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Magnus Millang

Magnus Millang (born 20 July 1981) is a Danish , , , and recognized for his contributions to and . Millang gained prominence in the Danish entertainment industry through his multifaceted role in the comedy series Danish Dynamite (2012–2014), where he served as co-creator, writer, and performer, portraying the character Jeppe Kaufmann, a smug . The series earned accolades, including Best Original TV Program, highlighting Millang's impact on domestic . His acting career extends to feature films, notably a supporting role in (2020), directed by , which received critical acclaim and won the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. Millang has also been nominated for prestigious Danish awards, such as the Bodil Award for Best Supporting Actor and the for Best Actor in a Leading Role. In addition to television and film, Millang was named Comedian of the Year at the 2014 Zulu Awards, reflecting his stand-up and comedic talents developed from the Danish comedy scene. He has directed music videos, promotional spots, and other television content, expanding his creative output beyond performing.

Early Career

Entry into Comedy and Initial Works

Magnus Millang entered the comedy scene in Denmark through supporting roles and creative contributions to television programs in the late 2000s. His earliest notable involvement came as a production assistant on the 2007 film Kærlighed på film, marking his initial foray into the industry before transitioning to on-screen and writing work in comedy formats. In 2007–2008, Millang appeared in the comedy talk-show Brian Mørk Show on TV2 Zulu, portraying various characters alongside host Brian Mørk and contributing to the program's sketch-based humor. This series featured improvised and scripted comedic segments where guests participated in challenges, providing Millang an early platform to showcase his comedic timing. By 2009, he expanded his role in comedy production as a co-creator of Mørk & Jul, a holiday-themed sketch comedy series that aired on TV2 Zulu, collaborating with Brian Mørk and others on writing and performance elements. These initial television works, including appearances in shows like Silat Ninjaen, established Millang's foundation in Danish satirical and sketch comedy, emphasizing ensemble dynamics and absurd humor. In 2010, Millang took on the role of Marius Rantzov in the TV series Den 2. side, further honing his skills in narrative-driven content that occasionally intersected with comedic elements. These early endeavors, primarily through public broadcaster TV2 Zulu's youth-oriented programming, laid the groundwork for his later prominence in , focusing on character-driven and collaborative scripting.

Breakthrough in Television

Millang's breakthrough in television came with the comedy series Danish Dynamite, which aired its first season in on Danish broadcaster TV 2. In this satirical , co-created with , Millang contributed as writer, director, and performer, playing the recurring role of Jeppe Kaufmann, a pompous embodying exaggerated Danish stereotypes. The series parodied , particularly through football-themed sketches referencing Denmark's "Danish Dynamite" soccer team nickname from the and , blending absurd humor with cultural commentary. The show's success, marked by high viewership and critical acclaim for its original format, established Millang as a key figure in Danish television, running for two seasons through 2014. His multifaceted involvement—handling scripting, directing episodes, and starring in sketches—earned Danish the award for Best Original TV Program at the Danish Comedy Awards, while Millang personally received the Comedian of the Year prize in 2014. This achievement contrasted with his earlier minor roles in programs like Brian Mørk Show and Mørk og Jul, which had not yet propelled him to widespread recognition. The series' impact solidified Millang's reputation for sharp, self-deprecating , paving the way for subsequent television and film projects.

Television Work

Key Series and Collaborations

Millang's breakthrough in Danish television came with the series Danish Dynamite (2012–2014), a satirical program that aired on TV 2 Zulu and featured recurring characters poking fun at contemporary Danish life, including and social pretensions. In the series, Millang co-created, wrote, and starred as Jeppe Kaufmann, a pompous whose over-the-top antics became a fan favorite, contributing to the show's 7.1 IMDb rating based on over 600 user reviews. Collaborating closely with creator and fellow comedians Frank Hvam, Mick Øgendahl, Rune Klan, Christian Fuhlendorff, and Martin Høgsted, Millang's multifaceted role helped secure awards such as Best Original TV Program at the Danish TV Awards. Earlier in his career, Millang appeared in guest and supporting roles on shows like Zulu Gumball (2010), a competition series, and Brian Mørk Show, honing his improvisational skills alongside hosts and ensembles focused on live sketch work. These collaborations exposed him to broader audiences in Denmark's stand-up and variety circuit, though they were less central to his writing output compared to Danish Dynamite. He also contributed as a and to Sunday, a domestic program emphasizing comedic sketches, further solidifying his reputation in scripted television. In more recent television, Millang collaborated with filmmaker on the drama miniseries Families Like Ours (2024), portraying Henrik, a and family patriarch in a story spanning generations and exploring inheritance disputes. Premiering on TV 2 and streaming platforms, the series marked a shift toward dramatic roles for Millang, building on his prior work with Vinterberg while involving a cast including Albert Rudbeck Lindhardt and Paprika Steen. This project highlighted his versatility in ensemble-driven narratives, distinct from his comedy roots.

Writing and Producing Roles

Millang co-wrote the Danish sketch series Danish Dynamite (2012–2014) alongside Høgsted, serving as a core creative contributor in the production's development and scripting. The series, which satirized everyday Danish life through exaggerated characters, marked a significant writing milestone for Millang, with him credited for episodes across its three seasons aired on Danish television. As part of the duo behind the show, Millang's writing emphasized absurd humor and social observation, drawing from his stand-up background. In addition to Danish Dynamite, Millang provided script consultation for the comedy series Sjit Happens (2012), offering input on narrative structure and dialogue. He also contributed story ideas and research for episodes of Op med halen! (2014), including segments on school days, international sports, and talent shows, enhancing the children's educational comedy format. These roles highlight his versatility in comedic writing for both adult and family-oriented television. Producing credits for Millang in television are limited, with an early involvement as a second-unit on the romantic comedy Kærlighed på Film (2007), assisting in logistical and on-set coordination. His creator status on Danish Dynamite implies oversight in production elements, though formal producer listings remain sparse in verified credits.

Film Acting Roles

Early Film Appearances

Millang made his screen debut in the 2013 Danish thriller : The Keeper of Lost Causes, directed by Mikkel Nørgaard, where he appeared in a supporting capacity amid an led by and . The film, based on Jussi Adler-Olsen's novel, follows cold-case investigators probing a politician's disappearance and marked Millang's initial entry into feature-length cinema following his television work. His first major feature film role came in 2016 with Thomas Vinterberg's , portraying Steffen, a member of a 1970s Danish communal household grappling with interpersonal tensions and ideological strains. The drama, starring and , explores the collapse of utopian living arrangements and received mixed reviews for its portrayal of domestic discord, with Millang's performance contributing to the ensemble dynamic. In 2017, Millang appeared as Vonsil in Dan Dream, a comedy-drama directed by Henrik Ruben Genz about Danish engineers attempting to build the world's first electric car in the early 1980s. The film features a cast including Casper Christensen and Frank Hvam, blending historical ambition with humorous setbacks in innovation efforts. Millang's international exposure grew with the 2018 submarine disaster film The Command (also known as Kursk), directed by Thomas Vinterberg, in which he played Oleg Lebedev, a Russian naval officer aboard the ill-fated Kursk submarine during its 2000 sinking in the Barents Sea. The English-language production, starring Matthias Schoenaerts and Léa Seydoux, depicts the real-life tragedy and governmental response, emphasizing crew survival struggles and bureaucratic delays.

Role in Another Round and Subsequent Films

In the 2020 Danish comedy-drama film (original title: ), directed by , Magnus Millang played the role of Nikolaj, a high school history teacher grappling with marital dissatisfaction and professional monotony. Nikolaj participates alongside three colleagues—Martin (), Tommy (), and Peter ()—in an experiment inspired by psychiatrist Finn Skårderud's unverified theory that humans are born with a blood deficit, leading them to maintain a constant moderate level to purportedly boost , confidence, and . Millang's character evolves from a reserved, rule-abiding figure to one embracing the experiment's initial highs, including improved teaching engagement and personal risks, before confronting its escalating consequences such as relational strain and health risks. The film, co-written by Vinterberg and , premiered at the on September 11, 2020, where it won the Silver Lion for Best Director, and later received the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film on April 25, 2021. Millang's performance as Nikolaj contributed to the ensemble dynamic emphasizing themes of midlife stagnation, male friendship, and the perils of escapism through substance use, drawing from the actors' collaborative input during rehearsals to infuse authenticity into the portrayals. This marked Millang's second collaboration with Vinterberg, following his supporting role as Steffen in (2016). Following , Millang's feature film acting roles have been limited, with no major theatrical releases documented as of October 2025. He has instead shifted emphasis toward television series, such as Families Like Ours (2024), and his directorial work on projects like the comedy series Danish Dynamite. The international acclaim from nonetheless solidified Millang's reputation within Danish cinema for nuanced portrayals of everyday professionals under personal duress.

Directing and Screenwriting

Danish Dynamite Series

Danish Dynamite is a Danish television series that aired on TV 2 from 2012 to 2014, consisting of three seasons with a total of 22 episodes. The series features satirical sketches and characters exaggerating Danish stereotypes, often centered around everyday absurdities and cultural quirks, with recurring themes tied to , as evoked by its referencing Denmark's red-and-white colors. Magnus Millang contributed as a co-writer across all episodes, collaborating with creators including , Jesper Juhl, and Martin Høgsted. Millang also appeared as an in the series, most notably portraying Jeppe , a smug and self-important known as "Jeppe K.," whose overconfident persona became a highlight for audiences. His multifaceted involvement extended to creative production, listed as a co-creator, which marked a significant step in his transition from earlier comedy sketches to structured television scripting and performance. While primary directorial credits for full episodes went to others, such as Johanna Runevad for later seasons, Millang's behind-the-camera work included directing elements within sketches, aligning with his growing expertise in visual comedy timing. The series represented Millang's breakthrough in Danish television, elevating his profile through its blend of sharp writing and character-driven humor that resonated with local viewers, achieving a 7.1/10 on based on over 600 user reviews. His contributions earned recognition, including a Best Original award and of the Year honors, underscoring the series' impact on his career toward more prominent screenwriting and directing roles.

Other Directorial Projects

Millang directed his feature film debut, the comedy Heavy Load (Selvhenter), released in 2019. Co-written with his brother Millang, the film depicts two estranged brothers traveling from to to repatriate their deceased father's body, incorporating elements of road trip adventure and familial tension drawn from the siblings' personal experiences. Magnus Millang stars alongside Millang, with supporting roles by Amalie Lindegård and Elisabeth Bonjour; the production received funding from the Danish Film Institute. Beyond feature films, Millang has helmed television episodes, including all 15 installments of the 2020 Danish children's series Brødrene Ost, centered on adventurous siblings, and 8 episodes of the 2024 The Best Years, which examines the chaos of parenting multiple children. Earlier, he directed the 2017 short Kein Problem. These projects demonstrate his versatility in directing comedic and light-hearted content for both adult and youth audiences.

Reception and Awards

Critical Response

Millang's comedic work in the television series Danish Dynamite (2012–2014), where he co-created and starred alongside Martin Høgsted, received strong domestic acclaim in Denmark, contributing to its three successful seasons and his breakthrough as a performer. The duo was awarded the title of Denmark's funniest comedians in 2014 by public broadcaster DR, outperforming established figures like Tobias Dybvad and Frank Hvam, reflecting broad appeal in satirical sketches featuring characters such as the smug real estate agent Jeppe Kaufmann. The series holds a 7.1/10 rating on IMDb based on user assessments, indicating solid but not exceptional international viewership resonance. In film, Millang's supporting role as Nikolaj, a psychology teacher in Thomas Vinterberg's Another Round (2020), was part of an ensemble praised for injecting humor into themes of midlife crisis and alcohol experimentation, with the film earning the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film in 2021. Critics noted his character's contribution to the film's balance of comedy and pathos, such as in scenes highlighting absurd personal failures, though reviews primarily lauded lead Mads Mikkelsen's performance over the supporting cast. Specific commentary highlighted Millang's physical comedy, likening his appearance to British actors Nick Frost and Toby Jones while appreciating his role in lightening tragic elements, like a scene involving adult incontinence. The film's overall critical success, with high aggregate scores on platforms like Rotten Tomatoes, underscored the ensemble's effectiveness without isolating Millang for standout individual critique. Broader reception to Millang's oeuvre emphasizes his versatility from sketch comedy to dramatic supporting roles, with limited international analysis but consistent domestic positivity; however, some observers note his comedic persona dominates perceptions, potentially overshadowing subtler dramatic work. No major controversies or widespread negative reviews have emerged, aligning with his profile as a reliable ensemble player in Danish media.

Industry Recognition

Millang earned the Silver Shell for Best Actor at the 68th on September 26, 2020, for his portrayal of Nikolaj in . His performance in the film also garnered nominations for Best Supporting Actor at the 74th in 2021 and the 38th (Danish Film Academy) in 2021. In television, Millang received a nomination for in a Leading Television Role at the 42nd on February 1, 2025, for his role as in the comedy series De bedste år (). The series itself earned nominations for Best Short-Format TV Series at the same ceremony and previously won Best Series and Best Comedy Series at the Aarhus Series Awards in 2024. Earlier in his career, Millang won Comedian of the Year at the Danish Comedy Awards (Comedy Galla) in 2014, recognizing his contributions to the satirical series Danish Dynamite, where he co-created and portrayed characters including the real estate agent Jeppe Kaufmann. The series was nominated for Best TV Satire/Comedy at the TV Prisen in 2014. He also received a Zulu Award nomination in 2013 for his multifaceted role as actor, creator, and writer on Danish Dynamite.

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