23/11/2023 - The film will paint the “portrait of one of Danish pop culture's biggest stars”, who is best known for his cult hit “Disco Tango” and will be played by Anders Matthesen

Last week, SF Studios announced that Anders Matthesen will portray Tommy Seebach, one of the greatest personalities in Danish music history, in a new feature called Under the Stars in the Sky. The picture is being directed by Kasper Gaardsøe (the TV series The Rain and DNA), and is penned by Jannik Tai Mosholt and Stefan Jaworski. 

In detail, Under the Stars in the Sky will zoom in on the life of the pop star, who in 1979, by a stroke of fate, grabbed the opportunity to participate in the Danish Song Grand Prix with his cult hit “Disco Tango”. The song became a huge success in Denmark and gained international recognition when it came sixth in the Eurovision Song Contest.

“But it’s also a family story – a drama about a father who got so far into his addiction that he had to move away from his wife and children, before he finally understood and expressed how much they meant to him,” the official press release further explains.

Seebach represented his country three times at the Eurovision Song Contest. The film reflects the title of his last entry in 1993, “Under stjernerne på himlen”.

Speaking about his next role, Matthesen said: “Under the Stars in the Sky is both a harsh and a touching story about a man who fights fiercely to stay at the top and at the same time maintain a family life. A pressured man who ends up losing himself in the attempt to fulfil both his own and others’ expectations.”

“Tommy Seebach’s constant yearning for recognition and his love for his family almost put each other at odds. We meet Tommy both when he is at his most inspired and energetic, and when he is at rock bottom in his life,” commented Gaardsøe.

Talking about his choice of casting Matthesen, he revealed: “To portray an iconic and beloved character like Tommy takes great courage! [He is] a character that contains both great pain and anxiety mixed with musicality and love for his family, a popular entertainer who is actually shy and just prefers to hide in the music. With Anders Matthesen, I found Tommy Seebach’s very special energy and sensitivity. Anders’ completely unique timing and musicality, combined with his great empathy for Tommy as a character, make him the perfect fit for the role.”

“The Seebach family’s support has been vital in enabling this story to meet a big audience, and we at SF Studios are proud to take it to the big screen together with Tall and Small,” added Yaba Holst, head of Nordic Acquisition at SF Studios.

Under the Stars in the Sky is being produced by Christian Potalivo and Asta Stuhr for Tall and Small (Denmark), with SF Studios co-producing and distributing the film in the Nordic countries. The film is also being backed by the Danish Film Institute and FilmFyn, with co-financing provided by DR. The project will enter production in spring 2024, and its theatrical release in Denmark is slated for February 2025.