Famous Danish People

Musician, songwriter, and record producer, Lars Ulrich, is best known as the drummer and co-founder of American heavy metal band Metallica. Born into a family of tennis players, he was initially expected to play the sport as well. However, he was more interested in music and proceeded to pursue a successful career in the field. 

Soren Kierkegaard was a Danish philosopher, theologian, social critic, poet, and religious author. Widely regarded as the first existentialist philosopher, Soren Kierkegaard is sometimes referred to as the Father of Existentialism. He is also credited with influencing many theologians, philosophers, and writers like Paul Feyerabend, Ludwig Wittgenstein, and Jorge Luis Borges.

Mads Mikkelsen is a Danish actor best known for his portrayal of Le Chiffre in the 2006 spy film Casino Royale, which earned him international recognition. One of the most celebrated and decorated Danish actors of his generation, Mads Mikkelsen has received several prestigious awards such as the Bodil Award, European Film Academy Achievement award, and Cannes Film Festival Award.

The winner of Critics' Choice Television Award, Giancarlo Esposito is known for playing a variety of roles in films and TV series. From portraying drug dealers to policemen, Esposito has proved his versatility in the American film industry. He has also been featured in popular video games, such as Payday 2 and Far Cry 6.

George I of Greece reigned as the king of Greece from 1863 until his murder in 1913. During his reign of nearly 50 years, which is the longest in the history of modern Greece, George helped expand Greece's territory significantly. During his reign, Greece also became increasingly prosperous and attained a popular place on the European stage.

Danish film director and screenwriter Lars von Trier has been active in the entertainment industry for almost four decades. He is known for exploring topics like existential issues, politics, mental health, etc. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Palme d'Or, the Grand Prix, and the Prix du Jury. He has seven Academy Award nominations as well.

Mary Elizabeth Donaldson is the Crown Princess of Denmark and the Countess of Monpezat, as the wife of Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark. She previously worked as a consultant for Microsoft and had met Prince Frederik at a Sydney pub when he in Australia for the 2000 Summer Olympics.

Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark is the first in order of succession to the Danish throne. Frederik has various interests that range from climate change to sports. He often encourages the people of Denmark to stay active and healthy. He has also established the Crown Prince Frederik's Foundation, which aims to provide financial support to students and encourage scientific expeditions.

Nina Agdal is a Danish model best known for appearing alongside Lily Aldridge and Chrissy Teigen on the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue's 50th-anniversary cover in 2014. Although Agdal had no modeling experience, she was signed by Elite Models Copenhagen, which kickstarted her career. She then went on to model for brands like Victoria's Secret, Billabong, and Adore Me.

Alex Høgh Andersen is a Danish actor, photographer, and model. He is best known for his portrayal of Ivar the Boneless in the popular television series Vikings. A multi-talented personality, Alex Høgh Andersen spends his time dancing, singing, fencing, and learning stunts when he is not acting.

Danish author Karen Blixen is best known for her memoir Out of Africa, in which she shared her experiences of living in Kenya for a few years. She was popular across Europe and wrote under several pen names. She was awarded the Danish Holberg Medal in 1949. She was shortlisted several times for the Nobel Prize in Literature. 

Nicolas Winding Refn is a Danish film director and producer. The son of a prominent film director, he made his directorial debut with the Danish crime film Pusher. He made his Hollywood debut with the English-language thriller film, Fear X. He is the co-founder of the Copenhagen-based production company Space Rocket Nation. He is married to actress Liv Corfixen. 

Gerda Wegener was a Danish painter and illustrator. She began painting as a young girl and received her training at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. As a painter, she often depicted confident and elegant women performing a variety of activities in her works. She also painted fashion illustrations and what was labeled “lesbian erotica.” 

Birgitte Hjort Sørensen is a Danish actress best known for her role as painter Marie Krøyer in the biographical film The Passion of Marie. She received a Robert Award for Best Actress nomination for this portrayal. She is also active on TV and has appeared in Martin Scorsese's HBO television series Vinyl. She made her Broadway debut in 2016. 

Victor Borge was a Danish-American pianist, conductor, and comedian. He is best remembered for blending comedy and music for which he achieved popularity across Europe and the United States. Recipient of several prestigious awards, Borge received badges of chivalric orders from countries like Finland, Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. In 1999, he received the Kennedy Center Honors.

Hans Christian Ørsted was a Danish chemist and physicist. He was the first person to discover that electric currents can be used to create magnetic fields. His discovery was the first relationship found between magnetism and electricity. Oersted, the unit of the auxiliary magnetic field H, is named in his honor.

Lars Mikkelsen is a Danish actor best known for playing the Russian president Viktor Petrov in the American series House of Cards on Netflix. As a young man, he began to study biology at the University of Copenhagen but quit midway to pursue a career in entertainment. He is the recipient of many awards, including an International Emmy Award. 

Frederick IX of Denmark reigned as the king of Denmark from 1947 until his death in 1972. Under his reign, the Danish society experienced a rapid change; the economy received a massive boost in the 1960s which allowed women to enter the labor market. In 1982, Frederick's statue was unveiled in Copenhagen, ten years after his death.

Best known as Joanna Wellick from Mr. Robot, Stephanie Corneliussen was scouted by a modeling agency at 13 and soon won the Supermodel of Scandinavia contest. Apart from being a trained ballet dancer, the openly bisexual Danish actor-model is also vegan and a prominent animal rights activist.

Anna Karina was a Danish-French film actress, singer, and director. She often collaborated with French New Wave director Jean-Luc Godard and appeared in many of his films, including My Life to Live and Bande à part. She set up her own production company in 1972 and made her directorial debut with Vivre ensemble. She was also a published author. 

Lukas Forchhammer is a Danish singer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and former actor. He is credited with forming the popular Danish band Lukas Graham, where he serves as a multi-instrumentalist and lead singer. He formed the band along with his friends from high school. As a child, Lukas had appeared in the first three of the famous Krummerne film series.