He’s just a misunderstood “asshole,” the Swedish star of the runaway Netflix hit series explains.
Of the many shows that fly under the radar of Netflix’s homepage, Young Royals—a coming-of-age drama following the rebellious prince of Sweden—has proved to be an exception. Grounded and sympathetic to the identity crises of teenagers no matter their level of privilege, the Swedish series became a surprise sensation, resonating with viewers far beyond Scandinavia. In turn, it irrevocably changed the lives of its young cast, including Malte Gardinger, who plays August, the prince’s entitled cousin clamoring for a position in the palace.
In its new season, August has yet to change his Machiavellian ways. Though he harbors some regret for filming and leaking a sex tape between Prince Wilhelm and on-and-off boyfriend Simon, any chances of making amends are crushed when August is offered a shot for the crown. He grows more desperate and cunning with each episode, but the finale leaves him publicly humiliated by Wilhelm, a gun pointed at his head.
Gardinger, on the other hand, could not be more different than his wily on-screen counterpart. With his mop of dark curls, he’s bright and affable as he revels in the excitement of another successful season. Despite being in one of Gen Z’s most beloved shows, the 22-year-old actor is quite agnostic when it comes to social media, only using it very sparingly to share the odd photo of the beautiful Nordic countryside, or a peek behind the curtain on his projects to his half a million followers. Calling from his father’s apartment in Stockholm with a rosy pink sky behind him (he loves posting pictures of skies, he later shares), Gårdinger breaks down August’s destructive journey, navigating the daunting new world of celebrity, and his inability to figure out the Internet.
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