Alexander Skarsgård on Relating to Murderbot’s Social Awkwardness! (Exclusive)

Alexander Skarsgård is dishing on his new action comedy series “Murderbot,” in which he plays a security robot who secretly gains free will and, to stay hidden, joins a mission protecting scientists on a dangerous planet — even though it just wants to binge space soap operas!

“Extra’s” Mona Kosar Abdi spoke with Alexander about being drawn to his idiosyncratic and weird character, who definitely isn’t your typical action hero.

Skarsgård was “really excited” to take on the role of Murderbot, which he described as a “weird, lovely little character.”

He shared, “It was interesting to see how it would… explore its own humanity.”

Alexander also admitted it was easy to lean into Murderbot’s feelings about being “socially uncomfortable” around humans.  

He noted that “it wasn’t hard to play those scenes in the beginning” when Murderbot is introduced to humans, who are “quite different” from the usual clients he is asked to protect.

“[Humans] are space hippies, essentially. They are very inclusive and they want to hug and they also want to invite Murderbot into the team as a member and Murderbot is terrified by that and confused by it,” Skarsgård added. “I think most of us can relate to feeling out of place or socially awkward in a room and you’re trying to read the room.”

Given the show’s setting in space and all the recent talk about space travel, we had to ask — would Alexander want to go to space?

He answered, “Yes, I’d go… I think it’d be a pretty incredible experience to see the Earth from up high.”