Bill Skarsgård says he uses his terrifying Pennywise voice when his daughters misbehave, and sometimes Nosferatu joins in

Bill Skarsgård uses his signature Pennywise voice to discipline his children when they misbehave at home. The actor revealed this unusual parenting tactic during a conversation on the Happy Sad Confused podcast with host Josh Horowitz.

As reported by Unilad, Skarsgård, who is 36 years old, is well known for playing terrifying roles like Pennywise the Dancing Clown in the IT franchise and Count Orlok in the movie Nosferatu. When Horowitz asked if his children ever hear the voice of the famous clown, Skarsgård confirmed that the character occasionally appears at home. 

He joked about his habit of slipping into these dark personas, noting that his daughters are familiar with the sound of the clown and the vampire. He described his parenting style in these moments as a whole colorful bunch of schizophrenic daddy.

His oldest daughter is fond of Halloween

The actor shares two daughters with his partner, Alida Morberg. While he keeps his professional life separate from his home life in Stockholm, he noted that his family still enjoys the spooky season. His oldest daughter is particularly fond of Halloween. She once went trick-or-treating dressed as a vampire and even suggested that her father join her in costume as his version of Count Orlok. 

Skarsgård recalled the conversation, noting that he had to explain the reality of the process. He told her that she would need to tell her makeup people to put on the makeup. He added that it would take eight hours to get ready, which is not exactly how it works.

Beyond his horror work, Skarsgård has moved into a more grounded project with director Peter Berg. He is currently working on The Mosquito Bowl, which is based on the book by Buzz Bissinger. The film tells the story of college football players who became military heroes during the Pacific War. These men played a game on Guadalcanal on December 24, 1944, before they entered the conflict.

The production process for this film was intense. It involved filming with five handheld cameras and using practical explosions to create a realistic feel. The actors participated in Australian boot camps where they spent hours each day doing football drills and military training. 

Skarsgård mentioned that the experience was difficult, but he kept his focus on his childhood interests. He wanted to play a Marine in the Pacific because he felt he was doing it for the little guy inside of him. He viewed the role as a way to cross an item off his bucket list, noting that his nine-year-old self would not believe where he ended up.