The Icelandic artist returns to the screen

Björk Returning To Acting In Viking Movie From 'The Lighthouse' Director

Björk will make her return to film acting in Robert Eggers' upcoming Viking epic The Northman. The Icelandic musician and artist made an acclaimed acting debut in 2000's Dancer in the Dark, but decided against further screen roles after a poor experience on set. Here's what we know so far about her new film!

Björk will make a return to the movies two decades after her lone tour-de-force performance in Dancer in the Dark.

On Wednesday, promo visuals were released for The Northman—an upcoming historical Viking epic set in Iceland—and Björk was shown as "The Slav Witch" in the film. Icelandic outlets also reported on the casting news.

Björk's movie return: Viking epic The Northman

The Northman is the new movie by director Robert Eggers, who has established a strong reputation with first features The VVitch and The Lighthouse. The new Viking film will feature a star-studded cast that includes Lighthouse star Willem Dafoe, VVitch star Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicole Kidman, and Bill and Alexander Skarsgård.

Reports have added that Björk's daughter Ísadóra will also appear in the film. It will be the musician's first conventional film role since she starred in Lars Von Trier's art musical drama Dancer in the Dark in 2000. The Northman would be Ísadóra's film debut. Icelandic writer Sjón is co-writing the film with Eggers.

Björk's Dancer in the Dark and the 2001 Oscars

For Björk's performance as a struggling mother who's losing her eyesight in Dancer in the Dark, she won Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival. At the 2001 Oscars, her song "I've Seen It All" was nominated for Best Original Song. Björk raised eyebrows with her infamous swan dress at the ceremony.

Despite the acclaim for Dancer in the Dark, Björk has kept away from acting, citing a difficult experience with the film's director Lars Von Trier. The 54-year-old alternative and avant-garde music icon has released six albums in the 2000s, the most recent, Utopia, coming in 2017.

For Björk, indie, and historical film fans, The Northman is shaping up to be a must-see project. Few details are known about the plot or release at this time, but production resumed in August 2020 following a delay brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.