John Carew’s change from international football figure to recognized actor has sparked interest among sports fans and entertainment followers. The former Norwegian player, famous for his time in the Premier League, Valencia and his country’s national team, has found new audiences in Netflix productions and even sharing a cast with Angelina Jolie.Currently, the 46-year-old former forward resides in Norway and has consolidated his position in the audiovisual field after retiring from professional football in 2012.
The transition to acting took place discreetly and gradually.During his last years as a footballer, the former striker took private acting classes in London.“I started acting classes in 2009. He was a coach who came to my apartment and we worked on texts and how to get into a character,” Carew told The Athletic.His interest in dramatic art prospered in parallel with his sporting career, but he preferred to keep it in reserve until the end of his time in football.
Shortly after hanging up his boots, Carew landed his first leading role in a Canadian film, ‘Dead of Winter’, filmed in extreme conditions near Toronto.This experience was decisive.”It was six weeks of filming, two hours from Toronto. It was like being in an acting camp. I loved it,” he commented.Contact with a small team and the physical challenge strengthened his determination to look for new characters outside the field of play.
His acting career continued adding relevant projects.In 2018, he was selected for the Norwegian series ‘Heimebane’, a football drama widely seen and commented on in the country, even by political figures.His role was that of a famous player in his last years in football who had to adapt to the paradigm shift of being coached by a woman.
“I would have been sad not to get this role. We did two seasons. I would say it was my big break,” Carew said.A year later, she was part of ‘Maleficent: Mistress of Evil’, coinciding with Jolie in a Disney production. Later, she gained notoriety with her leading role in the romantic comedy ‘Homefor Christmas’, a program that reached first place on Netflix Norway and marked a leap in her international recognition.
Carew’s interpretive method uses both international references and his own experiences.“I want to build characters from scratch and create something beautiful with this beautiful art of acting,” he said.He analyzed in detail the approach of Tom Hardy, whom he considers his role model for breaking down and recreating characters.In addition, he highlighted the Norwegian actress RenateReinsve as an inspiration, to whom he attributed great talent and the ability to captivate the camera: “Norway has the best actress in the world right now in Renate.”
According to Carew, there are parallels between the pressure of filming and that of professional football.”You’re used to being under pressure as a player, so there are similarities. Working with other actors is teamwork,” he explained. The dynamics on film sets remind him of locker rooms, where coordination and trust are essential.
Despite his establishment as an actor, Carew maintains his connection with football. During his sentence for tax evasion in 2022, he participated as a trainer for the Norwegian Football Federation, collaborating in the training of young talents. Football remains part of his daily life and he still attends matches, offering support to the development of new Norwegian figures, as described by The Athletic.
Carew’s current goals include working with directors like Joachim Trier and achieving his dream of playing a villain in a James Bond movie. “I want to be a villain in a James Bond movie. Not the main villain, but the bad guy’s right-hand man, a silent assassin who loses a fight with Bond in the middle of the movie,” he said in his interview.
The Giraffe, such as his nickname, scored nearly 150 goals in his career both at club and national level.He wore the jerseys of institutions of the stature of Valencia, Aston Villa and Olympique de Lyon and celebrated ten titles.
With the Norwegian team, his two goals are remembered in the 2-1 victory over the Argentine team led by Alfio Basile, in a friendly played in August 2007. Lionel Messi, Gabriel Milito, Javier Mascherano, Javier Zanetti and MaxiRodríguez were some of the players who participated in that test.
