Reading the words 'Claes Bang' might remind you of seeing a shouty advert for drain cleaner, but remember when we used to make fun of Benedict Cumberbatch's name? Okay, we still do that.
But, as Claes Bang is now a household name thanks to Dracula (he plays the lead in Stephen Moffat and Mark Gatiss's new adaptation), we thought now's the perfect time to present a complete guide to who the Drac he is.
Mostly known as a film actor, Bang started his career 20 years ago in Danish family comedy movie On Our Own (1998). He's done some telly work, but nothing most people reading this will have watched, unless you're a big fan of Taxa, At The Faber or Anna Pihl.
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Most cineastes will know Bang from 2017's astonishing art-world satire The Square, which won the Palme d'Or at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Oscar.
"I'm f**king pretty pleased with my career," Bang said when asked about his breakthrough role. "I've done so many great things. But to do something like The Square was something I never expected. I got to drive the Ferrari of my profession."
Bang was given the European Film Award for Best Actor for The Square, making him the first Danish actor to win the award. Basically, Dracula has some serious acting chops behind it.
He's also a fairly serious theatre performer. Since 2002, Bang has performed a monologue based on Jan Guillou's novel Evil more than 300 times and in 2015, he performed an English-language version at St James Theatre in London. Evil was also adapted into a film in 2003.
More recently, Bang appeared in Fede Alvarez's The Girl In The Spider's Web, as the infinitely creepy and utterly terrifying Jan Holster.
Bang was certainly excited about taking on his new, defining role in the new BBC miniseries.
He said at the time of the announcement: "I am thrilled to be taking on the role of Dracula, especially when the script is in the hands of the incredible talents of Steven Moffat, Mark Gatiss and the team responsible for Sherlock. I'm so excited that I get to dig into this iconic and super-interesting character.
"Yes he's evil, but there's also so much more to him, he's charismatic, intelligent, witty and sexy. I realise that there's a lot to live up to with all the amazing people that have played him over the years, but I feel so privileged to be taking on this incredible character."
In a joint statement, Moffat, Gatiss and producers Hartswood Films said about Bang’s casting: "It was one of those moments – who else could it be than Claes! He has it all. Brilliant, gorgeous, charismatic, lethal. Tall, dark and gruesome all at once. Hell has a new boss."
The series is essentially a movie trilogy on telly, with three 90-minute episodes – just don't expect it to be Sherlock 2. Dracula won't be a modern update, or a show about a crime-solving man in a long coat. No matter what Moffat says.
"Dracula solves crimes!" Moffatt joked when asked what the show would be about, before adding: "I just made that up – it's not that, it's not that!" He then cheekily added: "That's quite good though, isn't it?"
Dracula premiered on BBC One in the UK on Jan 1 and airs on Netflix outside of the UK.
So, if you have problems with limescale, rust, or ground-in dirt in the meantime, under no circumstances should you reach for a bottle of Claes Bang. He’s an actor, not a cleaning product, and his previous work demands respect. Just like Bonerdick Cumberbund.
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Freelancer writer
Sam is an entertainment writer with NCTJ accreditation and a twenty-year career as a film journalist.
Starting out as a staff writer at Total Film, moving up to Deputy Online Editor, Sam was responsible for Total Film’s YouTube channel, where he revolutionised the magazine’s approach to video junkets, creating influential formats that spread to other outlets.
He’s interviewed a wide range of film icons, including directors such as David Lynch, Quentin Tarantino, Paul Thomas Anderson, Sofia Coppola, Ridley Scott, Michael Bay and Sam Raimi, as well as actors such as Meryl Streep, Nic Cage, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Anne Hathaway, Margot Robbie, Natalie Portman, Kermit the Frog, all of the Avengers and many more.
Sam has also interviewed several comic creators, including Stan Lee, Alan Moore, Grant Morrison, and he has a zombie cameo in The Walking Dead comic.
In 2014, Sam went freelance, working directly for film studios including Warner Brothers, 20th Century Fox and Disney, as well as covering red carpet events for film marketing company PMA Productions.
Sam is the co-host, producer and editor of the Arrow Video podcast, which has seen year-on-year growth since its creation in 2017, gaining over half a million listens in that time.
His byline has appeared in outlets such as Yahoo, MTV, Dazed, Esquire, Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, Elle, and Good Housekeeping among others.
In 2012, Sam made it to the final of the Leicester Square Theatre New Comedian of the Year competition, and went on to become a filmmaker himself, directing three features that have all played major festivals, and secured distribution – starring in two of them.
Jim Carrey once mistook Sam for Johnny Cash, and John Carpenter told him to ‘Keep up the good work.’ He promises to try his best.
