How Asta Nielsen Transformed the Screen

Abstract

Freelance film curator Pamela Hutchinson interviews Scandinavian studies scholar Julie K. Allen about the life and work of silent film star Asta Nielsen, who made her debut in 1910 and was among the most acclaimed performers of her generation. Allen discusses her work on Nielsen, including the translation of the actor’s memoir into English for the first time: The Silent Muse (Rochester, NY: Camden House 2022). The conversation covers Nielsen’s most famous roles, her global reception, and her enduring importance to queer audiences.