Sidse Babett Knudsen

Knudsen was born 22 November 1968 in Copenhagen, the daughter of Ebbe Knudsen, a photographer, and Susanne Andersen, a school teacher.{{cite web|url=http://www.danskefilm.dk/skuespiller/888.html|title=Sidse Babett Knudsen|work=Danske Film Database|publisher=danskefilm.dk|access-date=23 November 2013}} During her childhood, the family lived in Tanzania where her parents undertook volunteer work.{{cite news | url=https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/ive-prime-minister-i-cannot-play-prime-ministers-wife-interview-star-borgen-sidse-babett-knudsen-james-mottram-538218 | title=Sidse Babett Knudsen: 'I've been the Prime Minister, I cannot play the Prime Minister's wife' | first=James | last=Mottram | newspaper=iNews | date=19 May 2016}} Upon returning to Denmark, Knudsen attended a "creative school." Knudsen is unmarried and is the mother of one son born in 2004.{{cite web | url=https://www.seoghoer.dk/nyheder/sidse-fylder-rundt-50-og-hemmelighedsfuld | title=Sidse fylder rundt: 50 og hemmelighedsfuld|first=Aviaya Valdivia |last=Hansen|work=Nyheder|publisher=Se og Hoer|date=22 November 2018}}{{cite web | url=https://www.bt.dk/underholdning/sidse-babett-nyder-sin-barsel | title=Sidse Babett nyder sin barsel|first=Susanne |last=Johansson |publisher=B.T. |date=11 December 2004}}

Knudsen speaks native Danish, and has native fluency in English and French.

From 1987 to 1990 Knudsen trained in acting at the Theatre de l'Ombre in Paris despite initially knowing little French.{{Harv|Piil|2001|p=240}} Upon returning to Denmark, Knudsen played roles for the experimental theatre OVINE 302 as well as at the Betty Nansen Theatre and the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen.

In 1997 Knudsen debuted in the lead role of Julie in Jonas Elmer's slice-of-life comedy Let's Get Lost. The film's script was only an outline, requiring the actors to improvise their roles and dialogue.Peter Schepelern, "Internationalisering og dogme", 100 Års Dansk Film, Copenhagen; Rosinante, 2001 p. 343 Knudsen said she was not very good at improvisation and accepted the part only because she thought it would be a lightweight summer comedy. The film became a breakout hit in Denmark and Knudsen received both the Robert Award and the Bodil Award for Best Actress.Morten Piil, [http://www.information.dk/17460 "Barbara versus Babett"], Information, 10 March 1998 Critics called Knudsen's performance dominating. Film critic Kim Skotte of Politiken wrote that Knudsen had hit a new tone with a "special ability to capture the modern woman's uncertainty and strength".Kim Skotte, [http://ibyen.dk/film/anmeldelser/article7225.ece "Den Eneste Ene er et nyt kapitel i historien om den danske komedie"], Politiken, 1 April 1999, written in Danish as "Med Let's Get Lost blev det slået fast, at dansk film i Sidse Babett Knudsen havde fået en skuespillerinde, som ramte en helt ny tone. En skuespillerinde med en særlig evne til at indfange den moderne kvindes usikkerhed og styrke."

Following her appearance in the 1998 mystery Motello, Knudsen played the lead character in Susanne Bier's 1999 romantic comedy Den Eneste Ene. The film became one of the decade's biggest box-office hits in Denmark.{{Harv|Schepelern|2001|p=313}} It marked a new direction in modern Danish romantic comedies with credit given to Knudsen's acting style. Knudsen's portrayal of Sus, a woman who becomes pregnant by her unfaithful husband while she loves another man, again earned her both the Robert Award and the Bodil Award for Best Actress.

Knudsen returned to work with Elmer in 2000 as the title character in the comedy Mona's Verden. As in Elmer's first film, Knudsen was required to improvise her dialogue and character.Christian Monggaard, [http://www.information.dk/58150 "At improvisere er at lytte"], (Danish), Information, information.dk, 31 August 2001 Knudsen's portrayal of Mona, an uptight accountant who tries to stave off the romantic infatuation of a bank robber while being held hostage, earned her a Bodil Award nomination for Best Actress.[http://www.bt.dk/article/20020111/nyheder/101110555/ "Stor jævnbyrdighed i nomineringerne til årets Bodil-fest"], B.T., January 11, 2002, retrieved 27-05-2009

In 2020 she starred in the BBC drama Roadkill as the mistress of a British Tory politician played by Hugh Laurie.{{Cite web|last=Jones|first=Ellen E.|date=2020-10-16|title=Sidse Babett Knudsen: the Borgen star mixing Danish drama and Westminster intrigue|url=http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/oct/16/sidse-babett-knudsen-the-borgen-star-mixing-danish-drama-and-westminster-intrigue|access-date=2020-10-27|website=The Guardian|language=en}}

Knudsen reprised her role as Prime Minister Nyborg in the Netflix revival of Borgen, which was released in 2022.{{Cite web|last=McHenry|first=Jackson|date=2020-04-29|title=Borgen, a Show You Either Love or Have Never Heard of, Is Coming Back on Netflix|url=https://www.vulture.com/2020/04/borgen-season-4-netflix.html|access-date=2020-10-27|website=Vulture|language=en-us}}

{{reflist|33em}}

• {{cite book|first=Morten|last=Piil|title=Danske Filmskuespillere|location=Copenhagen|publisher=Gyldendal|date=2001|isbn=87-00-46576-3}}
• {{cite book|first=Peter |last=Schepelern|chapter=Internationalisering og dogme|title=100 Års Dansk Film|location=Copenhagen|publisher=Rosinante|date=2001|isbn=87-621-0157-9}}

{{commons category|Sidse Babett Knudsen}}

• {{IMDb name|0461746}}
• [http://www.danskefilm.dk/skuespiller/888.html Sidse Babett Knudsen] at Den Danske Film Database (in Danish)
• {{DFDb name|109395}}

{{César Award for Best Supporting Actress}}

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Category:Danish stage actresses

Category:Danish film actresses

Category:Danish television actresses

Category:1968 births

Category:Living people

Category:Actresses from Copenhagen

Category:Recipients of the Crown Prince Couple's Culture Prize

Category:Best Actress Bodil Award winners

Category:20th-century Danish actresses

Category:21st-century Danish actresses

Category:Best Supporting Actress César Award winners

Category:Best Actress Robert Award winners