Today I learned of actor and musician Bjorn Andresen's passing at the age of 70. This man had a very difficult life due to being catapulted to fame at a tender age via the infamous movie "Death in Venice". It's a mesmerising film but I can't help thinking of the sexual harassment and objectification this young lad went through as a result of it. His likeness inspired the character designs of many fair complexioned bishonen and "bifauxnen" characters of European origin in the world of anime and manga. Heck, even my lovely Dilandau's looks were probably inspired by Bjorn Andresen. I hope he found peace at the end of his life.
The Swedish actor-musician passed away last Sunday at the age of 70. [1]
At the age of 16, he gained international recognition as Tadzio in Luchino Visconti's 1971 film adaptation of Thomas Mann's novel Death in Venice. The press frequently referred to him as "the most beautiful boy in the world", as the director remarked at the film's premiere in London. However, he vehemently disliked this quote that is tied to his experience working on the film, with the filmmaker and the overbearing fame that tormented his teenage years, as he shared in the 2021 documentary The Most Beautiful Boy in the World [dir. Kristina Lindström & Kristian Petri].
The documentary showed his audition footage that exposed the exploitative and predatory nature of casting child performers, as well as manipulation of minors to perform overtly sexualized roles. He also recounted how the crew and the director took him to gay nightclubs, where he is not even allowed to be, and how he was the target of unwanted attention from older men.
The actor was dealing with trauma at a young age. His father abandoned him, and his mother took her own life. He was then raised by his maternal grandparents.
In the 1970, the shy and musically-inclined 15-year-old boy auditioned for Venice, at the insistence of his maternal grandmother, who have ambition to make her grandchild famous. He never intended to join the entertainment industry, but the pressure from her is what made him pursue many acting and modelling gigs. Prior to his audition, he has one film, appearing in En kärlekshistoria (A Swedish Love Story) (1970) directed by Roy Andersson.
"She felt I was so talented and should be world-famous, you know how it is," he says drily. [Guardian]
Following the film's release, her grandmother urged him to do promotions in Japan, where his popularity skyrocketed. However, he was subjected to an unbearable schedule, given access to mysterious pills, and forced to have a recording career. His image was heavily marketed to the youth market. This extensive exposure made him into a "cultural icon" and a major figure in the popular "Bishōnen" (beautiful boy) style.
He did, however, express resentment at receiving so much attention, and as he grew older, he managed to live a low-key life and follow his real passion, music. He studied drama as well and ran a small theatre in Stockholm, while also doing a bit of acting work in Swedish films and TV shows.
Later, he appeared as one of the two elders who volunteered as sacrifice at the ättestupa ceremony in the horror film Midsommar (2019).
He is survived by his daughter, Robine (from his marriage to the poet Susanna Román) and his grandchildren.
Reference:
Note: You may notice that we are including screenshots of articles. This is inline with the ongoing link rot / dead link dilemma.
Björn Andrésen obituary | Ryan Gilbey | 28 Oct 2025 https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/oct/28/bjorn-andresen-obituary
Skådespelaren Björn Andrésen är död | 26 Oct 2025 https://www.expressen.se/noje/skadespelaren-bjorn--andresen-ar-dod/
Skådespelaren och musikern Björn Andrésen död – blev 70 år | 26 Oct 2025 https://www.svt.se/kultur/skadespelaren-och-musikern-bjorn-andresen-dod-blev-70-ar
1955 Facit TP1, Sweden. Designed by Sigvard Bernadotte (Swedish, Jun. 7, 1907 - Feb. 4, 2002).
Read About Sigvard Bernadotte!
Sigvard Bernadotte was not just a designer — he was also Swedish royalty, the second son of King Gustav VI Adolf of Sweden, but he distinguished himself through his own achievements as a graphic and industrial designer.
Facit-Odense pinwheel adding machine
His design career blossomed in the 1930s, when he became known for clean, functional designs rooted in Scandinavian modernism. He was one of the chief designers of silver for the Georg Jensen Company. Household wares and luxury items by Bernadotte are in the decorative arts collections of museums worldwide.
The FACIT TP1 is a classic example of Bernadotte’s uncluttered and modern style. Vertical anterior lines are simultaneously flat and curvaceous. They transition between assertive, unbroken planes which suggest, in miniature, a monumentality reminiscent of Brutalist architecture.
Facit (later Facit-Odhner) a company known for its precision engineering, hired Bernadotte to make office machines more appealing and ergonomic. The TP1 is now celebrated as a mid-century-modern design icon.
If Noomi Rapace was cast in Game of Thrones / House of the Dragon / an ASOIAF spin-off, where should their character hail from? Imagine you are the casting director for HBO.
The Wall & Beyond the Wall
The North
The Riverlands
The Vale
The Crownlands (King’s Landing) & The Westerlands
The Stormlands & Dragonstone
The Reach & Oldtown
Dorne
The Iron Islands
Essos: The Free Cities
Essos: Slaver’s Bay & the Outer East (Asshai, Yi Ti, Qarth, etc)
I have a unique answer to this
Voting ended onOct 26, 2025
If you need a guide for making a choice (read below):
1. The Wall & Beyond the Wall – A massive wall of ice stretches across the northern border of the continent. It is defended by the Night’s Watch, a sworn brotherhood made up of volunteers and criminals who give up their former lives to serve for life. Their jobs include guarding the Wall, scouting in the wilderness, and maintaining the fortresses along it. Beyond the Wall lies frozen wilderness of forests, tundra, and mountains. There, the Free Folk (often called wildlings) live in clans without lords or kings, surviving through hunting, raiding, or trading. Giants and other strange creatures also live in the far north.
Key Characters: Jon Snow, Samwell Tarly, Mance Rayder, Tormund Giantsbane.
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2. The North – The largest and coldest region of Westeros, ruled from Winterfell, a great stone castle in the center of the North. This is the land of the Stark family, one of the most important noble houses. The North is full of forests, tundra, and long stretches of snowy wilderness. It is sparsely populated, with mountain clans, coastal fishing villages, and marsh-dwelling families. People here are known for being serious, loyal, and bound by old traditions.
3. The Riverlands – A fertile region of rivers, farmland, and castles located at the center of Westeros, ruled from Riverrun by House Tully. Because of its central location, invading armies almost always march through here, leaving the countryside exposed to destruction. The Riverlands are dotted with smaller castles, villages, and farms, as well as inns and mills that rely on the rivers.
Key Characters: Catelyn Stark (born Tully), Brynden “Blackfish” Tully, Walder Frey, Edmure Tully.
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4. The Vale – A mountainous, wealthy land ruled from the Eyrie, a castle perched high in the mountains and considered almost impossible to capture. The Vale has fertile valleys, but its people are largely cut off from the rest of the continent by its steep mountain passes. Many of its nobles are proud of their ancient bloodlines. The Vale is also home to mountain clans, small groups of raiders who live outside noble control in the high passes.
Key Characters: Lysa Arryn, Robin Arryn, Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish.
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5. The Crownlands (King’s Landing) & The Westerlands – King’s Landing is the capital of Westeros, the largest city in the realm, and the seat of the Iron Throne, where the king rules. It is crowded with nobles, merchants, guards, commoners, and beggars. The city is known for its mix of wealth and poverty, political intrigue, and frequent unrest. To the west lie the Westerlands, ruled from the fortress of Casterly Rock by House Lannister, the richest family in the realm. Their wealth comes from gold mines, and they use it to fund armies and influence politics in King’s Landing.
6. The Stormlands & Dragonstone – The Stormlands are coastal lands constantly battered by violent storms, ruled from Storm’s End, a huge fortress famous for its strong walls. The people here are tough and battle-hardened. Just offshore lies Dragonstone, a volcanic island with a black-stone castle carved into the shapes of dragons. Dragonstone was once the seat of House Targaryen, the former royal family who conquered Westeros with dragons centuries ago.
7. The Reach and Oldtown – A rich and heavily populated region ruled from Highgarden by House Tyrell. It is known as the “breadbasket” of Westeros because its fertile lands and vineyards produce much of the realm’s food and wine. The Reach is also famous for its knights, who value pageantry and tournaments. Oldtown, one of the oldest and largest cities in Westeros, is a major port and home to the Citadel. The Citadel is a school and headquarters where maesters—educated men who serve as healers, teachers, and advisors to noble families—are trained.
8. Dorne – The southernmost region of Westeros, ruled from Sunspear by House Martell. It is a hot, arid land of deserts, mountains, and coasts along the Summer Sea. Its culture and laws are different from the rest of the realm, partly due to its Rhoynish ancestry (a people who migrated from a distant river kingdom). In Dorne, women can inherit titles the same as men, and attitudes about sexuality and marriage are more relaxed compared to the rest of Westeros.
9. The Iron Islands – A group of rocky islands off the western coast, ruled from Pyke by House Greyjoy. Farming is poor here, so the islanders survive mostly through fishing and raiding the mainland. Their society is built around seafaring and a religion dedicated to the Drowned God, which teaches that “what is dead may never die.” This faith emphasizes drowning as a ritual and glorifies taking wealth by force rather than working the land.
Key Characters: Balon Greyjoy, Theon Greyjoy, Asha/Yara Greyjoy, Euron Greyjoy.
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10. Essos: The Free Cities – Across the Narrow Sea lies Essos, a vast continent of independent city-states. Each city has its own culture: Braavos is known for trade, banking, and a secret guild of assassins called the Faceless Men; Pentos is ruled by wealthy merchant princes; Volantis is an ancient port with large temples and a reliance on slavery. The Free Cities are filled with mercenaries, sailors, traders, and exiles from Westeros.
Key Characters: Arya Stark (in Braavos), Tyrion Lannister (in exile), Jorah Mormont, Illyrio Mopatis.
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11. Essos: Slaver’s Bay & the Outer East – Farther east along Essos lies Slaver’s Bay, home to the cities of Astapor, Yunkai, and Meereen. These cities are built on slavery, with ruling families owning large numbers of slaves. Astapor is also known for training the Unsullied, soldiers who are taken as boys and brutally trained into an elite army. Beyond Slaver’s Bay are the grassy plains of the Dothraki Sea, where the nomadic Dothraki horse-lords live in mobile camps, raiding and trading across the land. Even farther east lies Qarth, a wealthy trading city, and Asshai, a mysterious port associated with dark magic and shadowy practices.
