The first teaser of Pillion sent the gays into overdrive upon seeing Hollywood heartthrob Alexander Skarsgrd developing a dominant/submissive BDSM relationship with costar Harry Melling.I have an aptitude for devotion, Melling (Colin) says in the teaser when asked about his relationship with Ray (Skarsgrd).And buy yourself a butt plug, Ray tells Colin in an instantly viral scene from the teaser. Youre too tight.Yet, beyond the eroticism in Skarsgrds new queer film written and directed by Harry Lighton the gays flooded social media timelines with even more thoughts and thirst over the Swedish actor supposedly coming out of the closet in a new interview.Skarsgrds statement is seemingly being misinterpreted, but the actor does have a very long history with the LGBTQ+ community thats worth exploring. So lets break it all down in a timeline.Growing up, Alexander Skarsgrds biggest inspiration was his gay uncle. Alexander Skarsgrd in Pillion.A24Skarsgrd was interviewed by Pride Source in 2016 as he promoted the live-action film The Legend of Tarzan for Warner Bros. Pictures. In the interview, he discussed having a gay uncle (who also happened to be his godfather).I dont know if you know this, but gay men love you, the Pride Source reporter said.Skarsgrd replied, Oh, really?They do, the reporter teased. Is that surprising to hear?Skarsgrd said, I dont know how to answer that question, but thank you. That's very flattering to hear. It's always been the most natural thing to me because my uncle and godfather is a gay man. So, growing up even as a little toddler it was just as natural as being straight.My aunt would show up with her husband, and my uncle would show up with his husband, the actor added. He was, by far, out of my fathers four siblings, the most fashionable and the most trendy, cool guy. So, when I was a kid, he was the one I looked up to. I thought he was really badass: Fit and awesome and cool, and obviously not just because he was gay. When I became a teenager and the kids made fun of other teenagers who were gay, I never really understood that.Skarsgrd concluded, It just baffled me because my idol, my godfather, was gay And he was the coolest guy I knew. I just couldnt understand how that could be an insult.His breakout role as pansexual vampire Eric Northman on True Blood (2008-2014). Ryan Kwanten and Alexander Skarsgrd on True Blood.HBOSkarsgrd became a global star and a Hollywood sex symbol while playing pansexual vampire Eric Northman in all seven seasons of HBOs True Blood. At the time, some critics argued that the series was too gay, but Skarsgrd found that criticism to be ridiculous.What was so interesting about the show was that it wasnt on the nose, Skarsgrd told Pride Source. Its obviously a cultural reference and a metaphor A lot of the storylines are metaphors for the strife people in the LGBT community experience, but it's done in a very subtle way, where people who have never met anyone who's gay or who have prejudice toward that community would still embrace the show and would still come up (to me) and be super excited about it.They also would love Lafayette I mean, a Black gay man. What [creator] Alan [Ball] did was beautiful and it was groundbreakingIn this instance, a lot of people who didnt have anyone close to them in the LGBT community suddenly had someone in their living room every Sunday night that they loved.Skarsgrds advice for straight actors doing gay sex scenes. Alexander Skarsgrd at the premiere screening of Infinity Pool at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2023 in Park City, Utah.Frazer Harrison/Getty ImagesSkarsgrd was also not concerned, when asked in 2016, about doing gay sex scenes on True Blood. In fact, he even shared some advice with straight actors who might feel tense and/or uncertain.You just have to embrace it. I had two gay sex scenes on the show; theyre incredible scenes, the actor recalled. I remember talking to Theo [Alexander], who played the Greek lover of Russell Edgington [played by Denis OHare], and that was the first gay sex scene I had on True Blood. Hes also a straight guy and he was nervous; he had never kissed a guy before. I just said, Look at the scene. Its this nemesis. When he comes in, it gets seductive.Skarsgrd elaborated, If we commit to this, its going to be an amazing scene, and we're going to be very happy with it forever. If we hold back, thats when it gets awkward.He starred as Lady Gagas poisoned lover in the Paparazzi music video (2009). Alexander Skarsgrd starring in Lady Gagas Paparazzi music video.Interscope RecordsSkarsgrd also discussed the idea that his gay following mightve grown even more after he starred in Lady Gagas 2009s music video of Paparazzi.I wasnt famous at all. I wore a wig in the first season of True Blood, so no one ever recognized me, Skarsgrd told Pride Source. But my friend Jonas kerlund is a tremendous music video director and called me and said, Hey, Im directing this video for an artist. Her name is Lady Gaga. Id heard her name, but didn't know much about her.kerlunds pitch, according to Skarsgrd? You throw her off the balcony and then she comes back and she poisons you. The actor added, It sounded like a fun love story, so of course I said yes. I had a super fun day.For context, Paparazzi was the first installment of Gagas planned trilogy of music videos that have Telephone (featuring Beyonc) as part two. Fans have been eagerly anticipating a third video to conclude the trilogy which would probably involve kerlund as director, and perhaps even flashbacks with Skarsgrd? One can dream!TKSkarsgrd attended a movie premiere in full glamazon drag (2015). Actors Bel Powley and Alexander Skarsgrd, alongside director Marielle Heller, at the premiere screening of The Diary Of a Teenage Girl in August 2015.Miikka Skaffari/Getty Images Picture it: Castro Theatre, San Francisco, 2015.Skarsgrd and his full height of 64 walked the red carpet for his latest movie, The Diary of a Teenage Girl, in full glamazon drag And even looked gorge, one could say.Skarsgrd was spotted at a gay nightclub, Club Backdoor, and posed for pictures with several fans (2023). (@) Skarsgrd randomly appeared at a gay club in Sweden, Club Backdoor, and was spotted in several pictures and videos that showing how much fun he was having that night.One standout picture showed the actor posing alongside out-of-drag Vanity Vain, who had competed on Drag Race Sverige season 1 and, more recently, returned to Mama Rus queendom for RuPauls Drag Race Global All Stars. In the picture, the actor was even seen wearing Vanity Vain merch! See on Instagram Hollywood kissed me and wore my merch, the Drag Race alum wrote in the caption.In a report from that wild night, Gayety described Club Backdoor as Scandinavias biggest gay club.Alexander Skarsgrd and Pedro Pascal kissing at the 78th Cannes Film Festival (2025). (@) Pillion premiered at the 78th Cannes Film Festival and received a 7-minute standing ovation from the audience. During the standing ovation, feeling the love that he and the film were receiving from viewers, Skarsgrd returned it two-fold with a warm embrace and by planting a wet one on the cheek of a smiling Pedro Pascal who was on his feet, as noted by The Hollywood Reporter.The concept of two Hollywood heartthrobs just kissing each other at a film festival to celebrate that a new project has been well-received We kind of love it, honestly.The friendship between Alexander Skarsgrd and Jack McBrayer, a.k.a. Kenneth The Page of 30 Rock. (@) Another intense discourse regarding Skarsgrds sexuality involves fellow actor Jack McBrayer, best known for playing Kenneth The Page Parcell on 30 Rock (the hit NBC series created by Tina Fey after she left Saturday Night Live).Lets circle back to what we do know for a fact. Skarsgrd and McBrayer have been friends since 2012 as they attended the same Hollywood events and found out that they happened to be neighbors (per Cracked).The publication outlined that the two actors have been to NASCAR races together, coffee shop dates, and Skarsgrd even took McBrayer as his date to the 2018 SAG Awards during his Big Little Lies stint. Otherwise, the duo starred together in a Funny or Die video.Theyre two Hollywood stars who have known each other for 13 years and bonded during a period when they were neighbors. The comedy bit of McBrayer being taken to award shows by Skarsgrd is hilarious, too, but thats really all there is to it. Fans think that Skarsgrd has come out while promoting Pillion. He didnt. Heres what happened. Alexander Skarsgrd and Harry Melling in Pillion.A24 Thousands of fans have taken to social media to gleefully comment on and/or react to Skarsgrd seemingly coming out in an interview with Variety. While its totally possible for a person to come out at any stage in life, its important to note that this particular new statement from Skarsgrd was not a coming-out story.When asked if his real-life experiences played a factor in this performance as a biker gang leader who develops a dominant/submissive relationship with a younger man (played by Melling) in Pillion, Skarsgrd noted that its not really relevant what my background is.The actor added, What Ive done in the past, who Ive been with, men, women To me, what was important was that this felt like an opportunity to tell a story about a subculture I hadnt seen portrayed this way with so much authenticity. (@) Mikelle Street perfectly articulated the misunderstanding that is happening here. What he said is that its not relevant whether hes been with men or women, he wrote on X/Twitter. He didnt say Ive been with men and women. A comma, used in a list can be used as and or it can be used as or. In this sentence, context says or!The first comma in Skarsgrds answer is also worth paying attention to. The actor essentially said that playing this character had nothing to do with who he has been with. So, it doesnt matter if he had been with men, or with women, in the past. He still approached the performance in the same way.Who is Alexander Skarsgrds wife? Alexander Skarsgrd and Tuva Novotny alongside Christos Nikou at the 2024 Venice International Film Festival at Palazzo del Cinema in Venice, Italy.Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images for LexusSkarsgrd isnt legally married and thus doesnt have a wife but has been in a relationship with Swedish actress Tuva Novotny since 2022, as reported by numerous publications like Elle.In 2023, Skarsgrd confirmed to Entertainment Tonight that he and Novotny had just welcomed their first child. Despite being in the film industry for more than two decades, Novotny has famously kept a private life.Pillion is coming to theaters in 2026