Følsgaard was born on 1 May 1984 inRønne, Denmark.[1] He has an older brother, and his family moved toGilleleje when he was six. While in high school, he developed an interest in acting, participating in school productions and founding a theatre company with friends.[2]
After graduating from high school, Følsgaard applied to drama school but was rejected. His next two attempts were also unsuccessful. In 2008, on his fourth attempt, he was accepted to theDanish National School of Performing Arts. He described this period of rejection as "many years of hard work and struggle that fortunately ended well."[3][4]
Følsgaard got his first taste of acting at the age of 10 when he appeared in an episode ofTV 2's historical dramaBryggeren (1997). After seeing a casting advertisement in a newspaper, his grandfather took him and his brother toNordisk Film's studio inValby, where they both auditioned and Følsgaard was cast. He did not act again until high school.[3]
During his third year at drama school, he auditioned for the role of KingChristian VII inNikolaj Arcel's period dramaA Royal Affair (2012). Arcel described casting the then-unknown acting student as "the coolest bet I've ever made." Følsgaard received widespread acclaim for his performance and became the first Danish actor to win theSilver Bear for Best Actor at theBerlin International Film Festival.[5] He also won theBodil Award andRobert Award forBest Actor andBest Supporting Actor, respectively.[6][7] The film was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at both theGolden Globe andAcademy Awards.[8] In 2013, Følsgaard was one of the ten recipients of theShooting Stars Award presented byEuropean Film Promotion at the Berlinale. The international jury noted, "Seeing him inA Royal Affair, one instantly knows that he can play any part. For his first role, he is simply breathtaking, taking care of every detail, showing incredible physical adeptness. We never see him creating emotions, they are just there. Like a miracle."[9]
From 2014 to 2017, Følsgaard played Emil Grønnegaard in the drama seriesThe Legacy. Over its three seasons run, the series enjoyed immense popularity in Denmark and was sold to over 40 countries.[10] For this role, Følsgaard won the Robert Award forBest Actor in a Supporting Television Role in 2015 and 2018.[11][12]
In 2015, he played the lead role inFrederikke Aspöck's romantic dramaRosita, which was well received by critics.[13] That same year, he also appeared inKasper Barfoed's biographical sports comedySummer of '92 andMartin Zandvliet's war dramaLand of Mine, which was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards. For his performances in these films, Følsgaard received two nominations for Best Supporting Actor at the Robert Awards.[14]
In 2016, he starred inLisa Ohlin's filmWalk with Me, which earned him the Best Actor nomination at both the Bodil and Robert awards. He then appeared in the Swedish filmA Serious Game (2016), directed byPernilla August. In 2017, he played former professional boxerJørgen Hansen in Mikkel Serup's biographical dramaPound for Pound. Despite some criticism that he was too young for the part, the film received generally positive reviews and he was nominated for a Bodil Award for Best Actor.[15]
From 2018 to 2020, Følsgaard starred in thepost-apocalypticNetflix seriesThe Rain.[a] While the first season was well-received, the following two were criticised for their weak storylines.[17]
In 2020, he starred in Malou Reymann's directorial debut,A Perfectly Normal Family, based on her family's experience with her father's transition to a woman.[18] For this role, he was nominated for Best Actor at the Bodil and Robert awards.[19][20] Also that year, he played the Danish diplomatPovl Bang-Jensen inChristina Rosendahl's biographical dramaThe Good Traitor.[21]
In 2021, Følsgaard starred in the Netflix crime seriesThe Chestnut Man,[a] which brought him a nomination forBest Actor in a Leading Television Role at the Robert Awards.[22] He also appeared in the first ever Danish-Japanese co-production, the drama filmMiss Osaka.[23] In 2022, he joined the cast of the hit Danish seriesBorgen, which returned for a fourth season after a nine-year break. The fourth season received critical acclaim, and Følsgaard was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Television Role at the Robert Awards.[24]
^Lindgaard, Asger (director) (18 July 2009).Bastian at Roskilde - For the First Time (Short film) (in Danish and English). Denmark: Lindgaard, Asger. Retrieved4 December 2025.
^"Bedste mandlige skuespiller".Filmmagasinet Ekko (in Danish). 9 December 2017.Archived from the original on 30 November 2022. Retrieved4 November 2025.
