Kristofer Hivju, Frida Hallgren to Head Swedish Rom-Com 'True Love'

Casting Announced for 'True Love'

Kristofer Hivju, known for his role as Tormund in "Game of Thrones," and Frida Hallgren, of "As It Is in Heaven" fame, will star in the upcoming Swedish-Croatian romantic comedy "True Love" (working title), as reported by both PerthNow and Variety.

The film is directed by Martina Haag, an actor-turned-writer, director, and best-selling author. It is produced by SF Studios and is currently in pre-production, with plans to be pitched at Haugesund's Nordic Co-Production Market on Aug. 26, according to Variety.

"True Love" marks Haag's second collaboration with screenwriter Peter Arrhenius, following her directorial debut "Little Did I Know," which won a Best Film Award at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival in 2024 and became one of Sweden's biggest box office draws of 2025, as detailed by Variety.

Plot and Characters

The story centers on Ellinor (Hallgren), who is dumped by her husband after 20 years of marriage and loses faith in life. Immediately after, she wins €40 million (approximately $46 million), which makes it even harder for her to trust anyone. She then meets Henrik (Hivju), who grew up at the elite Lundsberg boarding school, where his mother worked as a cleaner. To fit in, he learned to lie and became a charming master of deception. Their relationship seems unlikely, but the question arises: what if they are exactly what the other needs?

PerthNow summarizes the premise as a romantic comedy about finding love later in life.

Creative Team's Vision

Haag and Arrhenius emphasized the importance of casting actors who are warm and relatable, given that both main characters are flawed and somewhat extreme at the start of the film. In a joint statement, they said: "As both main characters are flawed and a bit extreme in the beginning of the film, it was important for us to find great actors that are warm and relatable: Real people in exaggerated situations, that we want to be with and see get better."

They added: "Both Frida and Kristofer feel grounded and are capable of going from being extremely funny to super sensitive. And of course, the chemistry and dynamics between the actors is super important in a romantic comedy. If the spark isn't there, it doesn't matter how great the story is. We're so happy to have Frida and Kristofer on board!"

Hivju and Hallgren also expressed their own thoughts on the project. According to a quote attributed to them in the material, they said: "Both Frida and Kristofer are capable of going from being extremely funny to super sensitive." This appears to be a similar sentiment to that of the creative team.

Producer's Enthusiasm

SF Studios producer Helen Ahlsson praised both actors. She told Variety: "Frida is a wonderfully warm and talented actress, and one audiences have taken to their hearts over the years. Kristofer has never really played a romantic lead before, which was perhaps a new challenge he was very keen to take on. In this film, you'll discover a new Hivju like you've never seen before."

Ahlsson also compared the script to hit films such as "Bridget Jones's Diary" and "Mamma Mia," praising its mix of lightheartedness, humor, and emotion. Variety reports that Ahlsson has a background working on dramas ranging from "Pure" to "Will You Care if I Die."

Haag's Focus on Mature Audiences

Haag shared her passion for telling stories for and about people over 50. She told Variety: "I love stories about and for women – and men – over 50. I really can't understand why we don't see more of them as a whole scope of relatable, life altering relationship questions appear after surviving Project Family and raising [children]."

She also discussed her writing partnership with Arrhenius, describing it as a "yin and yang" dynamic, with one focusing on structure and the other on character, as reported by Variety. Haag said that catering to mature audiences came naturally to her.

Production Details

Filming for "True Love" is scheduled to begin on Oct. 8, with locations in Sweden (Stockholm and Dalecarlia) and Croatia, according to both PerthNow and Variety. Delivery is penciled in for autumn 2027.

The film is produced by SF Studios in co-production with Croatia's Kinorama, SVT, and NRK, with funding from the Swedish Film Institute, Film Stockholm, Film i Dalarna, and a Croatian tax rebate, as reported by Variety. PerthNow notes that the production has a working title.