[citation needed] In 1997 he was made a Knight First Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of St Olav for his acting work.

[1] Ousdal has had a number of major roles in Norwegian and Swedish films, including Karjolsteinen (1977), Orion's Belt (1985),[1] Falsk som vatten (1985), Etter Rubicon (1987), and Insomnia.

He has also appeared in US films like The Island at the Top of the World (1974) and in several British productions, most notably the serial The Last Place on Earth (1985), where he starred as polar explorer Roald Amundsen.

Ousdal was diagnosed with cancer in 2008, and lost most of his eyesight due to a mistake made by surgeons during an operation to remove a tumour.

He retired as an actor in November 2013, after playing the title role in a production of King Lear at the National Theatre in Oslo.