Tove Lo, one of Sweden’s biggest music exports, will make her feature film acting debut playing Ulrika in director Erik Poppe’s adaption of Vilhelm Moberg’s beloved classic The Emigrants. The epic tale of the Swedes who left wretchedness and misery behind for a new life on the other side of the Atlantic starts shooting this fall on location in Sweden.

”To me this is an almost unreal feeling, getting to play the role of Ulrika and to work with such an amazing director, incredible actors, and a truly great team. Ulrika is a strong outspoken character who stands up for herself and refuses to be pushed around. But there is also a lot of pain and vulnerability there. It is an honor to portray her! All this being a completely new experience is of course a bit nerve wrecking but incredibly exciting!” says Tove Lo.

Tove Lo’s music career to date – which spans four albums, a wide range of hit singles and musical collaborations with some of the world’s greatest artists, is now expanding into the film arena as she  joins Sweden’s acting elite for The Emigrants. Tove Lo will star alongside Lisa Carlehed (In Your Arms, Until We Fall) and Gustaf Skarsgård (Cursed, 438 Days, Vikings) who play the main characters Kristina and Karl Oskar. Sofia Helin (The Snowman, Arn: The Knight Templar, The Bridge) takes on the role of Judit.

”We have an impressive cast and Tove Lo is a fantastic choice for the role of Ulrika. Ulrika is one of the most engaging characters in Moberg’s novel series and I am convinced that she will take on the part exceptionally. By getting to know the female characters and the relationships between Kristina, Ulrika and Judit, we get a new perspective in the understanding of The Emigrants journey, which I think will bring new dimensions to this well-known story”, says director Erik Poppe.

This is not the first time Ulrika has been portrayed by a famous singer. In Jan Troell’s 1971 film, Monica Zetterlund made an acclaimed interpretation of the role. This time, Tove Lo will step into those shoes in Moberg’s classic which is being given new life on the big screen in this major new feature film from SF Studios.

”The Emigrants is a timeless tale of love, sorrow, adventure and what we call home. It’s a classic story that never fades. We would not be doing the books justice if we didn’t have the ambition to make this project the major Swedish film of the decade.  Kristina and Karl Oskar’s story  will take audiences on a life-changing journey as we see the  love and struggle they undergo when they embark together to start life over again in America, and Ulrika has a central role to play in telling this story. I am convinced that Tove Lo will be unforgettable in this role and give a unique and compelling new interpretation of this amazing character”, says Fredrik Wikström Nicastro, producer, SF Studios.

The Emigrants is one of latest high-profile projects in the pipeline from  SF Studios, including SF Studios’ first international feature film production Horizon Line, the Nordic co-production Margrete Queen of the North and the Swedish original series Snabba Cash (Easy Money) for Netflix. 

SF Studios will distribute the film in the Nordics and REInvent International Sales are handling international sales.

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About SF Studios
SF Studios, established in 1919, is one of the world’s oldest film companies. Today SF Studios is the leading film studio in the Nordic region with its headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden and offices in Oslo, Copenhagen, Helsinki and London. The company produces and distributes feature films and TV series as well as provides the digital services SF Anytime and SF Kids. SF Studios is part of the leading Nordic media company Bonnier.