The Pixel Project’s Voters’ Choice Campaign Nominee 2 – Alexander Skarsgard

During the course of our Voters’ Choice campaign, we will highlight each of our nominees in a feature blog post. This week, we focus on True Blood star, Alexander Skarsgard.

Given his success on the vampire drama True Blood, it is hard to believe that Alexander Skarsgard once gave up on acting. Following in the footsteps of his father, renowned Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgard, he began acting as a child, but the fame made him uncomfortable. He gave up acting in his teens, enrolled in college and then enlisted in the Swedish military. He returned the profession in 1997, got his big break on the HBO miniseries Generation Kill and then got the part for which he is best known—vampire Eric Northman on True Blood.

He is no longer uncomfortable with his fame, but that doesn’t mean he has let it go to his head. A reporter for the Times Online described him as “quiet, respectful, polite and self-deprecating.” His high profile has also helped bring attention to the many charitable organizations he supports.

In 2009, Alexander Skarsgard joined the Tails for Whales campaign, run by the International Fund for Animal Welfare, to help raise awareness about the threats facing whales. He was a guest at the 3^rd Annual Black Tie Gala for The Art of Elysium, a charity that offers arts workshops to seriously ill children. When fan site AlexSkarsgard.net raised funds in his name for the charity Smile Train, which provides free surgery for underprivileged children with cleft lips and palates, Mr. Skarsgard gladly gave his blessing to their efforts and sent them a note of congratulations. He has publicly supported Earth Hour and Chilean earthquake relief and recently donated an autographed t-shirt to an Amnesty International auction.

Mr. Skarsgard is involved in the charitable efforts made on his behalf by SkarsgardNews.com, which most recently appealed for donations to Doctors Without Borders for Haitian earthquake relief. The site eventually raised nearly $10,000 for this cause and Mr. Skarsgard responded with a heartfelt thanks in a message posted on the site.

You can read more about Alexander Skarsgard and cast your vote for him at the Team Skarsgard Facebook page http://bit.ly/VoteAlexS. The campaign ends June 17, so cast your vote before then and be sure to sign the petition too, since it will be delivered directly to Mr. Skarsgard if he is one of the winning nominees.

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References:

http://www.looktothestars.org/news/2904-true-blood-star-joins-tails-for-whales-campaign;

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article7031443.ece;

http://www.celebrity-mania.com/news/view/00010450.html;

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002907/bio;

http://www.alexskarsgard.net/wordpress/?p=4987;

http://www.examiner.com/x-29830-Alexander-Skarsgard-Examiner~y2010m1d15-Haiti-Earthquake-Response-with-SkarsgardNewscom;

http://www.SkarsgardNews.com.