Björn Andrésen, the ‘most beautiful boy in the world’ and manga’s accidental muse, dies at 70

Swedish actor Björn Andrésen — immortalised as Tadzio in Luchino Visconti’s Death in Venice (1971) and later revered in Japan as the embodiment of ideal beauty — has died at 70. His passing was confirmed by Kristian Petri and Kristina Lindström, directors of the 2021 documentary The Most Beautiful Boy in the World, which chronicled the lifelong impact of Andrésen’s early fame.

Born in Stockholm in 1955, Andrésen was just 15 when he was cast by Visconti as Tadzio, the ethereal boy who captivates an aging composer in Death in Venice. The role made him an overnight sensation, and the label “the most beautiful boy in the world” became both a blessing and a burden. Andrésen later revealed that the intense objectification and exploitation he faced during that period left deep scars.

Yet his face would transcend cinema, reshaping global pop culture. When Death in Venice premiered in Japan, Andrésen’s angelic, androgynous looks sparked a phenomenon. He became one of the first Western idols in the country, inspiring a wave of manga artists who found in his delicate features the blueprint for the bishounen — the “beautiful boy” archetype that would dominate shōjo manga and anime.

Riyoko Ikeda famously based Lady Oscar from The Rose of Versailles on Andrésen’s likeness, while Keiko Takemiya drew upon his visage for Kaze to Ki no Uta and Terra e... . His influence rippled into later works like Berserk’s Griffith and Monster’s Johan Liebert.

Andrésen continued acting throughout his life, most recently appearing in Ari Aster’s Midsommar (2019). Remembered for both his beauty and his resilience, he is survived by his daughter, Robine.