Stellan Skarsgård is doing well despite his past health issues impacting how he works today.

While attending the Los Angeles premiere of Neon’sSentimental Valuein West Hollywood on Nov. 5, the actor, 74, spoke exclusively to PEOPLE about how the stroke he suffered three years ago has affected him on set.

Skarsgård was between filming the two parts of Denis Villeneuve’sDunemovies and set to star in the second season of theStar WarsdramaAndorwhen he fell ill.

“I’m good,” Skarsgård tells PEOPLE when asked how his health is now, before adding that he’s had to adjust because he can no longer memorize lines.

TheOh mamastar says having to rely on an earpiece when filming is “not as easy as you’d think.”

“It sounds like, ‘Oh, yeah. He just listens to his dialogue and assesses it,’” he explains. “But it’s because you have to do … The rhythm of the scene has to be as if he wasn’t there, the voice in the ear.”

“So he has to say his lines very fast and very neutral and on top of my coworker’s lines,” Skarsgård continues. “So it’s a little special work, but it works.”

When asked how long he had to adjust to using an earpiece, he adds, “I didn’t have time to get used to it. I had oneDuneleft and oneAndorleft when I got the stroke, so I had to learn fast.”

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The father of eight previously described having to have his lines fed to him while filmingDune: Part Twoas “extremely frustrating.”

“Suddenly, I can’t come up with names,” Skarsgård toldVulture.“I can’t follow a thought or make an argument that spans several sentences that gets to the point — that, then bang! That is extremely frustrating. But on the other hand, I’m alive. I can work.”

Having not slowed down, Skarsgård stars in and executive produces the newly released movieSentimental Value.He plays a film director seeking a connection with his estranged daughters (portrayed by Renate Reinsve and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas) as he makes a film about their lives starring an American actress (Elle Fanning).

“I’m not afraid of dying, but I am afraid of not being capable of living. That is a fear,” Skarsgård toldVulture.

Sentimental Valuearrived in theaters Nov. 7.