Bill Skarsgard Arrested for Drug Possession

Actor Bill Skarsgård was arrested in Sweden for possession of cannabis back in October, and the news just reached reporters in the U.S. According to a report by TMZ, the It star was caught carrying 2.43 grams of marijuana at Arland Airport in Stockholm. He was sentenced on Wednesday, and he managed to avoid jail time, probation and parole at the cost of a hefty fine.

Skarsgård paid 40,000 Swedish krona for drug possession – about $3,825 in the U.S. Because he was carrying such a small amount of the drug, he will not need to go on probation or anything like that after he pays the fine. Skarsgård pled guilty to the crime and reportedly submitted all of his paperwork promptly. The actor was born and raised in Sweden, though he has been working in Hollywood productions for a full decade now.

It's not clear what Skarsgård's citizenship situation is now – in a 2017 interview with Mr. Porter he discussed his lifestyle as a full-time traveler with no fixed home, but in 2018 he had a daughter with Swedish actress Alida Morberg. It seems the two settled in Sweden to raise their child, but Skarsgård has been doing most of his work in the U.S. in recent years, and he has plenty of reasons to keep hopping over the pond.

Cannabis is completely illegal in Sweden, with no allowances for medical use nor regulated recreational use as there is in the U.S. According to some online forums, Sweden is particularly strict about cannabis even compared to other countries where it is illegal. Commenters say it is a cultural taboo, not just a legal one.

It's no surprise that Skarsgård can overlook such conventions, as he and his brothers have described their upbringing as "Bohemian." Bill is the fourth out of the seven Skarsgård siblings born to actor Stellan Skarsgård and Dr. My Skarsgård. He kicked off his acting career in Sweden in 2011, but in 2013 he landed a role on the Netflix original series Hemlock Grove. Since then, Skarsgård has found more and more work in Hollywood.

Skarsgård made his American film debut in The Divergent Series: Allegiant, but is better remembered by many for playing Pennywise the clown in It and It: Part Two. He also held a mysterious role in the 2018 Hulu series Castle Rock, which was based on the writings of Stephen King. He has since joined his father in the MCU with roles in Deadpool 2 and Eternals. Last year, he played the main antagonist in John Wick: Chapter 4.

Skarsgård has not commented publicly on his arrest or his sentencing at the time of his writing. John Wick: Chapter 4 is streaming now on PVOD sites like Prime Video.