Swedish actor Alexander Skarsgard appeared on the July 21 episode of the podcast Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard, where he discussed how “a classic case of nepotism” helped him land his first acting gig at age 7.During the podcast, Alexander Skarsgard said he got his first acting gig in Ake and His World (1984) because of his father Stellan Skarsgard's friend, the late actor-director Allan Edwall. Stellan has eight children, seven sons and a daughter, from his two wives, My and Megan-Everett Skarsgard.When Alexander was 13, he got his breakout role in the movie, Hunden som log, in 1989. He recalled during the podcast how he felt “incredibly self-conscious” afterward. "It was rough. I didn't like being recognized. I didn't like going to school, and kids at school being like, 'I saw the movie!' My confidence was down the drain," Alexander Skarsgard told the hosts Dax Shepard and Monica Padman."I was like, 'This is terrible. And I've (only) done one 50-minute made-for-TV movie. I don't want to keep doing this.' I retired, threw in the towel at 13."Notably, Alexander Skarsgard’s three younger brothers, Gustaf, Bill, and Valter, also followed in their father’s footsteps and pursued acting. The other three brothers are now child actors.He shared during the podcast that, unlike his siblings, he never wanted to be an actor and quit acting as a teenager, except for his 2001 US comedy film gig, Zoolander."It wasn't a difficult decision. I was like, 'I don't want to be an actor; I just want to drive a Saab. So, I just kind of stopped doing it," Alexander Skarsgard noted.The Swedish Navy veteran also said that his dad’s manager sent him to audition for Zoolander."And I booked that baby. I was just like, 'Oh, I guess this is how Hollywood works. You walk into a room and Ben Stiller's sitting there and you're like, all right!'" he quipped.Everything you need to know about Alexander Skarsgard’s familyAlexander Skarsgard was born on August 25, 1976, in Stockholm, Sweden. He is the oldest child of Stellan Skarsgard and his first wife, My Skarsgard, who is a doctor. Stellan is known for his roles in Thor, Pirates of the Caribbean, Mamma Mia!, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and Good Will Hunting. The 74-year-old veteran actor has eight children—Alexander, Gustaf, Sam, Bill, Eija, and Valter—from his first marriage, and sons Ossian and Kolbjörn with his second wife, Megan-Everett, who is a film producer, children's book author, and screenwriter.Stellan and Alexander Skarsgard at the Premiere Of Marvel Studios' "Marvel's The Avengers" (Image via Getty)Stellan started as a teen idol in 1968, as the face of the Swedish TV show, Bombi Bitt. Since then, his career has lasted over five decades and earned him many awards, including a 2020 Golden Globe for his role in the HBO miniseries, Chernobyl. During a 2021 interview with The Daily Beast, Stellan Skarsgard joked that there’s “no competition” in his family, even though most of them work in show business. He shared similar sentiments in February 2024 while talking with People at the New York premiere of Dune 2."I think they think everybody's in a major blockbuster. All their siblings are in major blockbusters. I mean, that's a way of life for them. It is weird," he shared at the time.Around the same time, Stellan told The Guardian that his only ambition for his kids was that they should be “decent people.” As for Alexander Skarsgard’s other siblings, Gustaf was born in November 1980 and has been interested in acting since he was 6. Gustaf attended the Swedish National Academy of Mime and Acting and performed at the Royal Dramatic Theater in Stockholm before landing his breakout role in the 2003 Swedish horror film, Evil. His other notable projects include Vikings (2013 to 2020), Westworld (2018 on HBO), and the 2020 Netflix series, Cursed. Sam Skarsgard, the third among the Skarsgard siblings, was born on June 5, 1982. He followed in his mother’s footsteps and is a doctor who spends a lot of time in the ICU, according to Alexander Skarsgard’s 2017 chat with Interview Magazine.Bill Skarsgard, who is also an actor, was born on August 9, 1990. His notable work includes the 2013 Netflix series Hemlock Grove, Allegiant in 2016, Deadpool 2 in 2018, and a series regular on Hulu's Castle Rock. Bill also played the antagonist in Keanu Reeves’ John Wick: Chapter 4 in 2023, When Boy Kills World (2024), and The Crow (2025). However, Bill Skarsgard is most famous for playing the role of Pennywise the Clown in the 2017 horror film It and its 2019 sequel It Chapter Two. The only sister among seven brothers, Eija Skarsgard was born on February 27, 1992. She has been a model in the past. The youngest child of Stellan and My Skarsgard is Valter. He was born on October 25, 1995. He, too, is an actor who has appeared in the BBC series Black Lake from 2016 to 2018 and the 2021 Netflix series Katla. Valter also played the titular role in Börje — The Journey of a Legend. It is a six-part biopic series based on the life and death of Swedish hockey icon, Börje Salming. Stellan Skarsgard and Megan-Everett Skarsgard have two sons, Ossian (born in 2009) and Kolbjörn (born in 2012). They are both child actors. Ossian appeared in the 2022 Swedish movie Bränn Alla Mina Brev (Burn All My Letters) alongside his older brother, Bill. Kolbjörn also secured a role in Bill’s 2022 Netflix series Clark and later in the Swedish television series Kenny Starfighter. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostDuring his latest appearance on the podcast Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard, Alexander Skarsgard shared how he was “adamant” about not becoming an actor since his adolescence and wanted to be “all on my own.” However, he no longer recommends it and is glad to have pursued acting in the long run. The Marymount Manhattan College alum has worked in the Swedish Armed Forces as well as held “odd jobs” in his youth, including at a coffee shop, an apparel store, and as a busboy. Ever since, the 48-year-old has acted in the 2008 HBO miniseries Generation Kill, followed by True Blood on the same network for seven years. His other credits include the 2017 HBO miniseries, Big Little Lies, opposite Nicole Kidman, which earned him an Emmy, a Golden Globe, and a SAG Award. The father of one has also appeared in the CBS miniseries, The Stand, HBO show Succession, and the 2022 epic thriller, The Northman.