Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen is renowned primarily for his morally ambiguous, antagonistic depictions in several acclaimed Hollywood endeavors. The actor’s embodiment of Le Chiffre in the 2006 film Casino Royale bestowed upon him the opportunity to gain recognition on a global scale. Mikkelsen also played Hannibal Lecter for NBC’s Hannibal, which is considered to be one of his most notable portrayals.
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The range of his depictions, along with the versatility he exudes, makes him a proficient actor that many look up to. To only commend Mikkelsen’s cinematic contributions in Hollywood would be underestimating his creative prowess in well-celebrated Danish pursuits such as Another Round (2020), Riders of Justice (2020), The Hunt (2012), etc. Simply put, Mads Mikkelsen is an uber-talented force to reckon with.
Back in 2015, however, fans of the distinguished actor were rather astonished to see him in a music video for a very popular, chart-topping song. Furthermore, the artist attached to the project happens to be a name that is well-known all across the globe; someone who recently made headlines for having an estimated net worth of $1.7 billion.
Mads Mikkelsen Worked With Famous Singer Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty NH, commonly known as Rihanna, is a highly-celebrated musician. Her contributions to music are notable for their diverse approach. There is no single genre that the talent has limited herself to. As a pop culture phenomenon, Rihanna has time and again impressed the general audience with her record-breaking songs, mesmerizing live performances, and a captivating charm like no other.
For her 2015 single, titled B*tch Better Have My Money, a music video was released which was particularly notorious for its violent and s*xual undertones. This infamous video is where audiences witnessed Mads Mikkelsen in the role of the titular “B*tch” as a corrupt accountant. Mikkelsen’s character was later sadistically tortured by Rihanna in the same video.
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When the Danish actor made an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, he was asked about how such a bizarre opportunity came to him. To this, Mikkelsen honestly replied, “I have no idea.” With further elaboration, the Hannibal alum said the following:
“I got a phone call from my agent. They said, ‘Do you wanna do that Rihanna thingy?’ and I was like, ‘Yeah, who is this Rihanna thingy?'”
The actor admitted that his lack of familiarity with matters surrounding pop culture is what caused him to not know who Rihanna was. However, he was intrigued by the offer, so he decided to accept it. In another interview, Mikkelsen clarified that his kids were particularly enthusiastic about his involvement in the Rihanna-spearheaded music video. “My brownie points like… skyrocketed,” admitted the talent.
Mads Mikkelsen’s Kids Respected Him After The Music Video
In a recent GQ interview, where Mikkelsen sheds light on different aspects of his career and personal life, it was stated that the actor’s two kids began to respect him after his appearance in the notable music video alongside Rihanna. Here, the Arctic alum also revealed how Rihanna knew the actor from his performance in a Danish film. “She had seen me in something, something Danish,” he said.
Here, he once again affirmed similar sentiments to the ones he expressed while talking to Jimmy Kimmel. He explained:
“I got a phone call asking if I wanted to be part of that (the music video), and it was fun and insane.”
In the Jimmy Kimmel interview, audiences also got to know the extent of the excitement exuded by Mads Mikkelsen’s children. “They were over the moon,” claimed the 57-year-old talent. The actor’s son, for the first time, expressed a keen interest in wanting to accompany his father to a movie set. However, the Casino Royale star did not allow it. Upon Kimmel asking why, the host himself realized that the mature themes of the music video could have been one of the reasons that led Mikkelsen to refuse his son’s request.
Mikkelsen agreed but stated that it was only one of the reasons behind his refusal. “I think he had a little crush on her (Rihanna). And that would be a little too tricky,” concluded the actor.
While his appearance in the music video was a shocking occurrence, it did offer the world an iconic collaboration between the multi-talented singer and the highly-exalted Danish actor. It also allowed Mads Mikkelsen to earn “brownie points” from his children, who were arguably the most excited about the noteworthy crossover.
Source: GQ
