From his home in Copenhagen, Gladsaxe-born Danish actor LARS MIKKELSEN talks about his role as Captain Anderson on Frankenstein (2025). He recalls his start as a street performer before Shakespeare sent him on his path to acting. Of his long career, Lars reflects on the TV series Sherlock, The Killing, and Borgen that brought him attention abroad and that led to the American series House of Cards. He talks about faith, Jante Law, his love for language, and seeking significance in his work.

Lars selects a work by L.A. Ring from the SMK collection.

https://open.smk.dk/en/artwork/image/DEP535

(Photographer: Robin Skjoldborg)

This conversation with Tina Jøhnk Christensen occurred on January 13, 2026.

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We invite you to subscribe to Danish Originals for weekly episodes. You can also find us at:

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email: [email protected]

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And we invite you to donate to the American Friends of Statens Museum for Kunst and become a patron: https://donorbox.org/american-friends-of-statens-museum-for-kunst

In her West Hollywood family home, Germany-born, Southern California, Newport-Beach-based Danish-Brazilian entrepreneur NATASHA FISKER talks about her newest business venture, the science-backed skincare brand Checked Out that promises health and wellness that works overnight. Natasha further shares her thoughts on multiculturalism, her background in fashion technology, and the evolving trends of social media for marketing, from brand partnerships to influencer culture.

Natasha selects a work by an unknown artist from the SMK collection.

https://open.smk.dk/en/artwork/image/KKSgb1399

(Photographer: Leta Taylor)

This conversation with Christian D. Bruun occurred on February 1, 2026.

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We invite you to subscribe to Danish Originals for weekly episodes. You can also find us at:

website: https://danishoriginals.com/

email: [email protected]

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And we invite you to donate to the American Friends of Statens Museum for Kunst and become a patron: https://donorbox.org/american-friends-of-statens-museum-for-kunst

In her home in Nørrebro, Germany-born, Kolding-raised, Danish-German film and TV editor OLIVIA NEERGAARD-HOLM talks about her process pre-, during, and post-production with her arthouse projects in various languages. She discusses creative ownership and revisits projects such as her 2015 one-take Berlin-set film Victoria, her 2025 US feature The Chronology of Water, and discusses the challenges with the 2024 biographical drama The Apprentice about Donald Trump's formative years.

Olivia selects a work by Martinus Rørbye from the SMK collection.

https://open.smk.dk/en/artwork/image/KMS7452

(Photographer: Emily Turner)

This conversation with Asger Hussain occurred on November 12, 2025.

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We invite you to subscribe to Danish Originals for weekly episodes. You can also find us at:

website: https://danishoriginals.com/

email: [email protected]

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And we invite you to donate to the American Friends of Statens Museum for Kunst and become a patron: https://donorbox.org/american-friends-of-statens-museum-for-kunst

Back in Denmark on business, Viborg-born, San Francisco-based Danish former soccer player and market manager for Joe & The Juice CHRISTIAN MATHIASEN shares his thoughts on working in the Danish people-centric food and beverage company, where juicers are hosts and customers are guests. Christian talks about arriving in 2023 as the youngest person ever to be sent to the US by the company, and his role in establishing the culture as part of the post-COVID rebirth and revival of SF.

Christian selects a work by Søren L. Lange from the SMK collection.

https://open.smk.dk/en/artwork/image/KKSgb12512

(Photographer: Stephanie Hopkins)

This conversation with Christian D. Bruun occurred on November 7, 2025.

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We invite you to subscribe to Danish Originals for weekly episodes. You can also find us at:

website: https://danishoriginals.com/

email: [email protected]

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And we invite you to donate to the American Friends of Statens Museum for Kunst and become a patron: https://donorbox.org/american-friends-of-statens-museum-for-kunst

In Los Angeles completing his upcoming film about Unabomber Ted Kaczynski, north of Viborg-born Danish film and television director JANUS METZ talks about being drawn to characters that look into darkness. From his documentary Armadillo (2010) about Danish soldiers in the war in Afghanistan to his big budget tv series Star Wars: Andor (2025) to the miniseries ZeroZeroZero (2020) about the global cocaine trade, Janus talks about the anthropological approach and perspective in all his work.

Janus selects a work by Per Kirkeby from the SMK collection.

https://open.smk.dk/en/artwork/image/KMS7953

(Private photograph)

This conversation with Asger Hussain occurred on November 10, 2025.

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We invite you to subscribe to Danish Originals for weekly episodes. You can also find us at:

website: https://danishoriginals.com/

email: [email protected]

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And we invite you to donate to the American Friends of Statens Museum for Kunst and become a patron: https://donorbox.org/american-friends-of-statens-museum-for-kunst

From Gehl Studio on Powell Street, Gjern-born, San Francisco-based Danish architect, urban strategist and designer SOFIE KVIST recalls moving to the US when Danish firm Gehl People opened its west coast office. She describes her people-centric and data-driven work focused on public spaces as more social science than design. And she shares conceptual design projects in North American cities that have, at their core, attention to foundational cultural, social, and environmental sustainability.

Sofie selects a work by Ejnar Nielsen from the SMK collection.

https://open.smk.dk/en/artwork/image/KMS1832

(Photograph Source: GEHL)

This conversation with Christian D. Bruun occurred on November 7, 2025.

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We invite you to subscribe to Danish Originals for weekly episodes. You can also find us at:

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email: [email protected]

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And we invite you to donate to the American Friends of Statens Museum for Kunst and become a patron: https://donorbox.org/american-friends-of-statens-museum-for-kunst

From Copenhagen for a short stopover during awards season, Herning-born, Copenhagen-based Danish documentary film producer HELLE FABER talks about her film Mr Nobody Against Putin, currently nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. Helle discusses how she got involved in the secret film, how the subject and filmmakers had to trust each other, and how the team got the subject out of Russia for his safety that would then secure the film's chances to be shown.

Helle selects a work by Ragna Braase from the SMK collection.

https://open.smk.dk/en/artwork/image/kms8905

(Photographer: Martin Bubrandt)

This conversation with Asger Hussain occurred on February 20, 2026.

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We invite you to subscribe to Danish Originals for weekly episodes. You can also find us at:

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And we invite you to donate to the American Friends of Statens Museum for Kunst and become a patron: https://donorbox.org/american-friends-of-statens-museum-for-kunst

From her home in Burbank, Aarhus-born, Peabody Award-winning Danish podcast host, director, and producer LEA THAU retraces her journey from New York to Los Angeles, first leading The Moth, the live platform for storytellers, to creating the podcast Strangers. Lea describes the gradual insertion of own self at the center of her storytelling, exemplified by the "Love Hurts" and "Lea in Trumpland" miniseries. And after a 7-year hiatus, she hints at upcoming shows of yet another kind of storytelling.

Lea selects a work by Erik Henningsen from the SMK collection.

https://open.smk.dk/en/artwork/image/KMS1454

(Photographer: Kevin Zacker)

This conversation with Christian D. Bruun occurred on December 10, 2025.

See more from Lea Thau on https://www.patreon.com/cw/leathau.

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We invite you to subscribe to Danish Originals for weekly episodes. You can also find us at:

website: https://danishoriginals.com/

email: [email protected]

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And we invite you to donate to the American Friends of Statens Museum for Kunst and become a patron: https://donorbox.org/american-friends-of-statens-museum-for-kunst

From his home in Healdsburg in Northern California, Taulov-born Danish winemaker LEO STEEN HANSEN recalls his journey in 1999 from sommelier at famed Copenhagen restaurant Kong Hans to natural winemaking in Sonoma County. Leo shares insights on his approach to his food-friendly wines at Leo Steen Wines, especially his signature Chenin Blanc, and his relationships with vineyard partners along the California coast. And he talks about his newest venture in Denmark, Scout by Leo.

Leo selects a work by P.S. Krøyer from the SMK collection.

https://open.smk.dk/en/artwork/image/KMS1658

(Photographer: Stephanie Hopkins)

This conversation with Christian D. Bruun occurred on November 4, 2025.

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We invite you to subscribe to Danish Originals for weekly episodes. You can also find us at:

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email: [email protected]

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And we invite you to donate to the American Friends of Statens Museum for Kunst and become a patron: https://donorbox.org/american-friends-of-statens-museum-for-kunst

From his studio in Vesterbro, Sønderborg-born Danish photographer SØREN SOLKÆR is home in Copenhagen after an exhibition opening in London. Søren talks about the evolving role of his camera over his three-decade long oeuvre of long-term global projects such as Surface, Photographs Posed, Passage, Souls, Black Sun, and One, focused on people, nature, and spirituality, and his relationship to patience. And he shares his plans for the Adventurer's Club where he is a lifetime member.

Søren selects a work by Christian Lemmerz from the SMK collection.

https://open.smk.dk/en/artwork/image/KMS8399

(Photographer: Søren Solkær)

This conversation with Gregers Heering occurred on November 3, 2025.

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We invite you to subscribe to Danish Originals for weekly episodes. You can also find us at:

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And we invite you to donate to the American Friends of Statens Museum for Kunst and become a patron: https://donorbox.org/american-friends-of-statens-museum-for-kunst