Skip to main content

Threesome actress Matilda Källström on sex scenes, intimacy, and working with Lucien Laviscount

When you first hear the title of the new Viaplay series Threesome, chances are the first thing you think of is sex. The new eight-episode show wastes no time in getting to the titular act, which unfolds in explicit but tasteful detail, but what’s surprising is that it uses a deliberate provocation to get audiences hooked on the central heroine’s emotional journey, which unfolds in equally raw and honest scenes throughout the series.

Digital Trends sat down with Threesome‘s lead actress, Matilda Källström, to discuss how her character, Siri, uses sex as a means of self-discovery, how filming the show’s sex scenes was necessary, and working with Lucien Laviscount before he became famous with the hit Netflix show, Emily in Paris.

A woman looks up at a man in Threesome.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Digital Trends: The title Threesome is very provocative, but the series is more than just about sex. What attracted you to the show and the role of Siri specifically?

Recommended Videos

Matilda Källström: I loved the script. It was phenomenal from the start. When I read the sex scenes, they were really graphic and very detailed about what we were going to do. So I did get really scared. But then when they briefed me and told me about what kind of story they wanted to tell, how they wanted to portray the sex scenes, and what they actually meant, it made me more excited about the project.

I’ve never really encountered a character like Siri who is so empowered by her own sexuality. So yeah, even though it was really scary, it was also a big part of why I wanted to be a part of the series.

It’s a hot topic now in the entertainment industry about sex scenes and whether or not they are necessary. Do you think the more intimate scenes in Threesome are crucial for the audience to understand Siri’s journey?

Yes, 100%. I feel like every sex scene that we have in the series means something. The sex scenes are very long, but you still get to follow an emotional journey through every scene. That was very important for me because I didn’t want to do sex scenes that were just showing some nudity to provoke the audience. I think it’s important to show that sex scenes can be made in a very gracious and well-made way.

A woman sleeps on a man in Threesome.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

What I love about Threesome is that it uses sex as a way for us to see Siri’s growth as a character. It’s not gratuitous; the threesome in the opening episode sets her on her journey of self-discovery. How did you approach that development, especially Siri’s growing isolation in both her relationship and her adopted home of London as well as her gravitation toward Lucien’s character, John?

The show taking place in London is a crucial part of Siri’s growing alienation since it’s not her homeland. We shot Threesome during COVID, so we all felt a bit isolated from the world. Me, Simon [Lööf, who plays boyfriend David), and Lucien [Laviscount, who plays John] got really close during those three months.

If I’m honest, I initially thought Siri was kind of an asshole. But when I got to London to start shooting, I really started to connect with her. I was like, “Oh my gosh, I 100% felt these emotions.” I felt trapped in her job and relationship. That really made me understand her. She’s actually fighting for her own mental stability, her own life, and what she’s going to do with it.

I’m not a fan of Emily in Paris, but some of my friends are, so they wanted me to ask you what it was like working with Lucien Laviscount.

A man and a woman dance in Threesome.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

[Laughs] Lucien is a fantastic actor. He really has a spark. As I mentioned before, all the actors got really close while shooting and he really helped me get through our sex scene, which is very graphic. I’m really happy that I got to do that with him because we worked through it together. He was really respectful and kind to me. I’m very proud to be able to say that I worked with him.

In the first episode, a character, Camille, talks about her master’s thesis and how it’s about the discrepancy between what you aim for as an artist and how it’s actually received by the public. So I’m going to pose that question to you: What is Threesome aiming for and how do you hope it will be received?

Well, that is a phenomenal question. Threesome really wants to show a fully rounded character who is both the bad girl and the good girl at the same time. The show is targeted toward people between 25 and 30 and there’s not a lot of quality content targeted to that age group. I’m 28, so it’s right up my alley.

Threesome | Official Trailer | A Viaplay Original

Threesome tells a story for that age where you actually make very important decisions in your life. What am I actually going to do with my life? Am I going to continue on this path forever, or am I going to be in this relationship? I think that’s the essence of the show. And, of course, showing real authentic intimacy between people, both sexually and emotionally. I hope the viewers will take that away after watching the show.

All eight episodes of Threesome are now streaming on Viaplay.

Jason Struss
Former Section Editor, Entertainment
Jason Struss joined Digital Trends in 2022 and has never lived to regret it. He is the current Section Editor of the…
Topics
7 most unnecessary sequels ever
Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix hold mics and smile in Joker: Folie à Deux."

It's common knowledge that many movie sequels fail to live up to the hype and quality of their predecessors. Film studios usually try to follow the money by making a follow-up to a movie that succeeded in theaters. However, filmmakers can't always replicate the magic of the original film, which has led to some lackluster sequels.

These films can bomb so spectacularly or miss the mark by so much that some even argue that they had no business existing at all. While almost any film can be deemed "unnecessary," there are many sequels to critically and commercially successful motion pictures that really didn't need to be made.

Read more
I’ve seen enough. Glen Powell is a better Running Man than Arnold Schwarzenegger
Glen Powell poses in a disguise in The Running Man.

Paramount Pictures revealed the first trailer for The Running Man, a dystopian action movie based on Stephen King's 1982 novel. Glen Powell headlines The Running Man, and despite the lack of footage, it's clear that his Ben Richards will be better than the one portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

"Stop filming me!" Powell's Richards screams before an explosion launches the character off a bridge and into the water. In a near-future society, Ben faces a financial crisis. He needs a doctor to save his sick daughter. Because desperate times call for desperate measures, Ben enters The Running Man, a deadly competition where contestants ("Runners") must survive 30 days. During that timeframe, professional assassins ("Hunters") hunt the contestants down, intending to kill them. Survive and win the grand prize, or die and get nothing.

Read more
The Old Guard 2 cast chooses iconic movie moments to witness for the first time
A group of soldiers stand in the dirt in The Old Guard 2.

Internet culture in the Digital Age moves at the snap of a finger. Thanks to the social media algorithm, what's popular today might not be talked about tomorrow. Five years feels like a lifetime. That's how long it's been since The Old Guard premiered on Netflix. It's fitting that a follow-up to a movie about a team of immortals would take its time before hitting the service. Mortals, rejoice. The wait is over. The Old Guard 2 is now available to stream on Netflix.

Charlize Theron returns for the action-packed sequel as Andy, the leader of a team of immortal mercenaries who serve as protectors of the world. The team consists of immortals Nile (KiKi Layne), Joe (Marwan Kenzari), and Nicky (Luca Marinelli), along with a mortal, James Copley (Chiwetel Ejiofor). Speaking of finite creatures, Andy now copes with her mortality, which affects every decision, knowing she can finally die. Andy and her team will be tested with the arrival of Discord (Uma Thurman), the very first immortal with a sinister plan that threatens the universe. To defeat Discord, Andy seeks the help of an old friend, Tuah (Henry Golding), who may hold the secrets of immortality.

Read more