Ray’s “Enigmatic” Backstory In Pillion Addressed By Alexander Skarsgård

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Alexander Skarsgård, known for his Golden Globe and Emmy awards, plays a dominant figure in a BDSM relationship in his new movie, and his character has a surprisingly unusual history.

In the film Pillion, inspired by Adam Mars-Jones’ Box Hill, Alexander Skarsgård plays Ray, a biker who unexpectedly begins a dominant/submissive relationship with Colin, a shy gay man. Colin, feeling lost and longing for connection while living with his parents, welcomes the attention, but soon discovers the arrangement is more intense than he anticipated.

Harry Melling, known for his role in the Harry Potter films, stars in Pillion alongside Bill Skarsgård. The film also features Douglas Hodge, Lesley Sharp, Jake Shears, and Mat Hill. Written and directed by Harry Lighton in his first feature film, Pillion received widespread praise after its premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, where it earned a seven-minute standing ovation and won awards for Best Screenplay (Un Certain Regard) and a special award for a heartwarming animal moment (Palm Dog – Mutt Moment). Following successful showings at various international festivals, A24 will now release the critically acclaimed film – which boasts a 99% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes – in the United States.

To celebrate the release of Pillion, Liam Crowley of ScreenRant spoke with Alexander Skarsgård, Harry Melling, and Harry Lighton. Skarsgård shared his relief that the script didn’t delve deeply into his character Ray’s past, predicting that most writers would typically include a dramatic reveal about a hidden secret in the second act. He felt it was refreshing that Pillion avoided this common trope.

As a critic, I really appreciated the way they handled Alexander Skarsgård’s character. Initially, you get hints about a potentially huge reveal, something that could completely change your understanding of him. But thankfully, that never fully happens! They smartly kept him mysterious right to the end, which I found incredibly effective. Of course, even a controlled character needs moments of vulnerability. It was a delicate balance – showing just enough to make him feel real and create some tension, but never giving everything away. He’s mostly in command, so finding those small cracks in his composure was a really enjoyable part of watching his performance.

Pillion’s Script Was Originally Far More Graphic Than The Final Cut

ScreenRant: Did anyone know what “pillion” meant before signing onto this film?

Alexander Skarsgård: I still don’t know what it means.

ScreenRant: It’s the backseat of the motorcycle, right?

Harry Melling: Yeah, exactly.

Alexander Skarsgård: But it’s also the person on the backseat, but also the physical backseat.

I actually enjoy how mysterious it is, the fact that most people aren’t quite sure what it’s all about. I think that vagueness actually helps us.

I completely agree. The best thing that’s happened since the film came out is people are sending me screenshots from Grindr where they’re just messaging ‘pillion’ to each other.

Alexander Skarsgård enjoys it when people mispronounce “papillon” – the French word for butterfly – saying it sounds like “pillion” instead.

I’m interested in hearing about how you chose the actors for this film. The roles required very specific talents, but also performers who really understood and embraced your vision. Could you discuss the casting of Harry and Alexander, and what specifically – whether it was their auditions or their personalities – made you feel they were the right fit?

Okay, let me tell you about my casting choices. I was really impressed with both Harry and Colin’s dedication – they both brought a real commitment to their work. Actually, I cast Harry first, but I was specifically searching for someone like Colin. Harry had a really diverse range, but a consistent thread was this compelling, magnetic quality – not a dominant, ‘alpha’ presence, though. That’s exactly what I needed from Colin: someone who could quietly command attention, even from across the room. And then Alex… well, I was already a huge fan of his work on Succession, but honestly, seeing a photo of him without pants sealed the deal. He just came across as wonderfully mischievous, and I knew he’d be perfect.

Throughout the movie, Colin’s relationship with his parents seemed to worsen as he grew closer to Ray and became more involved in his work. This raises the question: is Colin losing himself, finally becoming his true self, or is his journey a bit of both? How do you see his character developing?

I think it’s a bit of both. He’s clearly growing and heading in a direction that feels right for him, but that naturally means letting go of certain things. Some of those losses will be deeply felt, while others will just be a normal part of his transformation as he moves towards something positive and fulfilling. What really drew me to the script was seeing this big change – from someone who passively accepts what happens to him, to someone who actively embraces life by the end of the film.

In the first part of the movie, Jay’s living room is full of beer bottles, but they disappear by the end. This change suggests that Colin brings more to Jay’s life than just physical intimacy, fulfilling needs in other areas as well.

According to what I’ve read, Colin is very good at following directions and eager to help around the house – he always cleans up without being asked. And Ray doesn’t seem like the type to leave a mess. So, when Colin returns, and there are beer bottles waiting to be cleaned, I doubt Ray left them there unintentionally.

ScreenRant: For Harry, how’d you get the padlock off?

Someone asked a good question that reminded me of a conversation about scenes for the movie. I suggested a moment involving a car and a lock, but we immediately agreed it wouldn’t work.

Alexander Skarsgård: There’s a great 20-minute scene of you going to a locksmith —

Harry Melling: [Laughs] But no, I’m glad that we don’t feature that in the movie.

As a huge cinema fan, I was really curious to know if anything the writers initially included in the script ended up being considered too extreme or shocking to make it into the final movie. I always wonder what scenes get left on the cutting room floor and why!

Harry Lighton: No. No, I don’t think so.

The script was intentionally very detailed and upfront about the intimate scenes, which I thought was a good approach. It included graphic descriptions, almost like a warning, so everyone involved understood the level of explicitness. Surprisingly, when we actually filmed those scenes, they felt relatively tame compared to what we’d read in the script – more like a PG-13 rating.

ScreenRant asked Alexander Skarsgård about his family’s growing presence in film. With his father recently receiving his first Oscar nomination and his brother Bill becoming a prominent figure in the horror genre, the interviewer wondered if Alexander ever considers the Skarsgård family’s cinematic legacy and what he hopes his own work will add to it.

Alexander Skarsgård enjoys portraying Bill as someone who embodies fear, and he’s even started referring to the character as ‘the face of fear,’ jokingly calling him ‘F-O-F.’ Ultimately, he hopes to be the most well-liked and popular cast member.

ScreenRant: You were duking it out at the Gotham Awards.

Both Alexander Skarsgård and his competitor were overconfident going in, and ultimately, they both didn’t win, which was frustrating. He really just strives to be the best at what he does.

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2026-02-20 20:14