In addition to being an actor, he was the central subject of the 2021 documentary The Most Beautiful Boy in the World. He was also part of the film “Midsommar.”
Swedish actor Björn Andrésenknown for his breakthrough role as Tadzio in the 1971 film Death in Venice, by Italian director Luchino Visconti, has died. He was 70 years old.
Andrésen’s death was announced on Sunday by Kristian Petri and Kristina Lindstromco-directors of the 2021 documentary The Most Beautiful Boy in the Worldwhich explored the trauma suffered by Andrésen during and after Death in Venice. She was only 16 when she landed the role that changed her life, opposite an older man, a composer with health problems, played by Dirk Bogardewho becomes obsessed with 14-year-old Tadzio.
Petri told the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter that Andrésen died on Saturday and remembered him as a brave person who had incredible charisma and presence in front of the cameras. The cause of his death has not been revealed.
The impact of Death in Venice on the life of Björn Andrésen
Born in Stockholm in 1955, Andrésen had a traumatic childhood following the death of his father in an accident and the suicide of his mother when he was 10 years old. He was raised by his grandmother, who, seeking to make the most of his prominent cheekbones and angelic appearance, encouraged him to pursue modeling and acting, which led to him being chosen by Visconti for the performance that made him an overnight star. That stroke of luck turned into a nightmare, especially after Visconti called him the “most beautiful boy in the world” at a press conference in Cannes.
“In terms of my life and my career, it ruined a lot of things,” Andrésen told Variety in 2021 when the documentary premiered.
The Most Beautiful Boy in the World contains footage of Andrésen’s audition for Visconti, in which he appears shirtless. “When they asked me to take off my shirt, I didn’t feel comfortable,” Andrésen said in 2021. “I wasn’t prepared for that. I remember when he made me pose with one foot against the wall; I would never have stood up like that. When I look at it now, I see how that motherfucker sexualized me“, said.
Björn Andrésen Midsommar
After Death in Venice, Andrésen traveled to Japan, where he became a pop star. The 2021 documentary includes footage of the actor surrounded by fans as his plane lands in Tokyo.
He later continued acting, with appearances in more than 30 films and television series, most recently in the horror film Ari Aster of 2019, Midsommarin a small role as an old man named Dan.
Source: Ambito
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
