Alexander Skarsgård wore a T-shirt reading 'Lick My Worm' next to his father, Stellan, at the New York screening of Wicker on 13 October, and the internet has not stopped talking about it. One post on X met the outfit with amused shock, calling the actor a DILF and 'Daddy Skarsgård'.
The slogan is no random stunt. Lifted directly from the film as double-meaning fishing banter, the hand-printed tee turned a routine red-carpet photo-call into a zero-cost viral campaign. For a standalone indie comedy competing against studio-backed blockbusters, that level of organic reach is impossible to buy.
Context Behind the 'Lick My Worm' Shirt
Wicker follows a fisherwoman played by Olivia Colman, who asks the local basketmaker, played by Peter Dinklage, to weave her a husband. Skarsgård plays that husband. The slogan comes from Colman's character, and the white gothic-print tee is reportedly a custom piece by British artist and screenprinter Flora Miles.
The shirt suits the film well. Wicker relies on entirely practical effects, so a screenprinted tee feels like a natural match for a husband made by hand rather than by computer. In a 33-second video shared on X, Skarsgård can be seen beside the Wicker standee and poster with his hands in his pockets, then smiles next to his father.
Lick my worm? LICK. MY. WORM? where does he get these shirts. 😮💨
— Trish ໑̣ HDIGH? (@TunnelOfTrouble) October 13, 2026
DILF and Daddy Skarsgård btw pic.twitter.com/0RCS7qIXSA
Skarsgård's High-Risk Press Tour Playbook
Stars often dress to match their films on press tours, and Zendaya's wardrobe for Challengers and Margot Robbie's Barbie looks are two of the best-known examples. Skarsgård takes the idea further than most. He's already worn thigh-high Saint Laurent boots and a sequin Dior top, and his Pillion press tour included a halter top, leather trousers, and a shirt printed with sex toys.
The Wicker tour is no different, although not everyone is swooning. At the BFI London Film Festival he wore a gold Saint Laurent suit with see-through shoes, and the shoes drew widespread criticism, with some fans saying they were disgusted. Strong reactions in either direction keep him in the conversation, which is what a film campaign wants.
The Prestige Cast And Sundance Reviews Behind Wicker
The shirt may be the headline, but the film behind it is not a one-joke project. Alongside Colman, Skarsgård, and Dinklage, the cast includes Elizabeth Debicki as the Tailor's Wife, Nabhaan Rizwan as the Tailor, and Richard E. Grant as the village doctor. That is a serious ensemble for a fairy-tale comedy, and it explains why the film had attention long before anyone printed a slogan on a T-shirt.
The critical pedigree backs it up. Wicker premiered at Sundance in January 2026 and reportedly drew two standing ovations. On Rotten Tomatoes, 29 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.9 out of 10, though that score can shift as more reviews arrive. In short, the film has real backing and does not rely on viral shock value alone.
The countdown is short. Wicker opens in limited release on 23 October and goes nationwide in the US on 30 October, and the shirt has already won the timeline. Those opening weekends will show whether it has won over cinema audiences too.
