After not appearing in an Ingmar Bergman film since "The Touch" (The Touch (1971)), Von Sydow was reunited with the master, playing his grandfather in "The Best Intentions" (1991). While the film was directed by Bille August, the screenplay was written by Ingmar Bergman. Ironically, despite all the classic work Von Sydow did with Ingmar Bergman such as the Knight in "The Seventh Seal" (The Seventh Seal (1957)), the eponymous "Magician" (The Magician (1958)), and the father in "The Virgin Spring" (The Virgin Spring (1960)), his first Oscar nomination came under the hand of Bille August, for Pelle the Conqueror (1987).
Co-Head of jury at the Berlin International Film Festival in 1985.
Distant relative of Swedish speaker of parliament and ex-minister of defence, 'Björn von Sydow'.
Father of Henrik von Sydow and Clas S. von Sydow.
Has appeared in two films as a leading villain, in which plots include the use of eye replacement surgery as a means of fooling security eye scanners; as Blofeld in Never Say Never Again (1983) and Lamar Burgess in Minority Report (2002).
Has four sons, Clas S. von Sydow and Henrik von Sydow with his first wife; and Cédric and Yvan with his second wife. In 1951, Von Sydow married actress Olin with whom he had two sons, Claes and Henrik. His children appeared with him in the film Hawaii (1966), playing his son at different ages. He was divorced in 1996 and subsequently married French filmmaker Catherine Brelet in April 1997 in the Provence, France. He has two sons, Yvan and Cedric, with his second wife. Von Sydow lives in Paris with his wife.
Has lived in Los Angeles, California, USA; Rome, Italy and Paris, Seine, France.
He and Ingmar Bergman made 13 movies together: The Magician (1958), The Touch (1971), Mr. Sleeman Is Coming (1957) (TV) (not released), The Virgin Spring (1960), _Nattvardsgästerna (1963)_, Brink of Life (1958), The Passion of Anna (1969), Rabies (1958) (TV), The Seventh Seal (1957), Shame (1968), Wild Strawberries (1957), Through a Glass Darkly (1961) and Hour of the Wolf (1968).
He is fluent in a number of languages, including Swedish, English, Italian and French.
His performance as 'Lasse Karlsson' in Pelle the Conqueror (1987) is ranked #57 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Performances of All Time (2006).
One of his favourite movies is Runaway Train (1985).
One of the few actors to have played both God (in The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)) and the Devil (in Needful Things (1993)).
One of very few actors to be nominated for an Oscar for a role in a foreign language film, for his performance in Pelle the Conqueror (1987).
Received French citizenship in 2002 and now holds dual Swedish/French citizenship.
Was offered the title role in Dr. No (1962).