Who is … Sidse Babett Knudsen?

She is a 43-year-old actress who is best known for her starring role in the internationally acclaimed television series ‘Borgen’.

Isn’t she the TV prime minister?
Indeed she is! Knudsen has been playing Birgitte Nyborg, Denmark’s first fictional female prime minister, on ‘Borgen’ since it premiered in 2010. As we all know, the real-life version wasn’t too far behind, as Helle Thorning-Schmidt became PM the following year.

What else has she done?
Among other things, she’s been in a couple of Susanne Bier films: ‘Den Eneste Ene’ (‘The Only One’) in 1996, in which she plays a pregnant woman with a philandering husband, and ‘Efter Bryllupet’ (‘After the Wedding’) with Mads Mikkelsen in 2007, as a woman who passes off her daughter as another man’s son. Bier has an affinity for unloading some serious Freudian issues on Knudsen!

Didn’t that win an Oscar?
It was nominated, but lost to a German film in the end. Speaking of losing, this year Knudsen was nominated for an international Emmy for her performance in ‘Borgen’, but was beaten by Argentine actress Cristina Banegas.

Bummer! How did she take it?
Pretty well. She admitted to being disappointed, but was happy for her peer, and although she didn’t win, she was so honoured to be nominated … blah, blah, blah. We would have hoped she would have shown some Viking rage and gone a little Red Sonja on the academy, but she handled it very gracefully.

That’s a shame.
A win (or a media meltdown if we’re lucky) in 2013 is still possible, with the third and final season of ‘Borgen’ scheduled to air next spring. Fingers crossed!

TOP STORIES

  • International workers face higher risks in Danish workplaces

    International workers face higher risks in Danish workplaces

    A fatal accident in Flemløse has raised concerns about the safety of foreign workers in Denmark. A study by Aalborg University revealed that migrant workers, particularly in construction, face higher accident risks. The report calls for stricter penalties, better inspections, and improved conditions, as their numbers have increased significantly.

  • The standard of living in Denmark is among the highest in the world, says a study

    The standard of living in Denmark is among the highest in the world, says a study

    Productivity, low inequality, and strong unionization make Denmark an economy able to provide high standards of living for ordinary wage earners, according to a study by the Danish Trade Union’s Business Council

  • Dane wows to fight for cheaper energy and green transition in new EU Commission

    Dane wows to fight for cheaper energy and green transition in new EU Commission

    With a slim majority, the EU Parliament approved the new Commission under the leadership of German Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday. Danish Dan Jørgensen will be EU Commissioner for Energy and Housing. Like his colleagues, he is ready to work for Europe from next week

  • Two internationals died in a workplace accident in Fyn

    Two internationals died in a workplace accident in Fyn

    A major workplace accident took place at Flemløse Biogas in Fyn. Two foreign nationals died, and six others were injured, with their conditions still undisclosed. The police and emergency services are searching for another missing person.

  • Employment in the green industry is growing

    Employment in the green industry is growing

    According to data from Statistics Denmark, employment in the green industry grew by an average of nearly 6% in one year. In some sub-sectors, this growth reached between 10% and 20%. These numbers make the green sector one of the fastest-growing in terms of employment in Denmark.

  • For the first time, Danish won’t be used in Folketing parliamentary work

    For the first time, Danish won’t be used in Folketing parliamentary work

    Aki-Matilda Høegh-Dam, a member of the Greenlandic party Siumut and a member of Parliament, said that she would use only her mother tongue during the Folketing’s question time sessions. As a result, Parliament decided to trial simultaneous interpretation.

Connect club

Connect Club is your gateway to a vibrant programme of events and an international community in Denmark.

Sign up here

Career

  • Employment in the green industry is growing

    Employment in the green industry is growing

    According to data from Statistics Denmark, employment in the green industry grew by an average of nearly 6% in one year. In some sub-sectors, this growth reached between 10% and 20%. These numbers make the green sector one of the fastest-growing in terms of employment in Denmark.

  • The intuition trap: leading Danes in cross-cultural teams

    The intuition trap: leading Danes in cross-cultural teams

    Signe Biering, an executive coach trained in psychology with a background in diplomacy, explains how over-reliance on intuition in decision-making can hinder cross-cultural collaboration. She highlights Denmark’s cultural tendency to trust gut feelings and authenticity but warns of its risks in diverse teams. Biering advocates for leaders to challenge instincts, embrace differences, and balance intuition with analytical thinking to foster trust, collaboration, and growth.

  • “Talents, start using AI tools now,” says Siri and Change.org founder

    “Talents, start using AI tools now,” says Siri and Change.org founder

    In an exclusive interview with The Copenhagen Post, the founder of Siri and Change.org, and currently VP of AI Experience at Airbnb, gives young talents advice on how to deal with the job market changed by artificial intelligence.

Want to advertise your job with CPH Post?

Contact us

Jobs