Alexander Skarsgård has been dubbed an ‘icon’ by fans after unveiling a shocking red carpet look for his newest film.
The former True Blood actor stars with Harry Melling (best known as Harry Potter’s Dudley Dursley) in the upcoming erotic romantic comedy, Pillion.
Melling plays timid Colin, who enters into a relationship with biker gang leader Ray (Skarsgård) who initiates him into an exciting – if challenging – BDSM relationship.
Through his relationship with Ray, Colin begins to question his own hitherto mundane existence, growing in confidence as their bond(age) grows.
Pillion achieved an eight-minute standing ovation at its Cannes premiere earlier this year – shocking audiences with its ‘filthy’ take on the romantic comedy.
And its leading man has continued to shock and awe after showing up at the film’s BFI London festival in a backless halterneck top.
Never the shrinking violet, Skarsgård wore a tight-fitting pair of leather trousers with a backless halterneck top – which he partnered with a matching leather tie.
He was joined by a more restrained Melling, who wore a black trousers and shirt (unbuttoned at the upper chest) with a smart blazer.
Paying tribute to Ray’s kinky biker boss background, Skarsgård and Melling posed with both a motorcycle and the wider crew – which included director Harry Lighton, Scissor Sisters’ Jake Shears and co-star Paul Tallis (adorned in a dog mask and full leathers).
Four legged-cast member Maggie (who plays Ray’s dog, Rosie) was also in attendance, following Pillion’s Palm Dog Award nomination at Cannes.
Skarsgård’s look soon had fans frothing at the mouth, declaring the Succession star an ‘icon.’
‘Seeing the freak community just now realize how much of an icon Alexander Skarsgård is but Eric Northman girlies have BEEN on this train…’ wrote bwidowss on X, in reference to his True Blood character.
‘I swear at this point Alexander Skarsgård should just ascend the throne and be given the title Prince of Sweden,’ said dirtyterry.
‘I really love whatever is wrong with alexander skarsgård,’ chelseamoianee commented.
‘Dude is always breaking trends and isn’t afraid to wear what he likes,’ said Respect Kevin_T2593.
Speaking on the steamy romance between Ray and Colin, Skarsgård previously told journalists at Zurich Film Festival: ‘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.
‘My experience of watching this on screen was through [the 1980 Al Pacino film] Cruising, where it’s this dark underbelly of New York City and it’s dangerous, murderous and scary [and] leather gays are “scary.”
‘I’m no Ray, but I have a little bit of experience from that world and I know that’s not the truthful depiction,’ he added.
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Metro had a chance to see Pillion at Cannes earlier this year, with our critic Tori Brazier describing it as ‘one of the filthiest films I’d ever seen’ at the festival.
Highlighting the ‘graphic and explicit’ sex sequences, she calls the film ‘delightfully smutty and obscene,’ contributing to its so-far perfect Rotten Tomatoes score of 100%.
Pillion is out in UK cinemas on November 28, 2025.
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