Director Ingmar Bergman saw in von Sydow the embodiment of the tormented, angst-ridden souls of many of his great psycho-social dramas. The two began a long-running relationship with THE SEVENTH SEAL (1957), and von Sydow soon became the cornerstone of Bergman's repertory group of performers. Their astonishing series of early collaborations included WILD STRAWBERRIES (1957), BRINK OF LIFE (1958), THE MAGICIAN (1958), THE VIRGIN SPRING (1959), THROUGH A GLASS, DARKLY (1962) and WINTER LIGHT (1962). In all, they made 13 films and TV productions together.
In 1960, von Sydow became a member of the Royal Dramatic Theater of Stockholm, and he has continued his ties to the stage to this day. In the mid-1960s, von Sydow was drawn to Hollywood, debuting as Christ in George Stevens's mammoth THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD (1965). American producers seized upon his strange physicality to cast him in a variety of roles, often unsympathetic; he played a Nazi in THE QUILLER MEMORANDUM (1966), a minister in HAWAII (1966) and a priest in THE EXORCIST (1973).
In the late 60s, von Sydow returned to the Bergman fold for one more memorable series of films, including HOUR OF THE WOLF (1968), SHAME (1968), THE PASSION OF ANNA (1969) and THE TOUCH (1971). The 70s saw von Sydow making frequent screen appearances in films as varied as STEPPENWOLF (1974), THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR (1975) and THE HURRICANE (1979).
During the 1980s, von Sydow scored triumphs as the psychotherapist in the stage and screen productions of DUET FOR ONE (1986) and his Oscar®-nominated role in PELLE EROBREREN / PELLE THE CONQUEROR (1988) -- thoughtful, intense performances which recalled the best of his years with Bergman. Other roles during the 80s included LA MORT EN DIRECT / DEATH WATCH and FLASH GORDON (both 1980), VICTORY (1981), CONAN THE BARBARIAN, INGENJÖR ANDRÉES LUFTFÄRD / FLIGHT OF THE EAGLE and HUGANDO CON LA MUERTE / HIT MAN (all 1982), STRANGE BREW and NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN (both 1983), THE SOLDIER'S TALE, THE ICE PIRATES, DREAMSCAPE and DUNE (all 1984), CODE NAME: EMERALD (1985), and HANNAH AND HER SISTERS and OVIRI / THE WOLF AT THE DOOR (as August Strindberg) (both 1986).
Von Sydow's subsequent notable credits include AWAKENINGS (1990), THE OX (1991), NEEDFUL THINGS (1993), JUDGE DREDD (1995), HAMSUN (1996), WHAT DREAMS MAY COME (1998), SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS (1999), SLEEPLESS and INTACTO (both 2001), MINORITY REPORT (2002), HEIDI (2005), THE INQUIRY (2006), LE SCAPHANDRE ET LE PAPILLON / THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY, RUSH HOUR 3 and EMOTIONAL ARITHMETIC (all 2007), and UN HOMME ET SON CHIEN / A MAN AND HIS DOG, SOLOMON KANE and TRUTH & TREASON (all scheduled for release in 2008).
Von Sydow and Christina Olin divorced in 1996. In 1997, he married Cathrine Brelet.
Nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role 1988: PELLE EROBREREN (PELLE THE CONQUEROR)
1 nomination