Why Sinestro From Lanterns Looks So Familiar

A former Green Lantern removed from power after an attempted coup, iconic comic book villain Sinestro makes his debut in Season 1, Episode 2 of HBO's "Lanterns." You might just be familiar with the actor who plays him. 

For the past three decades, Danish actor Ulrich Thomsen has developed a prolific catalog of film and TV roles. Perhaps his most easily identifiable character is that of Kai Proctor in the four-season Cinemax crime thriller "Banshee." Thomsen appeared on the show from 2013 to 2016, playing a dangerous, amoral businessman who serves as the foil to Antony Starr's protagonist. 

Thomsen also joined "The Blacklist" in April 2016. In Season 3 and Season 4 of that show, he played another antagonistic businessman, Alexander Kirk, who goes toe to toe against James Spader's anti-hero Raymond Reddington. 

In 1998, Ulrich Thomsen starred in the movie that put him on the map – "The Celebration." This very dark comedy centers on a man named Christian (Thomsen) who uses his father's 60th birthday celebration to expose the abuses he inflicted on his family. The film won many awards, including the Jury Prize at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival, and Thomsen received considerable praise for his tragic, layered performance.

In 2014, Thomsen spoke about "The Celebration" in an interview with Hikari Takano. "To the extent that 'Celebration' went crazy, you can never predict," he said. But he still had an inkling that they'd created something good. "I was pretty sure after we wrapped 'Celebration,' I said, 'This is gonna be good.' I could feel that."

A few of Thomsen's other notable projects over the years include "The World Is Not Enough," "The International," "Flickering Lights," "Brothers," "Trom" and "Small Town Killers."