Tuva Novotny

Tuva Novotny (born Tuva Matilda Moa Karolina Hedström; 21 December 1979), also known as Tuva Novotny-Hedström, is a Swedish actress, director, and singer.

Early life and education
Tuva Matilda Moa Karolina Hedström was born on 21 December 1979 in Stockholm, the daughter of actor and sculptor Barbro Hedström, and Czech film director and academic David Novotny. She grew up near Arvika in Värmland County, Sweden, where she trained in classical ballet and participated in local youth bands.

After moving to Stockholm, she took part in various activities at Vår teater, a children's theatre, and attended St Erik's High School, where she studied theatre.

She moved to Czech Republic to study at a drama school there, but this was interrupted.

Acting
At the age of 16, Novotny had a leading role in the TV series Skilda världar, which ran from 1996 to 2000. She took on more complex roles in films such as Tic Tac (1997) and The Invisible (2002), and played a psychotic woman in the 2001 short film Anja.

In 2003, she was acclaimed for her role in the play Limbo at Stockholm City Theatre.

She starred in the American film Eat Pray Love in 2010, and in the years following played as Puck Ekstedt in several film adaptations of Maria Lang's crime novels.

Novotny played one of the leading roles, as Cass Sheppard, in the 2018 sci-fi thriller Annihilation.

Filmmaking
Novotny directed several episodes of the first season of Norwegian TV series Dag in 2010, after being invited to do so by friends. Her feature film directorial film debut was the Norwegian drama Blind Spot (Blindsone), which she also wrote. Blind Spot had its world premiere in August 2018 in Haugesund, Norway, and was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and San Sebastian.

She wrote the screenplay for and directed the feature films Britt-Marie Was Here (2019) and Diorama (2022). Diorama is a Swedish/Norwegian/Danish co-production, and stars Claes Bang, David Dencik, and Sverrir Guðnason.

Recognition and awards
Novotny's films have been screened at various film festivals, including San Sebastián, the Netherlands Film Festival in Utrecht; Copenhagen's CPH PIX in Copenhagen; and Cannes Film Festival.

Novotny was nominated for the Guldbagge Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in 2003 and 2006, and for the Guldbagge Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in 2006.

In 2018, Novotny won the New Talent Grand Prix award at CPH PIX for her directorial debut Blind Spot. Lead actress Pia Tjelta won the Silver Shell for Best Actress at San Sebastian for her performance in the film.

Personal life
In 2003, Novotny was living in Copenhagen.

Novotny has three children. The father of one of her children is the Swedish actor Alexander Skarsgård.

Selected filmography

 * 1996–1999: Skilda världar (TV soap opera)
 * 1997: Tic Tac
 * 2000: Sleepwalker
 * 2000: Naken
 * 2000: Jalla! Jalla!
 * 2000: Herr von Hancken (TV miniseries)
 * 2001: Anja
 * 2002: Den Osynlige
 * 2003: Norrmalmstorg (TV)
 * 2003: Slim Susie (original title: Smala Sussie)
 * 2003: Make Believe (original Swedish title: Kommer du med mig då)
 * 2003: Midsummer (original Danish title: Midsommer, Swedish title: Midsommar)
 * 2004: Stratosphere Girl
 * 2004: Day and Night (original Swedish title: Dag och Natt)
 * 2004: Waiting for Rain (original Swedish title: I väntan på regn)
 * 2004: Familien Gregersen (English title: Lost Generation)
 * 2005: Young Andersen (original Danish title: Unge Andersen)
 * 2005: Close to Heaven (original title: Blizko Nebe)
 * 2005: Four Weeks in June (original Swedish title: Fyra veckor i juni)
 * 2005: Stoned
 * 2005: Bang Bang Orangutang
 * 2006: No. 2 a.k.a. Naming Number Two
 * 2006: All it takes is a miracle (original Swedish title: Små mirakel och stora)
 * 2006: Snapphanar
 * 2007: The Black Madonna (original Danish title: Den Sorte Madonna)
 * 2008: The Candidate
 * 2009: Original
 * 2009: Possession
 * 2009: Simon & Malou
 * 2009: Bröllopsfotografen
 * 2010: Truth About Men (original Danish title: Sandheden om mænd)
 * 2010: Dear Alice
 * 2010: Eat Pray Love
 * 2010: Dag (Norwegian comedy drama series)
 * 2011: ID:A
 * 2012: Fuck Up
 * 2012: Mammas pojkar
 * 2013: Crimes of Passion (collective title for a series of six feature-length TV crime dramas)
 * 2015: A War
 * 2016: The King's Choice
 * 2016: Nobel (TV series)
 * 2017: Borg/McEnroe
 * 2018: Annihilation
 * 2018: Blind Spot (writer/director)
 * 2019: Britt-Marie Was Here (writer/director)
 * 2019: ''Exit Plan
 * 2021: The Middle Man
 * 2021: Bonus Family (TV series)
 * 2022: The Kingdom (original Danish title: Riget) (TV series)
 * 2022: Zero Contact
 * 2022: Diorama
 * 2023: The Abyss (original Swedish title: Avgrunden)

Music

 * 2003 – "Newfound Lover", from the soundtrack album Smala Sussie