\u201cAnd buy yourself a butt plug,\u201d Ray tells Colin in an instantly viral scene<\/a> from the teaser. \u201cYou\u2019re too tight.\u201d<\/p>\n Yet, beyond the eroticism in Skarsg\u00e5rd\u2019s new queer film \u2014 written and directed by Harry Lighton \u2014 the gays flooded social media timelines with even more thoughts and thirst over the Swedish actor supposedly coming out of the closet<\/a> in a new interview.<\/p>\n Skarsg\u00e5rd\u2019s statement is seemingly being misinterpreted, but the actor does have a very long history with the LGBTQ<\/a>+ community that\u2019s worth exploring. So let\u2019s break it all down in a timeline.<\/p>\n Skarsg\u00e5rd was interviewed by Pride Source<\/a><\/em> in 2016 as he promoted the live-action film The Legend of Tarzan<\/em> for Warner Bros. Pictures. In the interview, he discussed having a gay uncle (who also happened to be his godfather).<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know if you know this, but gay men love you,\u201d the Pride Source<\/em> reporter said.<\/p>\n Skarsg\u00e5rd replied, \u201cOh, really?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey do,\u201d the reporter teased. \u201cIs that surprising to hear?\u201d<\/p>\n Skarsg\u00e5rd said, \u201cI don\u2019t know how to answer that question, but thank you. That’s very flattering to hear. It’s always been the most natural thing to me because my uncle and godfather is a gay man. So, growing up \u2014 even as a little toddler \u2014 it was just as natural as being straight.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy aunt would show up with her husband, and my uncle would show up with his husband,\u201d the actor added. \u201cHe was, by far, out of my father\u2019s four siblings, the most fashionable and the most trendy, cool guy. So, when I was a kid, he was the one I looked up to. I thought he was really badass: Fit and awesome and cool, and obviously not just because he was gay. When I became a teenager and the kids made fun of other teenagers who were gay, I never really understood that.\u201d<\/p>\n Skarsg\u00e5rd concluded, \u201cIt just baffled me because my idol, my godfather, was gay\u2026 And he was the coolest guy I knew. I just couldn\u2019t understand how that could be an insult.\u201d<\/p>\n Skarsg\u00e5rd became a global star and a Hollywood sex symbol while playing pansexual vampire Eric Northman in all seven seasons of HBO\u2019s True Blood<\/em>. At the time, some critics argued that the series was too gay, but Skarsg\u00e5rd found that criticism to be \u201cridiculous.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat was so interesting about the show was that it wasn\u2019t on the nose, Skarsg\u00e5rd told Pride Source<\/a><\/em>. It\u2019s obviously a cultural reference and a metaphor\u2026 A lot of the storylines are metaphors for the strife people in the LGBT community experience, but it’s done in a very subtle way, where people who have never met anyone who’s gay or who have prejudice toward that community would still embrace the show and would still come up (to me) and be super excited about it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey also would love Lafayette \u2014 I mean, a Black gay man. What [creator] Alan [Ball] did was beautiful and it was groundbreaking\u2026In this instance, a lot of people who didn\u2019t have anyone close to them in the LGBT community suddenly had someone in their living room every Sunday night that they loved.\u201d<\/p>\n Skarsg\u00e5rd was also not concerned, when asked in 2016, about doing gay sex scenes on True Blood<\/em>. In fact, he even shared some advice with straight actors who might feel tense and\/or uncertain.<\/p>\n \u201cYou just have to embrace it. I had two gay sex scenes on the show; they\u2019re incredible scenes,\u201d the actor recalled. \u201cI remember talking to Theo [Alexander], who played the Greek lover<\/a> of Russell Edgington<\/a> [played by Denis O\u2019Hare], and that was the first gay sex scene I had on True Blood<\/em>. He\u2019s also a straight guy and he was nervous; he had never kissed a guy before. I just said, \u2018Look at the scene. It\u2019s this nemesis. When he comes in, it gets seductive.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Skarsg\u00e5rd elaborated, \u201cIf we commit to this, it\u2019s going to be an amazing scene, and we’re going to be very happy with it forever. If we hold back, that\u2019s when it gets awkward.\u201d<\/p>\n Skarsg\u00e5rd also discussed the idea that his gay following might\u2019ve grown even more after he starred in Lady Gaga\u2019s 2009\u2019s music video of \u201cPaparazzi.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI wasn\u2019t famous at all. I wore a wig in the first season of True Blood<\/em>, so no one ever recognized me,\u201d Skarsg\u00e5rd told Pride Source<\/a><\/em>. \u201cBut my friend Jonas \u00c5kerlund is a tremendous music video director and called me and said, \u2018Hey, I\u2019m directing this video for an artist. Her name is Lady Gaga.\u2019 I\u2019d heard her name, but didn’t know much about her.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00c5kerlund\u2019s pitch, according to Skarsg\u00e5rd? \u201cYou throw her off the balcony and then she comes back and she poisons you.\u201d The actor added, \u201cIt sounded like a fun love story, so of course I said yes. I had a super fun day.\u201d<\/p>\n For context, \u201cPaparazzi\u201d was the first installment of Gaga\u2019s planned trilogy of music videos that have \u201cTelephone\u201d (featuring Beyonc\u00e9) as part two. Fans have been eagerly anticipating a third video to conclude the trilogy \u2014 which would probably involve \u00c5kerlund as director, and perhaps even flashbacks with Skarsg\u00e5rd? One can dream!TK<\/p>\n Picture it: Castro Theatre, San Francisco, 2015.<\/p>\n Skarsg\u00e5rd and his full height of 6\u20194\u201d walked the red carpet for his latest movie, The Diary of a Teenage Girl<\/em>, in full glamazon drag\u2026 And even looked gorge, one could say.<\/p>\n Skarsg\u00e5rd randomly appeared at a gay club in Sweden, Club Backdoor, and was spotted in several pictures and videos that showing how much fun he was having that night.<\/p>\n One standout picture showed the actor posing alongside out-of-drag Vanity Vain, who had competed on Drag Race Sverige<\/em> season 1 and, more recently, returned to Mama Ru\u2019s queendom for RuPaul\u2019s Drag Race Global All Stars<\/a><\/em>. In the picture, the actor was even seen wearing Vanity Vain merch!<\/p>\n \u201cHollywood kissed me and wore my merch,\u201d the Drag Race<\/em> alum wrote in the caption.<\/p>\n In a report from that wild night, Gayety<\/a><\/em> described Club Backdoor as \u201cScandinavia\u2019s biggest\u201d gay club.<\/p>\n Pillion<\/em> premiered at the 78th Cannes Film Festival and received a 7-minute standing ovation from the audience. During the standing ovation, feeling the \u201clove\u201d that he and the film were receiving from viewers, Skarsg\u00e5rd \u201creturned it two-fold with a warm embrace and by planting a wet one on the cheek of a smiling Pedro Pascal who was on his feet,\u201d as noted by The Hollywood Reporter<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n The concept of two Hollywood heartthrobs just kissing each other at a film festival to celebrate that a new project has been well-received\u2026 We kind of love it, honestly.<\/p>\n Another intense discourse regarding Skarsg\u00e5rd\u2019s sexuality involves fellow actor Jack McBrayer, best known for playing Kenneth \u201cThe Page\u201d Parcell on 30 Rock<\/em> (the hit NBC series created by Tina Fey after she left Saturday Night Live<\/em>).<\/p>\n Let\u2019s circle back to what we do know for a fact. Skarsg\u00e5rd and McBrayer have been friends since 2012 as they attended the same Hollywood events and found out that they happened to be neighbors (per Cracked<\/a><\/em>).<\/p>\n The publication outlined that the two actors have \u201cbeen to NASCAR races together, coffee shop dates, and Skarsg\u00e5rd even took McBrayer as his date to the 2018 SAG Awards during his Big Little Lies<\/em> stint.\u201d Otherwise, the duo starred together in a Funny or Die<\/a><\/em> video.<\/p>\n They\u2019re two Hollywood stars who have known each other for 13 years and bonded during a period when they were neighbors. The comedy bit of McBrayer being taken to award shows by Skarsg\u00e5rd is hilarious, too, but that\u2019s really all there is to it.<\/p>\n Thousands of fans have taken to social media to gleefully comment on and\/or react<\/a> to Skarsg\u00e5rd seemingly coming out<\/a> in an interview with Variety<\/a><\/em>. While it\u2019s totally possible for a person to come out at any stage in life, it\u2019s important to note that this particular new statement from Skarsg\u00e5rd was not<\/em> a coming-out story.<\/p>\n When asked if his real-life experiences played a factor in this performance as a biker gang leader who develops a dominant\/submissive relationship<\/a> with a younger man (played by Melling) in Pillion<\/em>, Skarsg\u00e5rd noted that \u201cit\u2019s not really relevant what my background is.\u201d<\/p>\n The actor added, \u201cWhat I\u2019ve done in the past, who I\u2019ve been with, men, women\u2026 To me, what was important was that this felt like an opportunity to tell a story about a subculture I hadn\u2019t seen portrayed this way \u2014 with so much authenticity.\u201d<\/p>\n Mikelle Street perfectly articulated the misunderstanding that is happening here. \u201cWhat he said is that it\u2019s not relevant whether he\u2019s been with men or women,\u201d he wrote on X\/Twitter<\/a>. \u201cHe didn\u2019t say \u2018I\u2019ve been with men and women.\u2019 A comma, used in a list can be used as and<\/em> or it can be used as or<\/em>. In this sentence, context says or<\/em>!\u201d<\/p>\n The first comma in Skarsg\u00e5rd\u2019s answer is also worth paying attention to. The actor essentially said that playing this character had nothing to do with \u201cwho he has been with.\u201d So, it doesn\u2019t matter if he had been with men, or with women, in the past. He still approached the performance in the same way.<\/p>\n Skarsg\u00e5rd isn\u2019t legally married \u2014 and thus doesn\u2019t have a wife \u2014 but has been in a relationship with Swedish actress Tuva Novotny since 2022, as reported by numerous publications like Elle<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n In 2023, Skarsg\u00e5rd confirmed to Entertainment Tonight<\/a><\/em> that he and Novotny had just welcomed their first child. Despite being in the film industry for more than two decades, Novotny has famously kept a private life.<\/p>\n Pillion<\/em> is coming to theaters in 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n Growing up, Alexander Skarsg\u00e5rd\u2019s biggest inspiration was his gay uncle.<\/h2>\n
![\"Alexander](\"https:\/\/www.pride.com\/media-library\/alexander-skarsg-u00e5rd-in-pillion.jpg?id=61716829&width=980\")
Alexander Skarsg\u00e5rd in Pillion.<\/small>A24<\/small><\/p>\nHis breakout role as pansexual vampire Eric Northman on True Blood (2008-2014).<\/h2>\n
![\"Ryan](\"https:\/\/www.pride.com\/media-library\/ryan-kwanten-alexander-skarsg-u00e5rd-on-true-blood.jpg?id=61716820&width=980\")
Ryan Kwanten, Alexander Skarsg\u00e5rd on True Blood.<\/small>HBO<\/small><\/p>\nSkarsg\u00e5rd\u2019s advice for straight actors doing gay sex<\/a> scenes.<\/h2>\n
![\"Alexander](\"https:\/\/www.pride.com\/media-library\/alexander-skarsg-u00e5rd-at-the-premiere-screening-of-infinity-pool-at-the-sundance-film-festival-in-january-2023-in-park-city.jpg?id=61716169&width=980\")
Alexander Skarsg\u00e5rd at the premiere screening of Infinity Pool at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2023 in Park City, Utah.<\/small>Frazer Harrison\/Getty Images<\/small><\/p>\nHe starred as Lady Gaga\u2019s poisoned lover in the \u2018Paparazzi\u2019 music video (2009).<\/h2>\n
![\"Alexander](\"https:\/\/www.pride.com\/media-library\/alexander-skarsg-u00e5rd-and-lady-gaga-in-the-paparazzi-music-video.jpg?id=61715804&width=980\")
Alexander Skarsg\u00e5rd and Lady Gaga<\/a> in the \u201cPaparazzi\u201d music video.<\/small>Interscope Records<\/small><\/p>\nSkarsg\u00e5rd attended a movie premiere in full glamazon drag (2015).<\/h2>\n
![\"Actors](\"https:\/\/www.pride.com\/media-library\/actors-bel-powley-and-alexander-skarsg-u00e5rd-alongside-director-marielle-heller-at-the-premiere-screening-of-the-diary-of-a.jpg?id=61715818&width=980\")
Actors Bel Powley and Alexander Skarsg\u00e5rd, alongside director Marielle Heller, at the premiere screening of The Diary Of a Teenage Girl in August 2015.<\/small>Miikka Skaffari\/Getty Images<\/small> <\/p>\nSkarsg\u00e5rd was spotted at a gay nightclub, Club Backdoor, and posed for pictures with several fans (2023).<\/h2>\n
Alexander Skarsg\u00e5rd and Pedro Pascal kissing at the 78th Cannes Film Festival (2025).<\/h2>\n
The friendship between Alexander Skarsg\u00e5rd and Jack McBrayer, a.k.a. Kenneth \u2018The Page\u2019 of 30 Rock<\/em>.<\/h2>\n
Fans think that Skarsg\u00e5rd has come out while promoting Pillion<\/em>. He didn\u2019t. Here\u2019s what happened.<\/h2>\n
![\"Alexander](\"https:\/\/www.pride.com\/media-library\/alexander-skarsg-u00e5rd-and-harry-melling-in-pillion.jpg?id=61716622&width=980\")
Alexander Skarsg\u00e5rd and Harry Melling in Pillion.<\/small>A24<\/small><\/p>\nWho is Alexander Skarsg\u00e5rd\u2019s wife?<\/h2>\n
![\"Alexander](\"https:\/\/www.pride.com\/media-library\/alexander-skarsg-u00e5rd-and-tuva-novotny-u2014-alongside-christos-nikou-u2014-at-the-2024-venice-international-film-festival.jpg?id=61716784&width=980\")
Alexander Skarsg\u00e5rd and Tuva Novotny \u2014 alongside Christos Nikou \u2014 at the 2024 Venice International Film Festival at Palazzo del Cinema in Venice, Italy.<\/small>Pascal Le Segretain\/Getty Images for Lexus<\/small><\/p>\n