Interview with LEGO Master Leonard von Wolcker: From Childhood Sets to Cinematic MOCs
If you’ve ever seen a breathtaking LEGO recreation of a movie scene — full of detail, humor, and storytelling — there’s a good chance it might have come from Leonard von Wolcker. Known for his cinematic MOCs and his appearance on LEGO Masters Sweden, Leonard has a style that blends nostalgia, creativity, and playfulness in every build. We caught up with him to talk about his journey with LEGO, his time on the show, and what inspires him to keep building.
Leonard’s journey with the brick began like so many others: as a child in the golden age of LEGO Space and Pirates.
“I started building LEGO as a child, and I don’t really remember anything more than that it’s cool to build with bricks. I built a lot of space sets and some pirates, made MOCs of cars with guns and stuff — it wasn’t called MOCing back then, more like just playing. I still have a Skull’s Eye Schooner and an Armada Flagship always displayed in my room.â€
After a period away from LEGO, his passion reignited when he began rebuilding old sets with the intention to sell them — which backfired wonderfully.
“I ended up just buying more LEGO. There are so many new sets that didn’t exist when I was young. I started out as a collector, but soon got into MOCing. At my first event I thought maybe one other person liked LEGO — instead there were 100 AFOLs and 10,000 visitors! That was 2016. My first MOC was terrible, just Endor sets on baseplates with some green leaves. But other AFOLs gave me tips, and I kept learning. Now it’s 8 years later, and I still enjoy every build.â€
Designing a LEGO “Masterpieceâ€
For Leonard, inspiration usually starts with a movie.
“What I like most is building scenes from movies. I put on a film I haven’t seen in a while, and when a scene sticks with me, I think: that would be cool to build. But adapting it from screen to bricks is like adapting a book into a movie — you have to change things to make it work. Kids and adults see MOCs differently too, so I try to build in layers of detail that both can enjoy. And I like sneaking in some fun, unrelated things just for a laugh.â€
His builds often come together quickly, sometimes in just a few hours, but they’re always refined and reworked later — sometimes after feedback from other builders at events.
Favorite Parts, Bricks, and Builds
Leonard has a soft spot for a particular element:
“I like part 35480, the Plate, round 1×2 with open studs. I call it the Hanna brick, after a Swedish LEGO Master builder who uses it for animals. It’s so versatile — you can make walls, towers, textures. I use it in most of my builds.â€
When it comes to themes, his heart belongs to classic LEGO Space:
“Spyrius is the best space theme there is — robots, the first printed legs, what’s not to love? Of course, it’s the one I grew up with. Pirates from the 90s too. And I love fantasy, so Lord of the Rings and the new D&D minifigs are great for MOCs.â€
Becoming a LEGO Master
Leonard’s road to LEGO Masters Sweden wasn’t straightforward.
“I was asked for season 1 and they called for season 2, but I had a small child and didn’t want to leave. I also didn’t think it would be fun TV at first, more like shaming nerds. But other LEGO Masters encouraged me, and by season 3 my wife said, ‘This is the third time — you’ll regret it if they don’t make a fourth.’â€
On the show, the pressure was intense, but the community spirit stood out most.
“The building part was fun, stressful but fun. But the best part wasn’t shown: being in the hotel, talking with others, solving problems together. Our love for the brick was stronger than rivalry. Sometimes we helped rivals, sometimes they helped us. And what the show did for the community was amazing — it made LEGO building more accepted. Suddenly parents at shows weren’t embarrassed, and many became AFOLs themselves. In Sweden, we got a huge wave of new builders after the show aired.â€
Dream Projects and Surprising Builds
Leonard has big ambitions for the future.
“I’d love to get something on LEGO Ideas, even if the chances are slim. More realistically, I want to build something really massive — Gondor or Jurassic Park in minifig scale, something so big it takes six tables to display.â€
He also shared one of his “secret weaponsâ€: the way he builds bases.
👉 Check out Leonard’s base instructions here
Advice for Builders
Leonard encourages builders to push past just following instructions.
“Build what you want. Challenge yourself. Building sets is fine, but if you only stay in that lane, your MOCs won’t grow. Talk to other builders, ask questions, but find your own style. Never grow old — always keep learning. And take care of yourself too: exercise, music, photography — it all fuels creativity.â€
One lesson from LEGO Masters especially stuck with him:
“At home I had a few of many bricks. On the show, we had a lot of a few bricks. It made me realize you can build the same thing in many ways. Now I challenge myself to use what I already have. New techniques are everywhere — learn them, test them, and one day you’ll need them.â€
Final Thoughts
From his childhood Pirates ships to cinematic MOCs and the pressure cooker of LEGO Masters, Leonard von Wolcker’s story is a reminder that LEGO isn’t just about bricks — it’s about imagination, community, and the joy of creating.
And if you meet him at a show, don’t just look at the builds. Ask him about the bases.
