Midsummer Night is riding high in the Top 10 most watched series on Netflix across the world. It is no surprise, as it sees the return of one of the most popular directors when it comes to Nordic series, Per-Olav Sørensen. The man is the grand master of Nordic narratives with his previous being as equally successful with the likes of A Storm for Christmas, The Playlist, and Home for Christmas.
In his new series a large cast are assembled to celebrate Midsummer, but things aren’t as they seem as a number of the family and friends have something weighing on their mind which needs to be shared – one of those characters is Amalia Holm’s Hanne.
After roles in the likes of Motherland: Fort Salem and the Norwegian thriller Delete Me, the actress plays a lighter role in Midsummer Night, but still one that is a little complex.
Alex caught up with the actress over video call to discuss the series and more.
Nordic Watchlist: Is it fair to say your character, Hanne, is little complicated? Tell us a little more about her.
Amalia Holm: Hanne is in such internal turmoil throughout the course of the series. It is all set during one evening and she has no patience with others on this day. She feels like her mum is acting weird, and not just presenting the perfect midsummer celebration that Hanne is expecting. She is very self-centred as she is busy trying to make things good with her parents-in-law and her fiancé. To Hanne this whole gathering is basically a rehearsal dinner for her up coming wedding. Not to mention her little sister has been acting strangely for a while now too.
Most people seem to be acting a little strange; but Hanne is definitely not happy about something, but what exactly we aren’t immediately so sure. Per-Olav has this wonderful ability to tell stories by weaving various character narratives into the short episodes, letting things slowly play out.
Those familiar with this will know to keep an eye on the various characters during their scenes as the slight reveal might be happening – perhaps a look, or a few lines could be a clue to what might be going on.
Amalia Holm: The way this series is shot is very much like a play you might see in the theatre. There is this exposure to different characters and the initial parts of their relationships which you really need to pay attention to until the end to fully understand why people have been behaving the way they have.
Nordic Watchlist: What was it like working with this incredible cast?
Amalia Holm: It was such a unique experience in the sense that Per-Olav had brought us together as an ensemble. It was really important to him that everyone felt like they were part of the same project, and had ownership over this project. In the first couple of weeks we were all at this big house, and we were shooting the big scenes where we are 13 people sitting around that big table. It is intense to shoot a scene where there are so many characters who all had to make these little impressions!
To watch my collegues’ work in-action was energising and inspiring. We all had very different tasks ahead of us and as we stood our ground in our own roles the bigger group scenes were as intricate and fun as shooting a scene can be. I loved balancing my character’s dynamic with Perilla August and Sofia Tjelta Sydness on one hand and Peyman Azizpour versus Kim Falck with the other. It was one of the best challenges I’ve gotten in my career so far
Any nerves the younger cast might have had working with such legendary stars such as Dennis Storhoi (A Storm for Christmas) and Pernilla August (Young Royals) soon diminished as they spent so much time all together.
Nordic Watchlist: What would you say are some of your favourite Per-Olav Sørensen series?
AmaliaH: I got pretty obsessed with getting the opportunity to work with him after he did ‘Nobel‘. Since then, I’ve followed his work closely. I really enjoyed ‘Home for Christmas‘. There’s a tonality in his work, especially in the romantic comedies, which offers something different, largely due to how it’s shot.
That might be due to cinematographer Ulf Brantås who once again teams up with Per-Olav for the series and whose previous work includes the likes of Marcella, Quicksand, and The Playlist (and that is to name just a few).
Amalia Holm: ‘Home for Christmas’ was a good example. It was snappy and fun. He’s such an interesting director.
Talking about the cinematography – it is very obvious how bright and beautiful everything is in Midsummer Night – in fact watching this series with the current awful weather in the UK is one way to brighten up your living room and allow yourself to dream of eating strawberry pavlova and drinking aquavit on the fjords.
Nordic Watchlist: Whereabouts was the series filmed and what would be one of your favourite places to celebrate?
Amalia Holm: We were filming in an archipelago about forty minutes drive from outside of Oslo. You might be able to see Oslo far away in the background in some of the shots.
I have never really celebrated midsummer in Norway. The Norwegians don’t do midsummer quite like the Swedish. The most classic place to do Midsummer in Sweden is in Rattvik or Leksand in Dalarna. Dalarna is very nice! They have all the traditional clothing, play the instruments, and then there is even a parade not to mention the huge celebration around the pole together – thousands of people.
Talking of dancing around poles Amalia did sustain an injury during filming Midsummer Night which sounded rather painful.
Amalia Holm: When we were shooting the dance scenes I forgot about how much I enjoy dancing around the midsummer pole – and as I was fully immersed in it I accidentally hit my small to on the actual pole and broke it.
Nordic Watchlist: So what is coming up next for you? Is there anything you are allowed to tell us about?
Amalia Holm: Well I will be playing a really exciting role in the third season of Vikings Valhalla – I can’t tell you too much about who I will be playing but the series should hopefully be out this summer on Netflix. I had so much fun shooting that over in Ireland.
With my dear friend Frida Gustavsson playing the lead, I also got to spend quality time with her outside of shooting.
Adding to her experience was the challenge of the dialect required from the Norwegian born but Sweden-residing (and speaking) actress.
Amalia Holm: They didn’t want an American accent, but equally they didn’t want a Swedish accent, they wanted this non existent old Norse accent for which they had these dialect coaches to help the cast learn it with – it was rather difficult!
Fortunately her next role was not so challenging when it came to dialect but everything is under wraps as it stands in terms of the series and its releases.
Amalia Holm: It’s a new series where I will play a role in half of it. It was a really interesting character to play. I can’t tell you much about her for now, but she is unlike any character I’ve ever done.
Nordic Watchlist: What have you been listening to, watching, and reading recently?
Amalia Holm: Right now I’m immersed in higher German studies at the Stockholm University on the side of acting and so I have been listening to lots of German music lately. So currently it is the Top 50 songs in Germany that I have going on my Spotify. This song: Liebe auf der Rückbank gets me going in the morning.
Nordic Watchlist: I would never of expected that to be an answer – I will have to go and have a listen! Howabout books? What have you been reading recently?
Amalia Holm: I’ve been reading ”The Stack”, by Annika Norlin as well as ”Study of Human Behaviour” by Lena Andersson. Two Swedish books that both deal with human behaviour and about the decisions that people are faced with when trying to break old patterns.
Nordic Watchlist: Great recommendation there I am very interested in that! Finally how about films – what have you watched recently which has resonated with you?
Amalia Holm: I watched Poor Things recently and that has definitely stayed with me – I knew it was going to be something big and so many people had been recommending me that film for months. I was happy that it lived up to all expectations!
Midsummer Night is out now and available worldwide on Netflix – keeping checking back here at Nordic Watchlist for Amalia’s future releases!
