About Annica Duell Liljeblad
Film & TV Swedish German Actress, Annica Duell Liljeblad, embodies her working motto of "Living, Not Acting", an authenticity that has earned her the respect and admiration of directors like Ruben Östlund, Fares Fares, Ashley Avis, and Justine Bateman, who consistently handpick her for their projects. This is evident in her most recent collaborations, such as the highly anticipated film directed by Fares Fares, set to premiere in 2023, where Annica was personally chosen by Fares Fares for the role of 'Anna'.
Annica's impressive resume includes co-starring alongside Kate Winslet in Black Beauty, directed by Ashley Avis, who adapted the script from Anna Sewell's novel. Additionally, she co-starred in Justine Bateman's indie feature Violet, opposite Olivia Munn and Justin Theroux, which is set to premiere at the South by Southwest Film Festival. In 2017, Annica starred alongside Claes Bang, Elisabeth Moss, and Dominic West in writer/director Ruben Östlund's innovative art world drama, The Square, which won the Golden Palm/Le Palme D'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and was subsequently nominated for Best International Film at the Academy Awards in 2018.
Born in Gothenburg, Annica is a German-Swedish actress, raised in both Sweden and Germany. Her journey to television and cinema was unconventional, as she began her career in Swedish television rather than on the stage. She became one of Sweden's most popular and successful TV talk show hosts, having her own daily show that covered a wide range of topics, including memorable celebrity interviews. It was her hosting presence that led director Ruben Östlund to contact her for her role in The Square, with Östlund praising her performance, stating, "It was a real delight that Annica was such a good actress".
However, despite her success as a host, Annica never lost her original dream of living the life of various characters. This passion began in childhood with small performances for family and friends, eventually leading to initial stage roles. She felt a natural ability to entertain and instantly live the life of another soul, but kept it on the back burner while she fashioned her hosting career and raised her daughters.
When Annica turned 50, and her two daughters were grown, she said to herself, "I don't want to die and not have had a chance to fulfill my dream and follow my call becoming an actor." With the encouragement and blessing of her husband and family, she began to study at an acting school, where she was easily the oldest student in the class, but brought a fireball of energy and enthusiasm to her studies.
Annica's decision to pursue her dream of acting has been met with happiness and fulfillment, as she explains, "There are of course roles for women over 50, and I also want to be a great inspiration for women of all ages. I want to prove that you can achieve what your heart tells you regardless of age. I'm so happy I took the step and doing what my body and soul is born to do."
