Swedish pop singer-songwriter Tove Lo, real name Ebba Tove Elsa Nilsson, is set to make her film debut in a big-screen adaptation of the 1949 Swedish novel The Emigrants by Vilhelm Moberg.
“It’s a classic told from a female perspective, which I love. I also love the character Ulrika, she’s a fighter but still vulnerable,” Tove Lo told Deadline, adding that she is “very happy” to join the SF Studios project which is set to begin production in Sweden in September.
The 32-year-old has been cast as Ulrika, who had previously been portrayed by fellow Swedish singer Monica Zetterlund in the Oscar-nominated 1971 film. She’s also set to star alongside Lisa Carlehed and Gustav Skarsgård, as well as the original film’s star, Liv Ullmann, who will play a different character from the previous adaptation.
“To me this is an almost unreal feeling, getting to play the role of Ulrika and to work with such an amazing director, incredible actors, and a truly great team,” Lo said in a press release.
“Ulrika is a strong outspoken character who stands up for herself and refuses to be pushed around. But there is also a lot of pain and vulnerability there. It is an honour to portray her! All this being a completely new experience is, of course, a bit nerve-wracking but incredibly exciting!”
Despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Tove Lo told the outlet that she is confident that the appropriate precautions will be taken while filming.
“Swedes are good at social distancing, but they’ve clearly taken a different approach that I’m not sure would work in other places,” the singer said. “I don’t really know how I feel, but all the meetings [and] rehearsals so far around the film have been very careful, and I trust the team to make sure we all follow the rules.”
SF Studios’ Fredrik Wikström Nicastro told Deadline that he believes the “Cool Girl” singer will be “unforgettable” in the role.
“We would not be doing the books justice if we didn’t have the ambition to make this project the major Swedish film of the decade,” Nicastro said.
“Kristina and Karl Oskar’s story will take audiences on a life-changing journey as we see the love and struggle they undergo when they embark together to start life over again in America, and Ulrika has a central role to play in telling this story. I am convinced that Lo will be unforgettable in this role.”
