Bad mood: “You’re there for a reason”
Published 2024-09-22 19.50
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Director Jonas Åkerlund has worked with some of the world’s biggest stars.
Many celebrities want to surround themselves with “yes” sayers, but Åkerlund always says what he thinks, he says in SVT’s “Min sanning”.
– I probably had some previous meetings with Madonna that were a bit like that.
Lady Gaga, Britney Spearsand The Rolling Stones are some of the world stars as the film director Jonas Åkerlund58, worked with.
In SVT’s “My truth”, the presenter takes Kristian Luuk up that the director has been declared a genius by Madonna. But he hasn’t become that by stroking his hair.
Many world celebrities only want to surround themselves with “yes” sayers, but Jonas Åkerlund has never been such a person, he says.
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full screen Jonas Åkerlund in SVT’s “Min sanning”. Photo: SVT
– I discovered in and of itself early on that it was unique. You were used to that after ten years in Sweden, then you always had a dialogue. “Can’t we try this instead?”. Then I tried to be as direct as I could, he says in SVT.
– I probably had some previous meetings with Madonna who were a bit like that “no what the hell, we can’t do that”.
On such occasions, the atmosphere in the meeting room could change, he says. But Madonna herself always appreciated honesty.
– She really doesn’t want “yes” people around her. You are there for a reason, says Jonas Åkerlund.
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full screenJonas Åkerlund. Photo: Hanna Franzén/TT
Thought Madonna’s call was a joke
The collaboration between Madonna and Åkerlund began with a conversation that the director initially thought was a joke.
In November 1997, he was called by the world star who wanted help to “do something visual” for his new album, where “Ray of light” was the title track.
– It was in the office. You didn’t have cell phones and stuff like that. She called and the receptionist connected a call. I was absolutely certain that someone was joking. Everything was so surreal.
A record company man from the USA came to Sweden with a bag containing a cassette tape. The bag was secured with a handcuff on the man’s arm.
– It was so fucking dramatic because music wouldn’t spread, says Jonas Åkerlund.
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full screenJonas Åkerlund. Photo: Allis Nettréus/Svd/TT
Fell asleep at the star’s house: “Nothing strange”
Shortly after that, Jonas Åkerlund was flown to New York for a meeting with Madonna.
At first, the collaboration was put on hold because they could not agree on some of the ideas. But in the end it was a music video for “Ray of light”.
During the New York stay, Jonas Åkerlund also happened to fall asleep in the star’s home on a sofa, he says.
– She took such a long time and I was probably “behind” and had flown a long way, was “jet lagged” and sat and waited. I dozed off.
Åkerlund woke up to find Madonna standing in front of him.
– There was nothing strange about it, he says.
“Min sanning” is broadcast Sundays at 21.00 on SVT2 and SVT Play.
