ALEXANDER SKARSGÅRD TURNS 40

Eric, the tall brooding Viking forming one point of the ‘True Blood’ love triangle, captured hearts and hormones and inspired "Team Eric" t-shirts. One of the only players to fully develop into a more rounded and interesting character over the course of the show, one of the only reasons many fans kept coming back in the last couple seasons was to see more Eric. It didn’t hurt that he can actually act too, even if his swing at Tarzan was a bit less than stellar.

So what actually does make Alexander Skarsgård so interesting? He’s darn good looking, broods well, and boasts an impressive acting heritage. Like many male actors of his generation, turning 40 won’t see him relegated to Dad roles, despite giving it a go in ‘The Giver’. He’s not easy to pin down though, and not having seen any of his Swedish work, it’s hard to know where his career will go from here - besides up.

While not racking up as many IMDb listings since playing Eric, Skarsgård’s roles now seem to be a bit more discerning. While no one’s exactly talking Oscars, with films like ‘The Legend of Tarzan’ raking in the cash, Skarsgård is now a bankable name.