"I don't want the world to know everything about me"

A humble 24-year-old who has managed to break through as both an artist and an actor. Omar Rudberg wants to do everything, he likes to push the gas to the limit and is currently triple-starring: in the Netflix series Young Royals, the horror film Karusell and the new season of Så mycket bättre. But he has also learned not to share everything with everyone.

Omar Rudberg bounces into the music studio on Hagagatan in Stockholm with quick steps, full of excuses for being late, while being polite and holding doors open for everyone around him. He also proves to be genuinely curious about what life has to offer and dares to try his wings, regardless of whether he succeeds or not. He always gets up, brushes himself off and then it's full speed ahead again. The driving force behind his success is performance anxiety and questioning whether what he does is really worth watching or listening to, he says. 

– My self-confidence is good sometimes, other times I doubt that what I'm doing is good enough. My trick for silencing the questioning voice is to think "gas down, it'll work out". I simply do my best and see where it leads. I'm a person who wants to try everything, he says. 

He thinks and continues:

– I believe in fate. If you crash, you find a new car and drive on, he metaphorically describes his way of thinking on the subject in question.

When Omar was 6 years old, he moved from his homeland of Venezuela to Sweden with his mother, and ended up in the town of Åsa outside Kungsbacka. The culture clash was huge.

– It was much quieter and calmer in Åsa than I was used to. I felt alone without my big family. Plus, I was a bit of an »outcast« because I didn't know the language when we came to Sweden. 

– At the same time, it was a safer life than in Venezuela. I could play outside anytime. It was wonderful for me as a child to be able to run around everywhere and do whatever I wanted. 

There are of course more downsides to life in Venezuela and Omar talks about a world of crime and violence. But there were also tough parts of growing up in Sweden. He describes it as having only a few close friends: 

– A strong memory from my schooling was that it was very difficult. I didn't feel like others. I tried to fit in, but it didn't work. You can't be anyone other than yourself. 

– I have learned from home to be careful about myself and only be with people who care about me and genuinely want to be with me. Even in adversity, when you feel like crap and everything feels hopeless and most things seem to be going wrong. 

During his school years, he describes himself as an odd guy in the eyes of others – because he was involved in singing. 

– All the other guys wanted to be like Zlatan… My interest in singing was something strange to them. 

Omar has two siblings on his father's side in his home country, but they didn't grow up together and haven't seen each other in a long time. 

– I haven't been back to Venezuela in a very long time. The last time I was 12 years old. 

Omar says that he misses his large family and family reunions very much and that he has almost forgotten the wonderful feeling when everyone sees each other to hang out. 

– I also miss the nice weather, the beach, the music, the food. Venezuela is a fantastic country, really.

Despite his modest age, he is already an experienced artist. He broke through in music ten years ago, first in Talang: a program on Fyran where talented people in various artistic fields compete to win the title in question. Then in the boy band FO&O. 

He has been in the spotlight since he was 14. Omar describes it as ten years of constantly being in the public eye and having a large audience that follows him, likes him and posts pictures on social media. 

– It's special, but I don't know any better, this is my life, like. I love having the audience's eyes on me. The negative parts are that there are not always such kind comments online ... There is a lot of negativity there, something that should change. 

His fame has grown over time and now he is thinking about being private too, not sharing everything. Some pieces belong to himself and those closest to him. 

“I don't want the whole world to know everything about me,” says Omar. 

His breakthrough as an actor came with the Swedish Netflix series Young Royals, which depicts a fictional royal family, as well as the love between two young men. Omar plays the character Simon who begins a relationship with Prince Wilhelm, played by Edvin Ryding. Everything is complicated by Wilhelm's role as a prince in all that royal traditions require.

– It was an honor to be part of that series. We have seen so few stories like this. It is important to feel that you are okay even if you do not belong to the heteronorm. But same-sex love is still repressed in society. For me, it feels good in my heart to have been part of Young Royals. I know that the series means a lot to many.

Omar is also currently in cinemas in the horror film Karusell. It takes place in the Liseberg amusement park after closing time.

Omar also describes  being part of the music program Så mycke t bättre on TV4 as absolutely fantastic.

– I'm looking forward to next year, I of course hope that more people will open their eyes to my music. 

Omar was recently named "Sweden's best dressed man" by Elle magazine and Café magazine also gave him that award. Something he wears with pride. 

– It feels fantastic and was completely unexpected for me. I never thought it would happen to me. But I have a natural interest in clothes, love expressing myself as a person in what I wear and hope to one day develop myself in fashion, design and materials. 

Omar also has a passionate interest in cosmetics. 

– I've always been obsessed with watching my mother put on makeup. Both she and my grandmother always wear red lipstick.

He also checks out his various role models on YouTube, from timeless stars like Marilyn Monroe, Prince and Michael Jackson to contemporary ones like Rihanna, to learn makeup tricks. There is a simple explanation for his interest. Something many can identify with. 

– In my teens, I was ashamed of my acne and because I covered my pimples, people see that you put make-up over them. As a guy, using make-up can feel embarrassing. It really should be more accepted that guys can also like cosmetics, Omar believes. 

Despite all the attention he gets, Omar considers himself a down-to-earth person. He's been in the entertainment industry for so long, and has learned not to take things for granted because life is so changeable. And he has his own strategy.

– You get the furthest by being humble and kind, with the realization that everything you've built up can disappear. You get to enjoy it while it lasts.