There are many different ways to say “I love you” in Norwegian, and Inga Ybsdotter Lileas will show you how to say “I love you.”
It wasn’t in the script for her to say this to co-star Renate Rheinsve in one of the most important scenes in Best Picture nominee Sentimental Value. Some versions are reserved for spouses, family members, etc. But when asked about the Norwegian version of “I love you” that applies to recent Super Bowl halftime sensation and cultural titan Bad Bunny, Lilleas playfully responded using the “spouse” version.
“I saw it on the way home,” she says of the performance that captivated millions of people around the world. “It was amazing. I was so moved. I was incredibly moved.”
What she took away from that moment was heartfelt and consistent with her approach to art. “Love is stronger and always moves towards the top. I think it’s in our nature to do more good to each other than bad to each other.”
For Lileas, it’s a reminder that art, whether it’s music, film, or language itself, is about emotional connection, not admiration.
When I heard my name called for my supporting role in Sentimental Value on the morning of the Oscar nominations, the moment didn’t come out of nowhere.
“It’s a huge deal,” she said on the latest episode of the Variety Awards Circuit podcast. “It’s not something I ever thought possible. But it’s just a top-level indicator of acting in a way.”
The 36-year-old was still celebrating co-star Elle Fanning’s nomination when her own name followed. “I was still Elmode,” she recalled with a laugh.
If her performance as the quiet, cautious sister in Joachim Trier’s family drama feels fully formed, it’s because that’s what Lileas has striven for all her life.
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In “Sentimental Value,” Lillias plays Agnes Borg Pettersen, a woman who absorbs the emotional debris of her family’s disintegration. It’s a performance of subtle gestures and inner transformation, the antithesis of what Oscar critics often describe as a “big” performance.
“I’m obviously more concerned with subtlety and intimacy than demonstrating anything,” she says. “As an audience member, I don’t like that kind of thing.”
Her character survives by retreating. “She’s a very nuanced person in the family. She has to be that way, because she has to step back so that all the other great characters can be themselves. And that’s her role in the family. She brings the whole family together.”
That instinct for restraint is personal. Although trained in physical theater in Norway, she is “very expressive and far from who I am as an actor” and has found that her body guides her process.
“You have to listen to your body,” she says. “As an intellectual, you are not the leader of the situation, because you decide what the outcome will be. And that is not your job as an actor.”
The film’s emotional climax occurs in a bedroom scene between Lileas and co-star Reinsve, who plays his sister Nora, but the hug was completely unscripted.
“I knew it was an important and pivotal scene in the movie,” she says. “Everyone was very attentive and there was a very emotional and intimate atmosphere on set. It gives you confidence and a feeling of being protected so you can be vulnerable.”
After a powerful take, Lileas felt the urge. “I wanted to hug her,” she says. “And I was hesitant because improvisation can sometimes ruin a good take.”
Trier sensed it. “He said, ‘Just hold her.’” And I went to bed and we hugged each other. And I felt filled with love for the sisterhood and the characters. ”
This moment culminates in a declaration of love in Norwegian. This phrase expresses the deepest bond. “That’s what you say to your husband when you get married,” she explains.
Like many international breaks, Lileas is caught up in the vortex of awards season.
“I had no idea how it would work,” she said of the months-long campaign. “I see people promoting movies, but I never really think about it. Now that I think about it, they’ve been to three different countries in three days. How is that possible?”
She laughs at tribal vocabulary. “The word ‘cynicism’ is also a new word. I think it’s insane.”
While she’s grateful for recognition such as Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations, she keeps it in perspective. “My worth as a person is not dependent on me being nominated for something or being disrespected,” she says. “It’s a very constructed reality. It’s not a real competition. We made something months ago and now we’re putting it in the pot. And someone will pick one.”
Growing up in Norway, Lileas fell in love with movies early on. Her parents owned a local theater production company, which introduced her to communal performance. One performance in English left a special impression.
“I remember watching ‘Erin Brockovich’ and being blown away by her performance,” she says. “I think Julia Roberts is wonderful.”
Lilleas remains cautious about opening new doors, including the possibility of making English-language films.
“It would be great if I could work in English,” she says. “But it’s something different. Sometimes the intimacy is lost a little bit, because a lot of it is in the language.”
She’s not chasing any particular collaborator. “I want to work with people who want to work with me,” she says. “I’m not one of those people who scratches at people’s doors. I go where I’m needed.”
It’s a philosophy that extends to motherhood and career. “When you compare your childhood to your career, the most important thing is how they perceive you as a parent,” she says of her children. “Their needs will always prevail.”
Before the Oscar ceremony, she has already started work on her next project, a new Norwegian film that begins production on Monday. Details have not been disclosed, but it is clear that the project will become more complex and move toward the truth.
Playing “Sentimental Value” “made me more hungry for roles like that, more complex characters,” she says.
In a season obsessed with volume and victory speeches, Lileas’ rise was defined by trust, vulnerability, and the radical act of listening. For an actress who thrives on small movements, that may be her greatest strength.
Variety’s “Awards Circuit” podcast, hosted by Clayton Davis, Jazz Tunkay, Emily Longeretta and Michael Schneider, who also serves as a producer, is your one-stop destination for lively conversations about the best in film and television. Each episode’s “Awards Circuit” features interviews with top film and TV talents and creators, discussions and debates about the awards race and industry headlines. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you download your podcasts.
