The 72-year-old Swedish actor has collaborated with stars including Jeff Bridges, Julianne Moore, Keanu Reeves, Johnny Depp, and Ben Affleck throughout his decades-long career. He made his acting debut in the late 1970s with the Swedish crime film The Score and gained wider recognition in the 1990s when he played a criminal in a Coen brothers film.
He’s also lent his voice to numerous video games, including the Call of Duty series, Destiny, Until Dawn, and Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction.
The actor in question is Peter Stormare, best known for his chilling portrayal of Gaear Grimsrud in the 1996 dark comedy Fargo, starring Frances McDormand, Steve Buscemi, and William H. Macy. He also played the villainous Uli Kunkel, leader of the German nihilists, in The Big Lebowski.
Stormare was spotted on Tuesday picking up lunch at the upscale Bristol Farms market, dressed casually in a short-sleeved black shirt, black Adidas track pants, and a white cap, with a brace visible on his left leg as he navigated the crowded parking lot.
He’s set to host a special screening of Fargo at the Fargo Theatre on April 14 to celebrate the film’s 30th anniversary. Upon its release in March 1996, Fargo earned widespread critical acclaim, seven Academy Award nominations, and wins for Best Actress (McDormand) and Best Original Screenplay for Joel and Ethan Coen.
Stormare has previously shared that his character in Fargo was inspired by two people the Coen brothers knew, combining one person’s first name with the other’s last. He recalled, “The character always smoked, said very little, could even fall asleep with a cigarette in his mouth. I tried hard to meet all their requirements… but I did throw up a few times, especially in that famous bar scene at the beginning.”
After Fargo, Stormare appeared in films such as The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997), Armageddon (1998), The Big Lebowski (1998), Chocolat (2000), and Bad Boys II (2003). In 2005, he took on the role of Lucifer in Constantine, also starring Keanu Reeves and Rachel Weisz. A sequel is currently in development, though Stormare revealed last year that Reeves is cautious about the scripts, wanting the new film to stay true to the original’s tone.
The 2005 film became a cult favorite, grossing around $230 million at the box office on a $70–100 million budget. Stormare emphasized that the sequel should avoid over-the-top action, saying, “Don’t turn it into big Marvel… Let it be.” According to IMDb, he will reprise his role as Lucifer, though further casting details remain unconfirmed.
Beyond movies, Stormare has appeared in 22 Jump Street (2014), John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017), and the video game Until Dawn (2025). He’s also had notable TV roles, including John Abruzzi on Prison Break (2005–2007), as well as appearances on NCIS: Los Angeles, Graceland, 1923, Tracker, and General Hospital.
