Gísli Örn Garðarsson

Biography

Gísli Örn Garðarsson, an Icelandic actor and director, helped start Vesturport, a Reykjavík theater and film company, and also writes scripts and produces. Born in Reykjavík and raised in Oslo, he competed as a gymnast for Iceland, Norway and Denmark before he trained as an actor at the Iceland Academy of the Arts. His first film was Dramarama in 2001, the year he also co-founded Vesturport; in 2010 he had a supporting part in Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. His directing debut came in 2003 with a circus-themed Romeo and Juliet at the Reykjavík City Theatre, where he played Romeo, and his staging is known for being physical and theatrical. Later work includes The Metamorphosis, Woyzeck and The Heart of Robin Hood, and in 2023 he directed Frozen. He received a Shooting Stars Award in 2007 for his part in Children and the Knight's Cross of the Order of the Falcon in 2010.

52years old

Turns 53 on December 15in 35 days

Born December 15, 1973Reykjavík
Star sign: SagittariusThe sign runs November 22 to December 21
Also credited as Gísli Örn Gardarsson

Movie Career

Films: 4
Career span: 21 years2005 to 2026

Every film, newest first

2026Greenland 2: MigrationIMDb rating 5.2
2022Against the IceIMDb rating 6.5
2010Prince of Persia: The Sands of TimeIMDb rating 6.5
2005Beowulf & GrendelIMDb rating 5.8

Genres

Did you know?!

A first
With the American Repertory Theater's staging of The Heart of Robin Hood, written by Farr, Gísli Örn was the first Icelander to direct on Broadway.
First role
Garðarsson directed a circus-themed Romeo and Juliet at the Reykjavík City Theatre in 2003, and he also played Romeo. The production did well enough that it was invited to transfer to the Young Vic in London.
Early training
Gísli Örn Garðarsson wanted to study drama in Oslo but was not accepted. He then finished drama training at the Iceland Academy of the Arts.
Behind the camera
Gísli Örn directed a non-replica staging of the musical Frozen that opened at Det Norske Teatret in 2023 and began a tour across Scandinavia, with sets and orchestrations reworked for a Nordic vision.