We interviewed Adam Pålsson, who portrays the famous detective in the series, about his character and the series.
With more than 40 million copies sold in 41 languages, Wallander is one of the most important fictional detectives in the history of crime literature and Nordic noir. Had you read the novels or watched the Wallander series before the project?
Adam Pålsson: Of course, I knew Kurt Wallander very well. It’s not possible to be Swedish and not know who Kurt Wallander is. I grew up in the 90s, and I spent most of my life in places where Wallander lived. My father’s name is Kurt (laughs). Wallander is as Swedish as ABBA and IKEA. It is really a great honor to portray Wallander. I hadn’t read the novels before. Of course, after reading the novels, I admired the character even more.
How did it make you feel to portray such a cult character as a young policeman living today?
Adam Pålsson: It was a very difficult job. You have to be a bit fearless and reckless to do justice to this role. But I had such a chance, and I wanted to make the most of it. Of course, being among mostly English actors and speaking English was one of the challenging parts of the job. I think everything went very well. I felt very close to the character. He is a very understanding and compassionate character. That’s why I didn’t have a hard time identifying with him, or I wanted to be able to identify with him. I wanted to be understanding and compassionate, too. He is also a very good detective. It was also great to be able to experience this.
During a racist march against immigrants, Wallander sees a woman who defends the rights of immigrants and protests against the behavior of the police, Mona. Of course, he is very impressed and then falls in love with Mona. Mona is one of the most important people in Wallander’s life. What did this relationship make you feel?
Adam Pålsson: I think it’s a marvelous love and relationship. If you know Wallander, you know how this relationship ends. It has a bitter ending, with a divorce. And it’s something that affects Wallander deeply. When you watch Young Wallander, you watch knowing that this bitter end will come true in the future. Besides, every time he takes a bottle of liquor in his hand, your heart leaps, you want to say ,“Hey, don’t you dare do that!”
Wallander is a young policeman from a poor family who lives in a neighborhood predominantly inhabited by immigrants and has only one close friend. He is a character who is troubled about the problems of the young people in his neighborhood and tries to ensure that they continue their lives without any problems. He believes in justice, but in a world where justice does not work, he is a character who can give up being a cop. What were your favorite character traits of the Wallander you portrayed?
Adam Pålsson: It’s actually exactly what you said. He is a very compassionate man. He cares about the “small” people, the ones who are truly victims. I think this is one of the biggest reasons why Wallander is so popular. He’s a character who fights for what he thinks is right in a cold, fractured, and chaotic world. Even though all these affect him deeply, he does not give up on this ideal. Wallander is like a campfire that warms us. We need that. We need someone with a warm heart.
Wallander is a character that has been portrayed by master actors such as Rolf Lassgard, Krister Henriksson, and Kenneth Branagh, and now it is being portrayed by you. What kind of feelings and thoughts did this develop in you as an actor?
Adam Pålsson: Even thinking about it makes me blush (laughs). Of course, it would be absurd to compare me with Kenneth Branagh. But someone had to take on this role, they offered it to me. I tried to portray this iconic character the best I could. I admire the actors you mentioned, of course, the opposite is not possible. Frankly, it excites me to know that people have high expectations for me, too. This gives me energy.
In Mankell’s first Wallander novel, Wallander is a 42-year-old veteran policeman left by his wife. After watching Young Wallander, I wished that this project would bring Wallander to the age of 42 and that Young Wallander and Mankell’s novels would intersect at some point and end like that. What is your dream about Young Wallander as an actor portraying the character of Wallander?
Adam Pålsson: Oh, that would be marvelous! It’s a wonderful experience for me to continue to portray Wallander’s younger years. I don’t think there is anything more exciting and fulfilling for me.
Do you have a message for the viewers in Türkiye?
Adam Pålsson: They will be watching a very modern series about Kurt’s teenage years. I hope they will be as excited as we are. The series also has something to say about today’s social situation. This series will not be just a means of entertainment, they can expect much more. I hope they like it.
