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Sveinn Ólafur Gunnarsson

Sveinn Ólafur Gunnarsson

Actor

Sveinn Ólafur Gunnarsson is an award-winning Icelandic actor working across film, television and theatre. He graduated from the Icelandic Academy of the Arts in 2006 and has built an extensive career across Icelandic and international productions. His recent international work includes the BBC/CBS historical drama King & Conqueror, in which he portrays Harald Hardrada alongside James Norton and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau. His film credits include The County, Heartstone, Metalhead and Either Way. Sveinn has received multiple Edda and Gríma Award nominations, including nominations for Best Supporting Actor and Best Leading Actor. He is represented in Iceland by Northern Talent.

Read more

Biography from IMDb.

Works as
Actor
Titles
10 on MovieCove · 32 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 65 days to Oct 28Up 33% in 30 days

What are Sveinn Ólafur Gunnarsson's films like?

Across their 8 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 58th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 83rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
26%
Self
22%
Morality
16%
Survival
15%
Power
13%
Society
8%
Purpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 7 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 6 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 1 · Charged 6 · Intense 0

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 6 · Shifting 1 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 6 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 0

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 1 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 1 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 1

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 1 · Affecting 2 · Heavy 4

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 4 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

4 analyzed roles

Usually the Mentor: 2 of 4 analyzed roles.

Mentor
2 of 4
Shapeshifter
1 of 4
Ally
1 of 4

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
6
Melancholic
6
Hopeful
3
Bittersweet
2
Dread
1
Other
4

How their films linger

Bittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet6
  • Ambiguous1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Sveinn Ólafur Gunnarsson's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 7 of their 10 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (5).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Sveinn Ólafur Gunnarsson's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

32 credits, 10 with a MovieCove page.

  • Cold Haven (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Show 8 episodes · as Daníel

  • King & Conqueror(2025)

    Show 3 episodes · as King Harald Hardrada

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all shows

  • Áramótaskaup: 2024 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Writer

  • Draumahöllin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Summerlight and Then Comes The Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    as CEO

  • Concord (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Actor

  • Dalía (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Actor

  • Fractures (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 8 episodes · as Siggi

  • My Funeral (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Show 6 episodes · as Hilmar S. Sørensen

  • Love on Iceland(2020)

    as Kristian

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Pabbahelgar (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Show 6 episodes · as Matti

  • The County(2019)

    as Friðgeir

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Dovetail (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    as Aron

  • Let Me Fall(2018)

    as Erlingur Hafsteinn

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Manners (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Actor

  • Fullir vasar (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Actor

  • Stella Blómkvist(2017)

    Show as Valdi Porno

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows

  • Heartstone(2016)

    as Sigurdur

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Autumn Lights(2016)

    as Jóhann

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Cruelty(2016)

    as Jói Schram

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Rams(2015)

    as Bjarni

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • The Homecoming (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Actor

  • Life in a Fishbowl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Gústi

  • Graves & Bones (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Actor

  • Metalhead(2013)

    as Janus

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Vikingar (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Magnus

  • Either Way (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Story · as Finnbogi

  • Double Existence (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Tindur

  • The Cliff (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Show 4 episodes · as Lárus

  • Kristofer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Actor

  • Never Sleeps (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Actor

  • Rattlesnakes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 88th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 31 titles from 2007 to 2025; peak year 2015.

Biggest box office

Rams (2015)

$1.8M worldwide

Highest rated

Rams (2015)

Midcredits 90th

Most popular right now

Stella Blómkvist (2017)

Film career

20072025

Peak 2015 · steadily prominent in film for years. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 2013Screen debut· Metalhead

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting30 of 31: 29 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score62ndWriting2 of 31: 1 only writing, 1 with another role

By decade

2000s4 · acting2010s17 · 17 acting · 1 crew2020s10 · 9 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 4th · top billed in 0% of 7 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Sveinn Ólafur Gunnarsson's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 73rd percentile, the median of all 8; across their 7 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 59th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

59thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Approval · how many liked their films

82ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Reach · how many have seen their films

67thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Midcredits score across 10 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up4
  • 50th to 74th3
  • 25th to 49th1
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

6 of their 10 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Crowd Pleaser6
  • Mixed3

Most divisive · actor

King & Conqueror (2025)

70th percentile spread · 25% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Let Me Fall (2018)

Midcredits 91st · 81% liked

Reviewers score the acting 71/100 in their films, across 7 reviewed titles; fans 79, detractors 45. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Sveinn Ólafur Gunnarsson's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 58 · moderateMedian of all films: 32

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Sveinn Ólafur Gunnarsson work with?

People who share at least 2 of Sveinn Ólafur Gunnarsson's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Árni Filippusson shares the most, 3.

Directors

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers