Kim Bodnia

Kim Bodnia (born 12 April 1965) is a Danish actor, and occasional writer and director. He is best known internationally for his role as "Martin Rohde" in the Scandinavian crime drama television series The Bridge. He also played "Frank" in Pusher and "Jakov" in episode 4 of Those Who Kill.

Early life

Bodnia was born in Copenhagen, but grew up in Espergærde, Denmark. His family is Jewish (originally from Poland and Russia), but when asked about his religious beliefs he said that he has: None, other than that I believe in nature.

Bodnia admitted that as a child he was not a particularly good student, describing himself as a "clown", and reluctant to study. His main interest was in athletics, particularly the 100 metres and the long jump, in which he was the Zealand youth champion for several years. Bodnia aspired to become a goalkeeper, but a foot injury prevented him from pursuing a career in professional football.

As a student at Espergærde Ungdomsskole Bodnia joined the theatre group, performing mainly in comic roles. When he was 16 his mother suggested he apply for a place at National Theatre School in Copenhagen. His first application failed, but he gained entry on his second attempt a year later in 1987.