Bill Skarsgård is known for scaring the living daylights out of audiences as Pennywise, the terrifying clown of the IT movie franchise. His creepy smile and chilling stare make the character from Stephen King’s novels unforgettable and leave viewers checking under their beds. But as scary as Pennywise is on screen, the actor behind the mask is surprisingly kind-hearted.

The internet has lately witnessed Skarsgård do something so sweet off-screen that it might make it hard to see Pennywise as scary ever again. 

A video posted by PicturesFoIder on X shows Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise giving his shot with a young girl. He flashes his crooked smile and leaps at the kid before the scene cuts. As soon as the take ends, he can be heard asking the little co-star if she is okay.

The clip also shows him high-fiving her and saying “good job,” proving that behind the scary clown is a genuinely caring actor.

Bill Skarsgård first became globally known for playing Pennywise in the 2017 film IT and returned to the role in its 2019 sequel, IT Chapter Two. His chilling performance has brought him widespread recognition and a string of nominations from genre and audience-based award bodies, including nods for Best Supporting Actor at the Saturn Awards and Best Villain at the MTV Movie & TV Awards. The recognition also secured his time as the antagonist in the recently released TV adaptation of Stephen King’s work.

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The IT TV series serves as a prequel to the films, introducing a new group of kids in the familiar, unsettling town of Derry, Maine.

The town of Derry, Maine, was once again under Pennywise’s shadow in IT: Welcome to Derry, the small-screen prequel to the IT films. Released on October 26, 2025, on HBO, the series took viewers back to 1962, exploring the origins of Pennywise. Bill Skarsgård reprised his iconic role, joined by a talented cast including Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, James Remar, Stephen Rider, and Madeleine Stowe.

With IT: Welcome to Derry, bringing Pennywise’s terrifying legacy to life once again, Bill Skarsgård proves he can balance horror with heart, leaving audiences both thrilled and touched. Beyond the frightening smile and haunting stare, his off-screen kindness reminds viewers that the man behind the clown is far from sinister. And as speculation swirls about Skarsgård potentially stepping into the role of Joker in the DC Universe, it seems audiences are in for more unforgettable performances that blend menace with charisma.

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What do you think about Bill Skarsgård’s thoughtful gesture behind the scenes of the IT franchise? Let us know in the comments.