- Born
- Nickname
- Sven
- Height6′ 3½″ (1.92 m)
- Born in Denmark, Sven-Ole Thorsen has a remarkable sporting background as a champion bodybuilder, champion power-lifter, and karate black belt that made him an obvious choice for movies roles as "muscle for hire." The hulking almost 6' 4" actor first came to attention as one of Thulsa Doom's bodyguards... The hammer wielding Thorgrim, in the highly popular, Conan the Barbarian (1982). He came to Hollywood in 1985, appearing in nearly every Arnold Schwarzenegger film, including Predator (1987), Twins (1988), Red Heat (1988), and End of Days (1999). His other on screen appearances include Lethal Weapon (1987), The Quick and the Dead (1995), The Hunt for Red October (1990), On Deadly Ground (1994), and Gladiator (2000). Thorsen's extensive stunt work includes Dracula (1992), Bulletproof (1996), Eraser (1996), Soldier (1998) and Collateral (2004). On television, he has been seen in Baywatch (1989) and The A-Team (1983).
- IMDb mini biography by: firehouse44
- SpousesBirgitta A. Sunding(November 15, 2013 - present) (5 children)Anniqua(1982 - 1991) (divorced)
- ParentsArno ThorsenKaja Vera Julie Pedersen
- Thick accent
- Towering height and broad frame
- Frequently plays henchmen or mercenaries
- He got into acting by contacting his old bodybuilder friend, Arnold Schwarzenegger.
- Has been in virtually every Arnold Schwarzenegger movie to date, after arriving in the US in the early 1980s. He has acted in many of the films (including an uncredited performance in Predator (1987) as the Russian General), and has also done many of the stunts and provided training for the actors in most of Schwarzenegger's films.
- Pursued his award-winning role as Tigris in Gladiator (2000) for over a year, and beat Lou Ferrigno for the part.
- Won the "Strongest Man in the World"-contest, by power-lifting a massive 544 lbs (247 kilo - 1981).
- His favorite role of his own in an Arnold Schwarzenegger film is 'Nikolai' in Red Heat (1988).
- "It was one of the toughest jobs I've ever had in my life, because we had every scene choreographed and storyboarded. And there was three and a half weeks of rehearsal, 10 hours a day, with a stunt-double, with Russell Crowe, with the tigers, with a sword, with an axe, with a mask, with a 50 pound uniform... It was very complicated." - On his role as Tigris in Gladiator (2000).
- There's difference between, I think, American movies and European movies, because there are a lot of European countries that get support from the state; the movies are more artistic, they are more based on dialogue, and they are more based on telling a good story. - From featurette on The Gristle (2001)
- Twins (1988) - $8,000 (+residual)
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