Max von Sydow

One of the few actors to play both God (The Greatest Story Ever Told) and the devil (Needful Things), Max von Sydow has imposed his stern presence on a variety of characters over his long film career. Born April 19, 1929, in Lund, Sweden, von Sydow studied at the Royal Dramatic School in Stockholm before making his screen debut in 1949's Only a Mother.

After working with Ingmar Bergman in theater during the mid-'50s, von Sydow landed a starring role in the director's The Seventh Seal (1957) -- the first of more than a dozen films they would make together, including Wild Strawberries, The Virgin Spring and Winter Light.

Von Sydow quickly found his way into American films as well, providing notable performances in films as diverse as Hawaii, The Exorcist and 2002's Minority Report. Von Sydow received an Oscar nomination for his performance in 1987's Pelle the Conqueror.

Filmography