Birgitte Hjort Sorensen

Birgitte Hjort Sørensen – Life, Career, and Memorable Quotes

Explore the life and career of Danish actress Birgitte Hjort Sørensen — from musical theatre beginnings to Borgen, Game of Thrones, and Broadway, with insights, quotes, and her enduring influence.

Introduction

Birgitte Hjort Sørensen (born 16 January 1982) is a Danish actress known for her versatility across theatre, television, and film. She gained international prominence playing journalist Katrine Fønsmark in the political drama Borgen, and has since appeared in Game of Thrones, Pitch Perfect 2, Vinyl, and on Broadway. Her career blends Scandinavian roots with global reach, and her public voice has addressed creativity, identity, and gender norms. In this article, we trace her biography, artistic milestones, quotes that illuminate her worldview, and the lessons her journey offers.

Early Life and Family

Birgitte Hjort Sørensen was born in Hillerød, Denmark on 16 January 1982. Birkerød and comes from a family of medical professionals: both of her parents worked as doctors.

As a teen, Birgitte performed roles in student government and edited the school magazine while attending Øregård Gymnasium in Hellerup.

A pivotal moment came when she was about 19 years old: on a school trip to London she saw a West End production of Chicago, and said in interviews that she sat in the theatre thinking, “I want to be on that stage one day.”

She later studied at the Danish National School of Performing Arts, from which she graduated before fully entering professional acting.

Entry into Acting & Theatre Career

While still a student, Birgitte made her television debut in 2005 with a small role in the crime procedural The Eagle (Denmark).

Her breakout on stage came with the musical Chicago. In 2007 she played Roxie Hart at Copenhagen’s Det Ny Teater — a production that became the highest-grossing theatre show in Denmark that year.

On stage, she also performed in Coriolanus at Donmar Warehouse in London, playing Virgilia opposite Tom Hiddleston. Les Liaisons Dangereuses in 2016.

Television & Film Career

Borgen and International Recognition

Birgitte achieved broad recognition for her portrayal of Katrine Fønsmark, an idealistic television journalist in the Danish political drama Borgen (2010–2013, revived in 2022).

In the 2022 Borgen revival, her character resurfaces, now in a leadership role (news director), dealing with the tensions between journalistic integrity and business demands.

Film & TV Roles

She has had a varied screen career, including:

• Karsi in Game of Thrones (episode “Hardhome”) — a Wildling leader.

• Kommissar in Pitch Perfect 2 (2015) — leader of a rival a cappella group.

• Ingrid, muse of Andy Warhol, in Vinyl (HBO).

• Role in Autómata (2014) in an international sci-fi film.

• In Someone You Love (En du elsker), she played a mother battling drug addiction — earning a Bodil Award nomination.

She has also appeared in Danish cinema (e.g. Ved verdens ende), Marie Krøyer, and in the Norwegian film In Order of Disappearance.

Style, Persona & Public Profile

Birgitte is known for combining emotional depth with professionalism and sensitivity in her roles. She embraces strong female characters and often speaks in interviews about the responsibilities and challenges of being a woman in the entertainment industry.

She has voiced critiques about casting biases: for example, she once said:

“If you go for an audition, you have a character description, and for the women, it’s always about being beautiful, sexy. And for the men it’s more about the character … That annoys me.”

She also values individual choice over fashion industry dictates:

“I have a problem with fashion magazines sometimes – they seem to have these dogmas or uniforms… I prefer to decide for myself what I think is beautiful or fashionable.”

In regard to art and creative community, she said:

“For me, art is like a big support group, where you go and meet people who think the same way, and you go, ‘Okay, I’m not nuts.’”

She also reflects on Borgen’s appeal:

“Usually, when you get early versions of scripts, they are not very good. I found ‘Borgen’ amazing … it felt more international … but still, nobody thought it would travel.”

Famous Quotes by Birgitte Hjort Sørensen

Here is a curated selection of her quotes that reveal her perspectives on art, identity, and society:

• “Don’t worry about not fitting in. The things that make people think you’re weird are what makes you you, and therefore your greatest strength.”

• “If you go for an audition … for the women, it’s always about being beautiful, sexy. … That annoys me.”

• “I have a problem with fashion magazines sometimes … I prefer to decide for myself what I think is beautiful or fashionable.”

• “Usually, when you get early versions of scripts … I found ‘Borgen’ amazing … it felt more international …”

• “For me, art is like a big support group, where you go … ‘Okay, I’m not nuts.’”

• “The thing with drama is you’re allowed to invent people who are maybe slightly better than real people.”

These quotes reflect her desire to challenge norms around beauty and performance, and her belief in creativity as a communal, validating experience.

Lessons from Her Journey

1. Courage to shift paths
   Emerging from a family of doctors, she chose a more uncertain artistic path — showing that personal calling often requires departure from expectations.

2. Crossing boundaries
   By performing in Danish theatre, West End, Broadway, and international TV/film, she demonstrates that acting can be both local-rooted and globally mobile.

3. Voice over appearance
   Her statements about auditioning reveal how she pushes back on superficial casting pressures, calling for depth in roles rather than mere aesthetics.

4. Collaboration and support in art
   Her notion of art as a “support group” underscores how creative work thrives through community, not isolation.

5. Reinventing familiar narratives
   Through roles like Katrine in Borgen, she helps reframe narratives about women in media and politics, contributing to more nuanced representation.

Conclusion

Birgitte Hjort Sørensen is a compelling example of a modern actor who bridges national and international stages. From her early inspiration watching Chicago in London to commanding roles in Borgen, Game of Thrones, and Broadway, she crafts a career with integrity, ambition, and perspective. Her quotes highlight a person committed to authenticity, artistic agency, and challenging norms.

If you’d like, I can also provide a recommended list of her best performances, or deeper analysis of a particular role (e.g. Katrine in Borgen or Karsi in Game of Thrones). Would you like me to do that?