Skarsgard Not a Fan of Da Vinci Code Dan

Mamma Mia! star Stellan Skarsgard has sent producers of his new blockbuster Angels & Demons reeling after revealing he's not a fan of the author behind the Da Vinci Code books.

The Scandinavian star called Dan Brown a "bad writer" during a recent appearance on a Swedish news show, and revealed he only agreed to appear in Angels & Demons after reading the script based on the book.

He says, "I think Dan Brown is a terribly bad writer, but he has cliffhangers after every chapter which makes you continue reading.

"It's like eating peanuts at a bar. You don't like them, but you keep on eating them anyway."

Skarsgard, who plays a Vatican guard in the blockbuster, admits he would never have signed up for the film had it not been for director Ron Howard's reworked script: "The story is more simple and straightforward but just as dramatic."