Alexander Skarsgård says being labelled a ‘hunky’ sex symbol harmed career

Alexander Skarsgård, the hunky sexy actor who played the near-naked Tarzan, says being labelled hunky and sexy (oops) hurt his career.

In an interview with the Sunday Times, he explains how he believes that showing off his ripped physique led him to not be ‘taken seriously’.

“I don’t really know if that was the reason I wasn’t getting roles,” Skarsgård said.

“Starting out in Sweden, there was stuff about being tall and blond. But most people here are tall and blond. Still, after my first job, I was on a stupid ‘sexy hunky hot list’ and then people didn’t take me seriously.”

“If you want characters with depth, but have been labeled ‘a dude who takes his shirt off,’ you’re not going to get those offers,” he added.

While many of his roles, like True Blood and The Legend of Tarzan had required Alexander’s pecs to be on show, his work in Big Little Lies earned him an Emmy – despite the show getting cancelled after just two seasons. And yeah, he did wear a big prosthetic penis for one headline-grabbing scene, but we don’t think that’s why they gave him an award.