‘Börje: The Journey of a Legend’: Valter Skarsgård on Playing Hockey Icon, Brother Alexander & More

How much of yourself did you see in him and his story?  

He was a genuinely nice guy, and that is something I can relate to. I’m a pretty “nice guy.” His softer side was something I can relate to. Börje was a soft and gentle person. That was easy for me to find that in myself because it was something I could relate to. However, to find that hardness and mentality. That was a part of my preparation in all my training. I had to push myself to physical limits where I can’t have limits. He didn’t have limits. Eventually, you find that in yourself.

I got to find this mentality of this hard mentality where you bite down and throw yourself in it. As kids growing up, we had a very different upbringing. Of course, there are similarities in it and the way we both grew up and the values he and his family had and ours did as well. How much the family meant to him. That’s something I can relate to. But for me, both my family and Sweden had so much good representation in my line of work before I came along. Maybe that’s where we differentiate.

Maybe your dad [Stellan] can relate a little more on the road he had to travel. 

It was similar, but at the same time, the Swedes had been in the industry,  even when Dad came over. Of course, it’s similar to him. My dad is almost thatt exact same age Börje was. They grew up at the same time as well. They would have a lot in common.

What did you take from Margitta (Hedda Stiernstedt) and Börje’s love story? She took a leap of faith going to Canada with him very early in their relationship. 

I feel like their love story was such a key part of this project. I was so happy Hedda played Margitta. First off, it’s crazy how much they look alike. When we read, she was perfect for this. Our chemistry was great. All that being said, I feel like this love story is such a fast-moving story. From nowhere, let’s fly to Canada. They didn’t overthink the situation. In his mind he thought it would be that simple to go over and live their best life. That’s exactly what happened. They had fun there and lived there for many years and had two beautiful children.

I’m sure they had a great relationship, but as you see in the show it takes its toll. With him constantly on the road, getting injured, I didn’t think it was what was expected for better or worse. They made the best out of the situation. I think Margitta was incredibly strong at dealing with the situation. Börje may have not felt emotionally equipped at the time to deal with the situation. Hockey was what he knew and that was what he was going to do. I think they had a beautiful story. Their marriage was amazing from my point of view. It was a pleasure to get to know both of them.

What was it like to have Jason Priestley on set? 

Jason is a great guy. I don’t have tons of scenes with him, but a few. He is so professional and knows a lot about hockey and made a documentary about Harrold Balard before we started shooting. We were grateful to get someone like him. Someone of that magnitude brings a lot of attention to it as well. He is what you’d expect, super nice and humble and a fantastic actor. He is very experienced, and you need that sometimes. Someone who can come in and be solid and know they are going to do a good job. Everyone did a great job on the show but the vibe he brings on set with others who may be newer, it can be very important.

How important has it been to have your family to lean on as far as support and feedback? They’d been there in challenging roles like this. 

We talked a lot about preparation and how it was going to go. It was tricky because each role is so different I don’t think any of them would have known how to play Börje. They would have if they had gone through the work. For me, it was that they could ask questions and be supportive. We talked a lot about preparation. My brother Bill actually joked and said that they should make Oscars for the longest prep for a show ever because I went on a diet and learned hockey for two years before we started shooting, which you normally don’t see.

That was a big part of it. We talked a lot, but I had to tackle this my own way. Of course, it was nice to have them to lean on because it was a tough shoot. I was training every day and working 17 hours a day, barely eating anything because I had to be slim down for the diet. It was very nice to have people who could understand the situation to lean on when it got tough physically and tough.

Are there plans to collaborate in the future? 

I don’t know. Nothing is set in stone. It would be fun to get something going. My stepmother is a writer as well, so there is talk of that but we don’t have a project right now where it’s like, “We’re going to make this happen.” We’re all doing our own things, which is fine too. Of course, if the chance showed up everyone would think it would be really fun.

How do you think this collab would look with you, Alexander, and the others? I’m thinking action movie. 

There are a lot of different roles that could work. We’d probably have to play-related for at least some of us because we look so much alike. Otherwise, it can get confusing. As for ideas, it’s mostly fan-casting I’ve seen.

Immersing yourself in this role, are you a hockey fan and keeping up with the workouts? 

Definitely. I would say not as extreme because I trained five hours a day for weeks and barely ate anything. I wouldn’t suggest anyone from a health perspective goes that far for a long period of time, but I think the way I’m living is healthier. I still work out a lot and eat healthier, but I’m more lenient on it and not strict. I also follow the Maple Leafs, even though they are struggling a bit now in playoffs. I’ve immersed myself in the Maple Leafs now for sure.

Borje: The Journey of a Legend, Premiere May 2, Viaplay.