First Bite

Alexander Skarsgård is a sucker. For one, the Swede plays Eric Northman, a vampire, in the hit drama serial, True Blood. Plus, he’s not afraid to go after challenging roles. In fact, the more difficult it is, the better.

Which explains why Skarsgård finds real joy in acting in the short film to promote Encounter Calvin Klein, a new men’s fragrance [see sidebar]. Conceptualised and directed by renowned art director Fabien Baron, the silent clip is inspired by film noir and also stars model Lara Stone, the face of several Calvin Klein brands. It tells an intense story of tension and desire between a couple.

“Their idea for their concept was very intriguing to me - it was almost like a short film, and very film noir. It felt interesting to me,” the 36-year-old tells WWD.com. That he had to improvise and dig deep to flesh out his character made him agree to front the new scent.

“I want to be involved with something where you tell a story - even though it’s a short story.”