Joel Kinnaman's Biography
Joel Kinnaman is a Swedish actor who broke into Hollywood with standout roles in hit series like "House of Cards" and "Altered Carbon," plus blockbuster films including "RoboCop" (2014) and "Suicide Squad" (2016).
Childhood and Family
Born Karl Nordström Joel Kinnaman on November 25, 1979, in Stockholm, his mother Bitte is a Swedish therapist, while his father Steve Kinnaman (originally named David) was drafted for the Vietnam War but fled to Bangkok.

As a child, Kinnaman was bilingual, speaking English with his father and Swedish with his mother. He went to school with future international stars Alexander Skarsgård and Noomi Rapace.

At 16, he dropped out of school and worked at a Norwegian factory to save money for "seven years of traveling the world, and then decide what to do in life." For two and a half years, Joel stuck to this plan, soaking up beach life in Southeast Asia and experimenting with light drugs. When the money ran out, he returned home with a clear vision for his future—becoming an actor.During teenage years, I crossed all boundaries. I hung out with thugs, smoked weed. Inside me raged anger, yet I was very insecure. I was skinny, so I was constantly picked on, but I also often bullied other kids. It gave me strength.
Acting Career
In 2002, fresh off an extended break, Joel starred in the Swedish thriller "The Invisible" alongside Gustaf Skarsgård - who'd become his future best friend - son of legendary Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård and brother to Alexander and Bill Skarsgård. Inspired by the success, Joel decided to enroll in the Swedish Academic School of Drama in Malmö.


Joel was actually in the running for the lead role in the superhero blockbuster "Thor" (2011). But due to scheduling conflicts, the role of the Scandinavian god went to Chris Hemsworth. In 2012, Joel collaborated again with Daniel Espinosa in his Hollywood debut, the action thriller "Safe House," starring Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds.


In 2016, Joel appeared in the superhero action-comedy "Suicide Squad," playing Squad Commander Rick Flag, who develops feelings for the mysterious Enchantress, portrayed by Cara Delevingne. The film brought Joel together with A-list stars Margot Robbie, Will Smith, and Jared Leto.




Personal Life of Joel Kinnaman
Joel had brief relationships with Swedish actress Jane Timglas and dated American actress Olivia Munn from 2012 until March 2014.
In 2019, Kinnaman began dating Swedish model Kelly Gale and found lasting happiness. He proposed to her in 2021, and she accepted.Although it's humiliating and scary to talk about, it's even worse to endure daily escalating threats of physical harm to me and my loved ones. There are also threats to go to the press with fabricated, disgusting rumors if I don't agree to a list of demands. These demands include money, Hollywood connections, help in getting a work visa, Instagram verification, a Wikipedia article, a photoshoot in Sports Illustrated, and $400,000 for an apartment, among other things.

Joel Kinnaman Today
In 2023, Joel appeared in two compelling projects. The first is John Woo's thriller "Silent Night", where Joel plays the lead role of a vigilante infiltrating a criminal gang. The film's unique feature is that it contains no dialogue. "It was the perfect script for this kind of cinematic experiment. It's a very dynamic action film with a lot of heavy drama, but the plot is actually quite simple. And I think that's what you really want in a movie where there's no dialogue to explain to the audience what's happening," Kinnaman shared.The second project is a psychological thriller titled "Fight with the Devil," where Joel stars alongside Nicolas Cage.
