SIMON LÖÖF IS NOT AFRAID TO DIVE DEEP INTO THE DARKEST CORNERS OF THE HUMAN PSYCHE. IN FACT, HE PREFERS IT. TALKING TO HIM WHILE HE’S SPENDING SOME TIME IN THE IDYLLIC SWEDISH COUNTRYSIDE (WOODEN COTTAGE AND ALL), ONE CANNOT HELP BUT BE FASCINATED BY THE QUIET INTENSITY THAT THE SWEDISH ACTOR EMOTES EACH TIME HE SPEAKS. THIS QUALITY MADE HIM ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING TALENTS IN THE LOCAL INDUSTRY, FROM HIS ACTING DEBUT IN THE HIT TV SERIES THREESOME TO HIS MOST RECENT ROLE IN NETFLIX’S AN HONEST LIFE. A COUPLE OF WEEKS BEFORE ITS RELEASE AT THE END OF JULY, LÖÖF CHATTED TO US ABOUT HIS ACTING BEGINNINGS, EXPLORING STIGMAS OF MASCULINITY IN HIS WORK, AND WAYS IN WHICH PLAYING HOCKEY HAS INFORMED HIS APPROACH TO LIFE.

We last spoke with you over three years ago, shortly after the release of Threesome. What have been the biggest changes in your life since then?

Threesome was my very first acting job, and since then, I’ve been rolling with the punches and trying to work as much as I can.

Do you feel more self-assurance in the path you have taken now?

Yes, I am more certain that this is what I am going to do [as a career]. I have more confidence, and I feel calmer than I did three years ago.

Threesome might have been your acting debut, but it was a real exercise in baring it all, both physically and mentally. How did you learn to be so comfortable in front of the camera? Also, how has that experience shaped the way you approach roles now?

Great question. At the time, I didn’t really think about it. I just had to do it, you know, if I’d stop and start thinking, it would have been a disaster. I just had to trust myself and be confident that I could do this, even though I had no idea that I could. It’s kind of unheard of that you get a leading role in the first thing you do, and a very heavy one as well. And I had no education in acting. I was just sitting at home in my room for three months watching movies, looking at what the actors did and imagining myself doing it – that was my education. Then I had to jump into doing the show, and that in itself was an education. I’m one of those people who learn by doing, so I don’t think I could have learned more throughout four years of school than I did during those two/three months while we were shooting season one.

Let’s talk about your upcoming project, An Honest Life. What drew you to this character and this story?

First of all, his name is Simon, so that’s kind of neat. [Laughs] Also, the thoughts that the characters are dealing with, or their dilemmas, are something that most people deal with, though not on that scale. It was interesting to try to make sure you can see what Simon is struggling with on the inside and what he’s not showing. It’s a dark, fast-paced, and intense story.

Do you find it easy to separate yourself from the darkness that you might be stepping into as your characters?

Yeah, I’m kind of dark as a person [Laughs], so I like those roles more. I’m not super good at being the happiest character, even though I’m happy as a person. I tend to be drawn more to the darker side, and I have no problem tapping into it. As soon as it’s ‘Action!’ time, I’m there. And when the scene cuts, I’m out of it.

I saw that you also appeared in a short film Softboi, which deals with sexual insecurities of a young guy addicted to Viagra. It sounds like a story that feels very timely.

It was a very interesting subject of showing someone who knows that they will not be able to perform unless they take the drug. Dealing with that must be horrible; it must rip apart your confidence. It’s a thing that a lot of guys struggle with, and it’s so hush-hush – it’s not something that you just go around telling everyone about. Hopefully, this film will bring some attention to it and make people feel like they can talk about it. It was compelling to try to imagine what it would be like to struggle with that; you can prepare yourself mentally, “Oh, it's gonna be fine,” but in the last second, you start doubting yourself, and then you're there again. You're popping the pill, and it's a never-ending cycle.

Three years ago, you also told us that you would love to get a chance to play a villain. Who are some of your favourite villains from the history of cinema?

Joker is my top. There’s a lot of pressure that comes with that role, but if I were going to go crazy, I would want it to be the Joker. If not him, then I would love to tap into a psychopathic mind, like that of Jeffrey Dahmer. I truly believe that I would be able to play a great villain or a weird psychopath. [Laughs]

To step outside of acting, I wanted to ask you about your past as a hockey player. What have you learned at that time that you still find helpful in your life today?

The main thing would be learning to be able to perform when it matters the most – going from a hundred percent focus to being able to relax after. You gotta get your breathing back after a shift, and then when you have it, it’s time to go again. Also, the importance of teamwork; if one guy doesn't do their job, it could be disastrous for the whole team. And that is the same at a movie set. Everyone has to do their thing, and also trust that they will do their job. Then you'll get the trust back, and that gives you not only pressure to do it, which I think is good, but also encouragement to do your job. Health-wise, playing hockey, you get a full education on how to take care of yourself through training, and that’s something that I'll have for the rest of my life.