeling would eventually lead me onto that path, many of the choices I made in that career were clearly shaped by the goal of one day pursuing acting. The role of Ninni Nilsson in 'Swoon' gave me the courage to take that step fully. It feels like a dream to be able to say that for the past two years I’ve been working as a full-time actress and that it’s where all my focus now lies.

Is it true that you first auditioned for another role in this film?

No, that’s not true, not for this production anyway.

How do you feel about auditions?

I love them! Every encounter with a text and with a character is an opportunity to learn and get better. I’m lucky to count one of Sweden’s best actors, Edvin Endre, as a friend. We read and rehearse a lot together.

How did you react when Jeanette Klintberg told you that you’d gotten the role?

It’s a call I’ll never forget. I was out running along the water at Norr Mälarstrand and I just lay down and laughed and screamed out loud. All the weekend strollers must have thought I’d lost my mind!

What was it about this film that made you want to be part of it?

Aside from the chance to work with some of Sweden’s best filmmakers, directors, cinematographers, makeup artists, costume designers, and actors, it was Ninni I was drawn to. It’s a privilege to begin a career with such a beautiful and complex role. It was a truly magical experience that I’ll always carry with me and be deeply thankful for. Working with Helena and Pernilla. Such outstanding professionals I’ve always looked up to, was a privilege. The shoot was both the most wonderful and the most challenging thing I’ve ever done.

What was your relationship to Gröna Lund and amusement parks growing up?

Like most Stockholmers, I have warm teenage memories of standing in line for the Popexpressen-attraction hoping to steal a kiss, or being at the very front of a concert. I’ve always been addicted to speed and adrenaline, so amusement parks have a special place in my heart.

This might not be your first role, but it is certainly your biggest so far. Did you feel nervous ahead of the premiere, knowing the audience was about to see it?

I’d be lying if I said no. I don’t think I’ve ever been as nervous as I was on the first day of shooting and right before the premiere. Being part of this film is a dream come true and I’m so deeply grateful for all the kind words about my performance.

Most people inevitably know you as one of our most successful fashion models. As early as sixteen you were being called “Sweden’s new supermodel.” Why did you leave that world behind?

When I was first scouted at twelve, I couldn’t have imagined in my wildest dreams that I, an athletic girl with low self-esteem from the suburbs, could become one of the world’s most successful models. It wasn’t even on the map! That said, I feel immense gratitude and pride for what I accomplished in that career, but back then, and still now, I felt it was time to turn the page and aim for new challenges. When work becomes routine and loses its sense of excitement, I unfortunately get restless. It was simply time to go after my dream.

Do you think your modeling years gave you anything as an actress?

Naturally in the sense that I felt I could identify with the task, with the work itself. Building a character and working with physical expression is something I spent my whole modeling career doing, but it was really in meeting the text that I felt I had landed. Spending fourteen years traveling the world to stand in front of a camera surely doesn’t hurt either.

Even though one might easily be convinced otherwise, you didn't actually shoot the film in 1940s Stockholm, but in Hungary?

That’s right. Aside from a week of shooting at Gröna Lund in Stockholm, we filmed for just over two months in Budapest. Watching Allmänna Gränd being built up on a windy field was a unique experience, but I also think being disconnected from everything tied to everyday life helped me fully focus on the work.

How were Måns Mårlind and Björn Stein as directors?

Måns and Björn are fantastic, both as directors and as people. Empathetic, confident, experienced, and with a great sense of humor. Feeling their trust meant a lot to me. And we had so much fun together.

Måns and Björn have already worked on Hollywood films, and it's looking like 'Swoon' is finding a global audience as well. Are international roles something you’re looking toward?

It is wonderful to see the film taking on a life of its own with screenings around the world. I hope it finds an audience not just in Sweden but internationally. English-speaking roles are definitely of interest of course, but for me the character is what matters most. The chance to play different types of roles and constantly challenge myself, in Swedish productions as well as international ones.

The film premiered on Valentine’s Day. Which films are a must on your romantic movie evenings?

When it comes to romance, I am a sucker for the costume dramas. 'Wuthering Heights' and 'Pride and Prejudice' are two of my favorites.

The film is now being released again after its initial run in theaters. What have you worked on since then?

It’s wonderful that 'Swoon' is now reaching a new, broader audience, and I hope people embrace it, especially those who didn’t get the chance to see it in cinemas. Since filming, I’ve worked on several projects, both Swedish and international, that I’m excited to see released. One of them is 'Dream', which is a truly beautiful series.

Do you have a dream role?

Since I’m a horse lover through and through, and have a strong passion for costume dramas, it would be magical to do a role in that universe. Or why not Queen Christina? I’ve also always wondered why no film has been made about Saint Birgitta, that would be something extraordinary!