Ever since his Zoolander modeling days, Alexander Skarsgård has been fueling fan thirst like it’s a full-time job, and his latest red-carpet look might be his steamiest shift yet.
Over the weekend, Skarsgård had the sexy-man audacity to show up at the BFI London Film Festival to promote his latest film, Pillion, in Ludovic de Saint Sernin’s Fall 2025 collection—fashion speak for a white, backless halter-neck shirt and bare shoulders paired with a leather tie, lace-up leather pants, and Jimmy Choo boots.
Thirst trap incoming—scroll at your own risk:
Turns out, BFI doesn’t mean British Film Institute anymore. It’s “Bring Fans In… appropriately.”
In true Pillion spirit, Skarsgård posed alongside a sleek black motorcycle, co-star Harry Melling (aka the Dudley Dursley from the Harry Potter movies) director Harry Lighton, and even the actor’s Maggie the dog—plus Paul Tallis, who arrived in a dog mask because apparently, chill wasn’t on the guest list.
Photo can be seen (and saved to your phone) here:
Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for BFI
Alexander Skarsgård didn’t just walk the red carpet—he strutted straight back into my True Blood fanfiction days.
The film itself, Pillion, is a 2025 British romantic comedy-drama based on Adam Mars-Jones’s 2020 novel Box Hill.
It follows Colin, played by Melling, a timid gay man whose life takes a sharp turn when he meets Ray, played by Skarsgård, an alluring biker who takes him on as his submissive. As Colin becomes enmeshed in Ray’s kinky, queer motorbike world, he starts to wonder if the life of a 24/7 submissive is really his speed.
And from the red carpet footage alone, we’re clearly in for a wild ride:
Leather, lace-ups, and lust-filled man kisses: the holy trinity of Skarsgård cinema.
Speaking to Variety, Skarsgård explained what drew him to Pillion was its balance of irreverence and empathy:
“I was invited into this world with so much love and compassion, but [Lighton] didn’t do it with too much reverence. Sometimes, when you portray a subculture, you’re so worried about offending [someone] or getting something wrong that you’re too precious about it. I immediately called my agents and said, ‘I wanna talk to this mad child.’”
The project is being pitched as a “fun and filthy romance with heart,” and if early buzz is anything to go by, audiences should brace for equal parts tenderness and taboo. Expect prosthetic “Prince Albert” piercings, naked wrestling, and enough sexual tension to power a Harley.
And for those Googling “Prince Albert piercing” right now? Don’t—but also, do. Just know it involves royalty and more chaos than the current royal family.
Now, for a taste of the chaos itself—the official Pillion trailer:
- YouTubeA24
Pillion marks the directorial debut of BAFTA-nominated filmmaker Harry Lighton, whose short films explored queer identity long before this full-throttle feature.
And Skarsgård’s recent wardrobe choices suggest he’s leaning all the way into his flirtier, fetish-inspired era. Working with stylist Harry Lambert, who also dresses Josh O’Connor and Eddie Redmayne, Skarsgård has turned every public appearance into a masterclass in campy confidence.
He added a much-needed dose of “let’s bring sexyback” appeal to the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, rocking kinky boots and a boot-licking graphic vintage T-shirt; on British daytime TV show Lorraine, he showed up in short-shorts and S.S. Daly socks, completing the look with a twirl and a curtsey.
Skarsgård told host Ranvir Singh during a recent appearance on Lorraine:
“I wanted to be sexy today, and I thought there’s nothing sexier than a middle-aged man in a British schoolboy uniform.”
Well, mission accomplished, sir—and social media wholeheartedly agreed:
And for anyone gasping in faux surprise—come on, it’s Alexander. He’s been in his exhibitionist era since 2016.
Case in point: Skarsgård walked the MTV Movie Awards pants-less, led on a dog leash by Mia Goth, and he didn’t even have a BDSM movie to promote. In 2023, while promoting Infinity Pool, he doubled down on the kink aesthetic—think latex, leather, and a dog collar to match.
Here’s the photo evidence (also worth saving to your phone):
Dave Allocca/StarPix/Shutterstock
Needless to say, his freak flag has always been fully erect and flying at mast since Obama was in office.
And with Pillion hitting theaters this November, consider this your reminder that Alexander Skarsgård’s kink era is just getting started.
