A music video has arrived for the Rolling Stones’ track “Mr. Charm,” and it features Alexander Skarsgård playing a man capable of charming every patron at a desert diner except one woman. The film was directed by Henry Scholfield and shot in Palmdale, California.
Skarsgård’s character arrives at a run-down desert motel and diner where he charms every patron he meets. Sara Sampaio plays the woman who is the exception, remaining immune to his magnetic pull.
The New Song
The band also put out a new song alongside the video. It was recorded during the sessions at British Grove, and it features Mick Jagger and Keith Richards trading vocals while Charlie Watts plays drums. The track, titled “Bad Luck Hideaway.”, had never been heard before, and Andrew Watt handled production duties.
Foreign Tongues, the record released in July via Capitol Records, is where you can hear “Mr. Charm”.
Actors in the Videos
Skarsgård is the latest actor to appear in one of the band’s videos for the album. Anya Taylor-Joy and Charles Melton starred in the video for “Jealous Lover,” while Odessa A’zion appeared in the video for “In the Stars.”
Previous actors in the band’s videos include:
- Sydney Sweeney
- Paul Mescal
- Nicholas Hoult
- Kristen Stewart
- Angelina Jolie
Recording the Album
The Rolling Stones recorded Foreign Tongues at London’s Metropolis Studios. Guest artists on the album include Steve Winwood, Paul McCartney, the Cure’s Robert Smith, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith, plus a special appearance by the band’s late drummer Charlie Watts.
“I don’t know if tours are possible,” Richards said in June. “It’s the traveling that takes it out of you. But I do see the possibility of us doing a residency somewhere. Wherever it is, London, New York, Paris, anywhere. I’ll play Rome!”
What Richards Said
This year, Jagger confirmed the band is thinking about doing a residency rather than going on tour. Richards offered more detail on the matter in a recent Billboard cover story.
“I know that this is all being kicked around,” Richards said. “We decided this year to focus on getting the record out and not rushing things. So I see no reason why next year, assuming we can’t rush it too much this year, we might be able to do a residency or something. Maybe there’s a new way to bring the road to us.”
A man with magnetic appeal visits a desert diner and wins over everyone there except one woman, who remains untouched by his charm. The video presents this story without causing harm to anyone, contenting itself with amusing its audience.
A man who cannot control his own impulses is at the heart of “Mr. Charm,” and Skarsgård brings to it an ease that keeps the whole thing engaging. Charm carries the video, and Skarsgård has plenty of it.
The tone stays light, the delivery is sure, and the setup borders on absurd — which is precisely the aim.
See the video the story is built around at Rolling Stone.
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