Björn Andrésen, the Swedish actor and musician known best for his formative role in Luchino Visconti’s 1971 classic film “Death in Venice,” has passed away. When he died, he was only 70. Kristian Petri and Kristina Lindström, the co-directors of The Most Beautiful Boy in the World, confirmed his death. Their documentary painted a colorful picture of his personal life and profession.
Born in Stockholm in 1955, Andrésen grew up immersed in the arts. At the tender age of ten he faced a dollar tragedy when his mother committed suicide. After this tragic incident, he was brought up by his grandmother, a pivotal figure that helped develop his craft. She pushed him towards acting and modeling, wanting to raise a superstar in their family.
Then, at only 15 years old, Andrésen caught international headlines. The role that made him a star was as Tadzio, the boy who inspires an older man’s obsession in “Death in Venice.” The film went on to receive widespread critical acclaim, and Visconti personally referred to him as “the most beautiful boy in the world.” This title would stick with him for life, frequently eclipsing his work after the war.
In a reflection on his career, Andrésen remarked, “My career is one of the few that started at the absolute top and then worked its way down.” In the beginning he was happy but embarrassed by his success. I was really like the exotic animal in the zoo,” he confessed. The pressures of overnight fame took a toll on him, leading to an intense love-hate relationship with his public persona.
Andresen didn’t stop there — he continued to work in the years that followed, lending his talent to many other projects. His last high-profile role was in Ari Aster’s bone-chilling, critically-acclaimed horror film “Midsommar” from 2019. In the film, he portrayed an elderly man who sacrifices himself during a pagan ceremony, stating at the time, “Being killed in a horror movie is every boy’s dream.”
So even as Andrésen triumphed on-canvas, his life off-the-clock was filled with catastrophes. He had two children with his ex-wife, Suzanna Roman: a daughter named Robine and a son named Elvin, who tragically died from sudden infant death syndrome at just nine months old. These unique experiences defined his attitude towards life and love.
In 2003, Andrésen garnered international attention when he reversed his objection to feminist author Germaine Greer. She had used his photograph on the cover of her own book “The Beautiful Boy” without permission. His reputation was built on his controversial views. Most prominently Fischer spoke up about the treatment of young actors as well as the danger of adult predatory behavior toward teens. He wrote, “Adult sexual attraction to children is something that, in principle, I oppose. Logically and spiritually, emotionally and intellectually, I think this is rotten. In so doing, I’ve come to understand a little more about what this divine love really is.
In a frank 2021 Rauch interview, he reconsidered his life and what it meant to have made “Death in Venice.” He apologetically confessed, “It really messed up my life pretty good.” This acknowledgment was representative of the ironic, yet grateful praise of his reluctant trek between fame and isolation.