Walter Skarsgard has been preparing for the role of Porgy Salming for four years.
On Thursday, the icon passed away — at the same time that the series about his life was being filmed in Toronto.
– I don’t think I would have been the person I am today if it weren’t for Boreh, an emotional Skarsgård tells Sportbladet.
Börje Salming has influenced many in his career, but perhaps above all with his way of being. In April it became public that the hockey icon’s life would become a series on Viaplay, but the project has been in the works for much longer than that.
Lead actor Walter Skarsgard has been preparing for the role of Porgy Salming for four years. When news of the legend’s death arrived, Skarsgård found himself in a special situation — in the middle of filming in Toronto.
– It was strange. It came so suddenly. I wasn’t prepared for it to happen so quickly. You knew he didn’t have much left, but I think we all thought he had more time than this. It’s very tragic, he says and continues:
– It’s heavy and dark. I think a lot about his family and how terrible it must have been for them. It is very damn.
“unacceptable”
The 27-year-old is depressed and noticeably snaps when Sportbladet reaches out to him on the phone in Toronto. He and Salming have developed a special bond over the years.
– I have met him many times and got very close to him. It’s a special setting to portray his life and it’s hard to put into words what it means to both of us. I don’t think I understood how much he meant to me. For the past four years, and especially the last two years, I’ve devoted myself to thinking about him every single day to prepare for it. It just felt so close because I had to be in it so much.
The news of Salming’s death came as a shock to Skarsgård. Less than two weeks ago, he and the production, which includes, among others, met actress Hedda Sternstedt during the tribute ceremony in Toronto.
– It was emotional. She didn’t know it was the last time, but I was so happy to see him and I felt he was so happy to see us too. This is very strange. You really didn’t think it would be like this now. I happened to see the news first hand when Toronto posted it and I couldn’t buy it at first. I kind of didn’t understand. I wrote to the producer “What is this? What are they talking about? No one knows anything,” Skarsgård says and continues:
– It was so surreal I couldn’t accept the fact that it was real. I sat there waiting for someone to confirm that wasn’t true. Obviously not dead.
Porgy taught him to ride
Skarsgård says Samling was very involved with the series and came out with input and helped as much as he could. The actor himself wasn’t a fan of skating when he started the project, but he was trained by professional instructors and Porgy himself did his best to teach him to skate.
– I wasn’t really good. But I trained very, very much and had really good hockey coaches who taught me. Börje once came to training very early and played with me a little bit and told me about his way of playing and things like that. We talked about it a lot, says Skarsgård and continues:
– He was very busy before the illness and was an active person, but he said he would have liked to come more often and that it was his intention to do so. I said “do whatever you want, no need to feel guilty about not having the time”.
How will you remember him?
– Like that guy. Who apologizes for not doing it, but he’s busy with his life, and it wasn’t something he really needed to do. He was an incredibly nice person, caring and down to earth and I am so grateful to have gotten to know him. I have much to thank him for. I don’t think I would be the person I am today if it weren’t for Porgy.
Was Porgy involved in the decision that you were going to play him?
– I don’t know exactly how the process went. But I jumped in too early and Porgy was at the first meeting.
“It looks heavier and more important.”
Filming for the series concludes in Toronto. For Skarsgård, it’s become more and more mean with each passing month.
– It was big and I felt a lot of pressure to do well when he was healthy. It felt very important to me to honor him in a dignified way for the person he was. When he got sick, it somehow became more important, and now that he’s passed, it just feels bigger, heavier, and more important, he says and continues:
– I was determined that he would not be there when finished, but they would very much like to show him more finished material. He was very caring and we sent as much as he could. As I understand it, he was very happy and I am still glad that he was able to see so much and take part.