Bill Skarsgård has found an unusual way to deal with his children's bad behaviour, and it involves bringing one of horror's scariest clowns into their home. The actor admitted that he sometimes uses his famous Pennywise voice from It when his children misbehave.
The 36-year-old made the joke during a recent interview with Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, which was shared on social media on 5 November 2026. However, Pennywise is not the only frightening character his children might hear, as Skarsgård revealed that his role as Count Orlok in Nosferatu can also make an appearance.
Pennywise Comes Out At Home
During the conversation, host Josh Horowitz asked whether Skarsgård's children had ever heard him use his Pennywise voice. The actor answered, 'Yeah, if they misbehave,' suggesting that his famous horror character sometimes comes out when his children are not behaving.
Skarsgård then joked about how easily he can switch between his different screen characters. 'He can slip in, slip out, and then Nosferatu can pop in, you know?' he said, before adding, 'There's a whole colorful bunch of schizophrenic daddy.' His comment referred to the different frightening characters that he has performed in his lifetime.
The actor shares two children with his longtime partner, Swedish actress Alida Morberg. The couple has kept much of their family life private, including details about their children. Still, his latest comments offered a rare and funny look at how his work as a horror star can become part of life at home.
Skarsgård's Daughter Loves Halloween
The conversation also turned to Halloween and his family's plans for the holiday. Skarsgård shared that his oldest daughter wanted to dress as a vampire, showing that his children's interest in scary characters does not stop at his film roles.
She also suggested that her father dress up as Count Orlok, the vampire he played in Robert Eggers' 2024 horror film Nosferatu. However, Skarsgård was not keen on spending his Halloween getting ready for the role. He joked, 'That's the job, and I'm doing it for free, yeah,' making it clear that he would rather leave the full transformation to his paid acting work.
His daughter's suggestion was fitting, given the actor's work in two major horror films. In It Part 1 and 2, he played Pennywise, a terrifying clown who hunts children in the town of Derry. In Nosferatu, he took on the role of Count Orlok, a frightening vampire at the centre of the story.
Skarsgård Wants New Roles Beyond Horror
Despite his success in horror films, Skarsgård admitted that he is starting to feel tired of playing villains. During the same interview, he said he would only consider another bad-guy role if the character offered something fresh. He explained that he wants to take on parts that feel different from what he has done before.
'It would have to be something that felt original to me, that was something that I hadn't done before,' he said. The actor added that he feels 'kind of spent' with those types of roles, although he would still consider one if the right story came along. He also made it clear that he is not actively looking for another villain to play.
Skarsgård also joked about never being considered for a role in the James Bond franchise. 'They didn't call me about James Bond,' he said, adding that he was not even included in the mix. While he remains open to interesting projects, the actor said he would rather wait for a role that truly excites him than take on work just for the sake of it.
