Björn Andrésen, ‘The Most Stunning Boy in the World’ from Death in Venice, Dies at 70
Stockholm, Sweden – Björn Andrésen, the Swedish actor who gained international fame as the captivating Tadzio in Luchino Visconti’s 1971 film Death in Venice, has died. He was 70 years old. The news was reported Sunday by Kristian Petri and Kristina Lindström, co-directors of the Andrésen documentary The Most Beautiful Boy in the World. No cause of death has been disclosed.
Andrésen was just 15 when cast by Visconti in the adaptation of Thomas Mann’s novella. the director famously dubbed him “the most beautiful boy in the world,” a designation that followed Andrésen throughout his life, often to his dismay. He later described the experience of making the film as deeply unsettling and a burden. “I felt like an exotic animal in a cage,” he told The Guardian in 2003.Years later,he stated the role “really complicated his life.”
Born in Stockholm in 1955, Andrésen was raised by his grandmother following his mother’s suicide. She actively pursued opportunities in acting and modeling for him, hoping to cultivate a celebrity within the family.
Despite the lasting impact of Death in Venice, Andrésen continued to work as an actor, appearing in over 30 Swedish films and television series. In a later career turn,he embraced a small but memorable role in Ari Aster’s 2019 horror film Solstice,portraying a man who performs a ritualistic sacrifice. He reportedly welcomed the part, quipping to The Guardian that “being killed in a horror movie is every boy’s dream.”
However, Andrésen also spoke candidly about a disturbing experience during the filming of Death in Venice. He alleged that Visconti, along with a group of men, took him to a gay club despite his young age, leaving him feeling profoundly uncomfortable. “I knew I couldn’t react, it would be my social suicide,” he recalled. He accused Visconti of exploiting his own feelings and characterized him as “one of those cultural predators who would sacrifice anything or anyone for the work.”
Andrésen was also a skilled pianist and musician, demonstrating talents beyond his acting career. His story, and the complex legacy of Death in Venice, was recently explored in the documentary The Most Beautiful Boy in the World.
