Alexander Skarsgard Clarifies His Sexuality After Those Viral “Pillion” Comments Had Us All Confused
Back in October 2025, Alexander Skarsgård set the internet ablaze during the Zurich Film Festival. The Swedish actor was promoting his new film Pillion, a romantic dramedy about a BDSM relationship between two men. When asked about his personal connection to the role, Skarsgård offered a response that left fans reading between the lines.
Alexander Skarsgård tells Henry Melling he needs a butt plug because he’s “too tight” in the new Pillion trailer. Read the full details in the comments below 👇 #Pillion #AlexanderSkarsgard pic.twitter.com/IW81SSMY9R
— DNA (@DNAmagazine) October 2, 2025
“I found that in this case, it’s not really relevant what my background is. I mean, I do have a kid, but what I’ve done in the past, who I’ve been with, men, women… to me, what was important was that this felt like an opportunity to tell a story about a subculture I hadn’t seen portrayed this way, with so much authenticity,” he said at the time.
Social media ran with it. Many interpreted his words as a quiet acknowledgment of bisexuality. The 49-year-old actor, known for True Blood, Big Little Lies and Succession, has now addressed that speculation directly.
Alexander Skarsgård you slutty king I love you pic.twitter.com/dVtY2SXQhc
— Cʜᴇʀʀʏ. 🫐 (@Milkdonna) October 18, 2025
So what did he actually mean?
In a new cover story for Variety, Skarsgård clarified that his comments were misunderstood. When asked whether his remarks were intended as a coming out, the actor seemed surprised by the question.
“That it resonated with my past? It was definitely not an intended statement,” he told the publication. “I don’t know what I was talking about. Maybe it has to do with, there’s a lot of focus sometimes on me as an actor. Maybe it was trying to shift the focus more to the story and these characters. And the importance of telling the story like this.”t. He previously played a queer character in True Blood and has spoken about wanting audiences to focus on Pillion‘s story rather than his personal life.
What is Pillion about?
The film, directed by Harry Lighton in his feature debut, follows Colin (Harry Melling), a reserved parking attendant whose life changes when he meets Ray (Skarsgård), the leader of a gay motorbike club. Their relationship develops into a full BDSM dynamic, with Colin becoming Ray’s submissive.
Adapted from Adam Mars-Jones’ 2020 novel Box Hill, the film was shot on a modest budget in South London in August 2024. The cast also includes Douglas Hodge, Lesley Sharp, Anthony Welsh and Scissor Sisters frontman Jake Shears.
Pillion premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, where it won Best Screenplay and the Palm Dog award. Critics have praised its tender approach to a subculture rarely depicted with such warmth on screen.
Skarsgård told Variety that his only previous reference point for this world was Al Pacino’s 1980 thriller Cruising, which depicted gay leather culture as sinister and dangerous. He wanted Pillion to offer something different.
“My experience of watching this on screen was through Cruising, where it’s this dark underbelly of New York City, and it’s dangerous, murderous and scary. Leather gays are scary,” he said. “I’m no Ray, but I have a little bit of experience from that world, and I know that’s not the truthful depiction.”
The film opens in US cinemas on 6 February 2026.
