Mads Ousdal Leads Dark Comedy R.I.P. Henry

Viaplay has announced R.I.P. Henry, a six-part comedy drama starring Mads Ousdal (Wisting) about death and how our lives can change suddenly due to coincidences or forces outside of our control.

Surgeon Henry Johnsen is an arrogant man, who believes himself to be better than anyone else at Odda hospital so, when he discovers that he has an incurable brain tumor and only one year left to live, he refuses to face the death sentence. He starts a desperate battle to find a cure and is determined to keep his condition a secret from everyone around him.

While Henry processes his death sentence, he initially maintains an air of superiority but is ultimately faced with a choice: should he continue to face the world with anger and arrogance or open up and reveal his true emotions which have remained locked away ever since the death of his dear wife.

The cast also includes Frank Kjosås (Exit), Lena Kristin Ellingsen (Norsemen) and Julie Agnete Vang (Borgen).

Mads Ousdal said: “To make an asshole sympathetic, with a conscience and inner demons is an actor’s dream, or at least mine. It can get intense when I work so closely with the character and deal with so many aspects of life, over such a long period of time. It is the most difficult part and the best part.”

Viaplay Chief Content Officer, Filippa Wallestam, added: “Mads Ousdal’s performance as Henry Johnsen is one of the most memorable from the Nordic region in recent times. He brings depth, conflict and above all empathy to a character who initially appears to lack it completely… Drama of this quality will find an appreciative audience everywhere.”

R.I.P. Henry, directed by Arild Fröhlich (Fatso), is slated to premiere on Viaplay across the Nordic region in 2023.