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- Producer
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Born in 15 March 1959 as Renny Lauri Mauritz Harjola, he is the most successful Finnish film director in the history of Hollywood.
Harlin started his career in film business in the beginning of 1980s when he was directing commercials and company films for companies like Shell. Later he worked as a buyer for Finnish film distributor and met Finnish Markus Selin in Los Angeles. They became friends and started writing a screenplay called "Arctic Heat". The project started fast and soon they had Chuck Norris signed on leading role for the film. But with money problems shooting schedule didn't hold and Norris left the project, but Selin and Harlin got Mike Norris for the leading role. They wrote new script, Born American (1986), and got financial help from USA. In the year 1986 Born American (1986) was finished and the most expensive Finnish film ever opened in USA in over 1,000 theaters and reached no 9.
The film wasn't successful in Finland, where it was banned. Harlin moved to Los Angeles and got a job from Halloween (1978) producer Irwin Yablans who offered him script of "Prison" to film. Film was made with low budget and distributed with only 42 copies. In the same year 1988 he got a job from New Line Cinema to direct A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988) after meeting producer Robert Shaye numerous times, who at the first didn't want Harlin to direct the film. It became the highest-grossing film in the series, though its budget was seven times greater than the original "A Nightmare on Elm Street" film.
20th Century Fox wanted Harlin to direct the Andrew Dice Clay rock'n roll comedy The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990) and also a sequel to Die Hard (1988). Harlin made the both, but only Die Hard 2 (1990) was commercially successful, with over 239 million dollar worldwide gross. Next he directed Cliffhanger (1993) with Sylvester Stallone which made $255 million worldwide and was nominated for 3 Oscar's. Before Cliffhanger (1993) Harlin was hired to direct "Alien³" but he left the project because of creative differences.
His next film Cutthroat Island (1995) was a pirate film made with $100 million budget. Unfortunately it came out without good promotion and flopped badly. It made only $10 million in USA and for a time became the biggest flop in Hollywood history. But for Harlin, it wasn't a total loss.
The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996) was a critical success, but was a box office flop, grossing only $30 million domestically with a $65 million budget.
In year 1998, Warner Bros. wanted a summer blockbuster for the year 1999 and Renny Harlin was the right name to direct. Deep Blue Sea (1999) came to theaters after costing 60 million dollars to film and made $160 million worldwide. The film never hit the top spot in the USA but still grossed $73 millions in the USA alone.
Harlin was hired to direct Exorcist: The Beginning (2004) after John Frankenheimer left the job and died shortly after it, and Paul Schrader was fired. Producers knew that Harlin could made a blockbuster even with the weak script, and so he did. With $50 million budget the film opened in number 1 and grossed $80 million worldwide.
Probably most liked Harlin's film Mindhunters (2004) was released in 2004 after years post-production. It was released in USA in 2005 in over 1,000 theaters but it only reached 10th place. In 9 weeks it grossed only $4 million dollars.
The Covenant (2006) was released in 2006. With non-famous (but attractive) actors, the film hit the top in its opening weekend and became a successful film. With a $20 million budget, it grossed $37 million worldwide and DVD sale brought $20 million more.- Actress
- Director
- Writer
Pihla Viitala was born on 30 September 1982 in Helsinki, Finland. She is an actress and director, known for Latin Lover (2015), Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013) and Star Boys (2017). She was previously married to Kerkko Koskinen.- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Laura Birn was born on 25 April 1981 in Helsinki, Finland. She is an actress and writer, known for Void (2018), A Walk Among the Tombstones (2014) and Purge (2012).- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Peter Franzén is one of Finland's most accomplished actors and has had a successful career both nationally and internationally. He was born in Northern Finland, Kemi, close to the Arctic Circle in Lapland. Peter has been true to his craft as an actor for almost 30 years and he has worked in over 50 movies earning him three Jussi Awards (Finland's national film prize) and a total of seven nominations, also international Awards.
His film credits include for example: "The Gunman" opposite Sean Penn and Javier Bardem, Finnish controversial films "Heart of a Lion" and "Open Up To Me", which was nominated for the Nordic Council Film prize. Another Feature film "Purge" was Finland's official selection for the Academy Awards. Peter's most recent feature film is "Meander" (France 2020.)
TV-credits: Franzén enjoyed tremendously working in the "Vikings"-series (2016-2019, History Channel, HBO), portraying king Harald Finehair. "Working and living and in Ireland has been one of the absolute highlights of my career." His latest TV-work includes the new series "Wheel of Time" (2019-2020 Sony Pictures Television, Amazon Studios)
In 2013 Franzén made his feature directorial debut with his film "Above Dark Waters." The film opened in his native Finland and is based on a semi-autobiographical 2010 novel of the same name. Peter also adapted and wrote the Screenplay. The film was selected as the Finnish entry for the Golden Globes, in 2013.
Franzén recently published his third Novel, "The Broken Wheel Ranch" (Särkyneen pyörän karjatila). He lives in France.- Actress
- Writer
- Production Designer
Krista Kosonen was born on 28 May 1983 in Espoo, Finland. She is an actress and writer, known for Blade Runner 2049 (2017), The Midwife (2015) and Miami (2017). She has been married to Antti J. Jokinen since May 2018. They have one child.- Producer
- Writer
- Director
Aki Kaurismäki did a wide variety of jobs including postman, dish-washer and film critic, before forming a production and distribution company, Villealfa (in homage to Jean-Luc Godard's Alphaville (1965)) with his older brother Mika Kaurismäki, also a film-maker. Both Aki and Mika are prolific film-makers, and together have been responsible for one-fifth of the total output of the Finnish film industry since the early 1980s, though Aki's work has found more favour abroad. His films are very short (he says a film should never run longer than 90 minutes, and many of his films are nearer 70), eccentric parodies of various genres (road movies, film noir, rock musicals), populated by lugubrious hard-drinking Finns and set to eclectic soundtracks, typically based around '50s rock'n'roll.
In the 1990s he has made films in Britain (I Hired a Contract Killer (1990)) and France (The Bohemian Life (1992)).- Actor
- Director
- Soundtrack
George Gaynes was born in Helsinki in May, 1917, which was then the capital of the Grand Duchy of Finland. The Grand Duchy was part of the Russian Empire, which was in a state of collapse at the time of Gaynes' birth. The Emperor Nicholas II of Russia had abdicated the throne on March 15, two months prior to Gaynes' birth, and the Empire was in the process of splintering.
His family left the country, and George was primarily raised in France, England, and Switzerland. Neither of his parents was Finnish. His father Gerrit Jongejans was a Dutch businessman, and his mother Iya Grigorievna de Gay was a Russian artist. George attended college in the vicinity of Lausanne, Switzerland and graduated in 1937. He then attended a music school in Milan, Italy for about a year.
In 1940, George Gaynes was living in France, during the time of the Battle of France in World War II. The Battle ended in defeat for the French Third Republic and the country was occupied by Nazi Germany. George attempted to flee the occupation authorities, by crossing the Pyrenees mountains into neutral Spain. He was arrested by the Spanish authorities for illegally crossing the border, but was soon released.
In 1943, George joined the Royal Netherlands Navy. With the Netherlands under German occupation, the headquarters of the Navy had moved to London, in the United Kingdom. George had no previous military experience, but he was noticed for multilingual skills. He fluently spoke Dutch, English, French, Italian and Russian. He was soon detached to the (British) Royal Navy to serve as a translator.
During his naval service in World War II, George took part in the Allied invasion of Sicily, the Battle of Anzio in the Italian Campaign, and the Adriatic Campaign. The War ended in 1945 and George was honorably discharged in July, 1946. His highest military rank was that of a sergeant.
In 1946, George briefly returned to living in France. He was approached by an American theater director with the offer to play a part in a musical. He took the offer and moved to New York City, where he started appearing in Broadway musicals. He applied for American citizenship and officially became a citizen in 1948.
From the late 1940s to the early 1960s, George Gaynes was primarily a theatrical actor. His roles included various musicals, dramas, and comedies. One of his better-known roles was that of Henry Higgins in the theatrical version of ''My Fair Lady'', which went on a successful tour in 1964.
In the early 1960s, George started appearing as a character actor in various television series. He was also offered a number of film roles. His career unexpectedly took off in the 1980s, with a major part in the television series Punky Brewster (1985) and another one in the then-popular film series "Police Academy" from 1984 to 1994. In Police Academy (1984), his role was that of Commandant Eric Lassard, the titular leader of the Academy. He played the role in all 7 films of the series, though he only had a featured part in the fifth film. This was probably his most memorable role and gained him celebrity recognition for the first time.
In the 1990s, his career slowed down again, with only a few film appearances. He only played in a single film through the 2000s, Just Married (2003), and then retired. He was 86-years-old and could no longer play physically demanding roles. He spend 13 years in retirement before he died of natural causes in 2016.- Actor
- Additional Crew
Joonas Suotamo was born on 3 October 1986 in Espoo, Finland. He is an actor, known for Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019) and Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015).- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Jasper Pääkkönen is an actor, fly fisherman, environmentalist and an entrepreneur. His most recent work include the role of Felix in Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman and Halfdan the Black in the hit TV series Vikings. In his home country Finland, according to newspaper Ilta Sanomat, he is "the most profitable film actor in Finland" for having starred in many of Finland's biggest box office hits during his career. For his role Harri in Dome Karukoski's Heart of a Lion (Leijonasydän) he won the Finnish Jussi award (local Oscar). Many of Pääkkönen's films have made #1 in the Finnish B.O., including Pahat Pojat (Bad Boys - a true story), Matti, Frozen Land and Lapland Odyssey. Apart from his work in film, he is know as the cult outdoor brand Patagonia's ambassador. The architectural spa Löyly, which he built and owns in Helsinki, was named one of World's 100 Greatest Places by Time Magazine. In his free time he travels the world fly fishing as the cult outdoor brand Patagonia's brand ambassador.- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Ilkka Villi is an actor best known for his roles in television series such as Bordertown (Sorjonen) and Invisible Heroes - and for the title role in the cult video game Alan Wake.
Villi was born in Helsinki, Finland, but lived a big part of his early years in different countries in Europe and The Americas. Villi speaks multiple languages and has acted in Finnish, English, Spanish, German and Swedish.- Actress
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Iina Kuustonen was born on 18 April 1984 in Helsinki, Finland. She is an actress and writer, known for Helsingin herra (2012), Putous (2010) and Punttikomedia (2022).- Director
- Writer
- Art Department
Jalmari Helander was born on 21 July 1976 in Helsinki, Finland. He is a director and writer, known for Rare Exports (2010), Sisu (2022) and Big Game (2014).- Jouko Ahola was born on 1 December 1970 in Hämeenlinna, Finland. He is an actor, known for Kingdom of Heaven (2005), Vikings (2013) and Mal día para pescar (2009).
- Writer
- Additional Crew
- Director
Sam Lake was born on 28 March 1970 in Finland. He is a writer and director, known for Alan Wake II (2023), Max Payne (2008) and Control (2019).- Actress
- Producer
- Executive
Anna Falchi was born on 22 April 1972 in Tampere, Finland. She is an actress and producer, known for Cemetery Man (1994), C'è Kim Novak al telefono (1994) and S.P.Q.R. 2000 e 1/2 anni fa (1994). She was previously married to Stefano Ricucci.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Ville Virtanen was born on 19 August 1961 in Espoo, Finland. He is an actor and director, known for Sauna (2008), Bad Family (2010) and Karjalan kunnailla (2007). He is married to Birthe Wingren. He was previously married to Eija Vilpas.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Jussi Vatanen was born on 30 January 1978 in Sonkajärvi, Finland. He is an actor and writer, known for Fallen Leaves (2023), The Unknown Soldier (2017) and The Man Who Died (2022).- Actor
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Eero Milonoff was born on 1 May 1980 in Helsinki, Finland. He is an actor, known for Border (2018), Ganes (2007) and The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki (2016).- Actress
- Writer
Kati Outinen was born on 17 August 1961 in Helsinki, Finland. She is an actress and writer, known for The Man Without a Past (2002), Le Havre (2011) and The Match Factory Girl (1990).- Actor
- Producer
Born in Helsinki 1977 as the second child to Jukka Strang and Camilla Strang (Andersson), younger brother of Janne Strang (b. 1974). Grew up in the town of Vasa on the Finnish west coast. Wanting to become an actor since early childhood, he took it up seriously from his first lead appearance as the character Arne Anka for Vasa's student theater Ramppi. In 1997 Pekka was admitted to TEAK (Finland's leading acting school) where from he graduated in 2001. Various acting in both film and theater in Finland followed, often to critical and public acclaim. Since 2005 employed as artistic director for Lilla Teatern in Helsinki.- Actress
- Additional Crew
- Writer
Inka Kallén was born on 30 September 1981 in Tuusula, Finland. She is an actress and writer, known for The Wait (2021), All the Sins (2019) and Arctic Circle (2018).- Director
- Actor
- Writer
Timo Vuorensola was born on 29 November 1979 in Tampere, Finland. He is a director and actor, known for Iron Sky (2012), Iron Sky: The Coming Race (2019) and Star Wreck: In the Pirkinning (2005).- Sirpa Lane was born in 1952 in Turku, Finland. She was an actress, known for Le notti segrete di Lucrezia Borgia (1982) and Papaya: Love Goddess of the Cannibals (1978). She died in 1999 in Formentera, Balearic Islands, Spain.
- Greta Kukkonen was born on 25 January 1911 in Helsinki, Finland. She was married to Gregory Peck. She died on 19 January 2008 in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Actress
- Director
- Writer
Anna Easteden is a Finnish -born farmer's daughter, an international model and a Los Angeles, CA -based award nominated actress. Easteden started her career as a teenager after receiving a large modeling contract with a Japanese modeling agency. She holds a B.A. in Theater and Performance Studies from University of California, Berkeley and a B.A. in Political Science from Univeristy of California, Berkeley. In Tokyo she modeled for large companies: Kanebo, Sony, Nissen, Wacoal, Oricom, NEC and Lux, among many others. In addition to working in Japan, Easteden, who loves traveling, worked in other countries, such as Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and New Zealand. Anna's modeling career continued in the US as well. Her clients include: Salvatore Ferragamo, Calvin Klein, XOXO, Hermes, Diesel, Pony, T-Mobile, Toyo Tires, Michael Antonio, and Jockey. Easteden's first theater performance as an actress was in a musical "The Sleeping Beauty" at the Tivoli Theater in Chicago in the name role "Beauty". Her most meaningful theater performance was at University of California, Berkeley, where Easteden received her Bachelor of Arts in Theater and Performance Studies as well as Bachelor of Arts in Political Science - playing "Nella" in "A Murder of Crows" written by Mac Wellman. Easteden has acted in notable TV-shows, such as: "Two and a Half Men", "Bones," "Days Of Our Lives" and "Who Wants to be a Superhero?." Her award nomination came from the Method Fest Film Festival from her portrayal of Nina in the film by Mika Kaurismäki, "The House of Branching Love", which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. In Finland, Easteden is the host of "Wipeout" on FOX. Her most recent films: "Junkie" in which she plays the title role of the Junkie and "Ribbons" are opening in theaters in late 2016. Easteden's interests also include those in the humanitarian arena. Easteden conducted a comparative legal research study on the different aspects of asylum procedures in selected European countries for United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Bratislava, Slovakia. Her research impacted the Slovak National Asylum Legislation, which was in the process of amendment.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Finnish-American actress and dancer Taina Elisabeth Elg was born in 1930 in Helsinki but later her family moved and lived in and around Finland, including Turku. Taina's mother was a Russian immigrant, pianist Helena Doroumova, and her father was pianist Åke Elg (a.k.a. Åke Ludwig). Her home later became a target during the Finnish-Soviet wars between 1939 and 1944 and when it became part of the Soviet Union, the family was forced to leave. After WWII they evacuated from Viipuri and returned to Helsinki.
At a very young age Taina trained in both ballet and acting. When the family returned to Helsinki, Taina continued with her dance and acting training and eventually she was invited to join the Finnish National Ballet. She appeared in a few homeland movies as early as age 10 and found a couple of obscure film roles as a teenager, one in which she danced. Her international reputation began to grow when she joined the famed Sadler's Wells ballet dance company (The Royal Ballet) in London and then the Grand Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas, in Paris. A serious injury forced her to rethink her dancing career.
Fortunately, Elg was discovered in London by American film producer Edwin H. Knopf and, on the heels of the spectacular Hollywood success fellow Scandinavian Anita Ekberg was having, MGM decided to sign Elg to a customary seven-year Hollywood contract. She made her American debut for MGM with the secondary role of Elissa in the Lana Turner biblical costumer The Prodigal (1955). The following year MGM utilized her acting talents in their films Diane (1956), again starring Turner, and Gaby (1956) with Leslie Caron.
For the aforementioned work she was honored with a Golden Globe award for female "foreign newcomer". She was subsequently handed her best all-around opportunity by MGM to display her sublime dancing, sexy figure and comedic acting skills when asked to portray Angèle Ducros in Cole Porter's musical Les Girls (1957) opposite Gene Kelly and alongside fellow dazzlers Mitzi Gaynor and Kay Kendall. Receiving her second consecutive Golden Globe (tying with Kendall) for "Best Actress" in a musical, Les Girls (1957) also won the Golden Globe for "Best Picture - Musical" and an Oscar for its costume design.
More films came her way with Imitation General (1958) starring Glenn Ford and Red Buttons; the remake of the classic The 39 Steps (1959) opposite Kenneth More; the African adventure Watusi (1959) with George Montgomery and David Farrar and the war story Mission of Danger (1960), which was actually culled from a few TV episodes. None, however, could match the quality of Les Girls (1957). Elg's Hollywood film career went into a steep decline at this juncture and she began focusing on TV projects, foreign films and especially theatre roles. Appearing on stage in such 1960s productions as "Redhead," "Silk Stockings", "Irma La Douce", "West Side Story", "The Sound of Music", and "There's a Girl in My Soup", she finally made her Broadway debut with the musical "Look to the Lilies" in 1970, which was based on the Oscar-winning film Lilies of the Field (1963). She never found a strong footing again in films and has appeared in less than a handful since. Other than the 1961 Italian spectacle The Bacchantes (1961), she showed up in the musclebound Arnold Schwarzenegger's vehicle Hercules in New York (1970), Liebestraum (1991), and the Barbra Streisand feature The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996).
Her love for the stage was obvious and she remained as colorful than ever gracing such musicals as Sondheim's "A Little Night Music" (1973) in which she sang the haunting "Send in the Clowns." She also returned to Broadway in later years with the musicals "Where's Charley?", for which she earned a Tony nomination, "Nine" and "Cabaret". She appeared in the national tour of the musical "Titanic" in 1998-1999. On the non-musical stage she had strong roles in "Uncle Vanya", "I Hate Hamlet", "O Pioneers!", and, more recently, "Requiem for William" and Memory of a Summer" (both 2003).
In 2004, the actress received a special honor from her native Finland, when she was knight by the Order of the Lion of Finland. She is a naturalized American citizen. Jazz guitarist Raoul Björkenheim is Taina's son from her first marriage (1953-1958) to Carl "Poku" Björkenheim. In 1985, she married Rocco Caporale, an Italian educator and professor of sociology. The couple lived in New York City until his death in 2008.- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Sade Katarina is an actress, writer and producer originally from Helsinki, Finland. She moved to small town Zephyrhills, Florida at a young age with her family of professional skydiver's. Intensely creative and imaginative, Sade found her passion in performing and storytelling. She moved to Los Angeles by herself at the age of 17 to study acting and writing, and has since worked on academy-award winning projects and a major blockbuster franchise. Sade is the author and creator of the 'Blossoming' book series, which has been optioned by Emmy-Award winning Taublieb Films, known for 'The Vow' with Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams (Sony, MGM). Sade is also developing and producing several other film and TV projects, with a talent for connecting and creating exceptional teams around her projects. Sade has a Bachelor's degree in broadcast media and journalism from The University of Florida.- Actress
- Additional Crew
- Writer
Alina Tomnikov was born on 24 June 1988 in Helsinki, Finland. She is an actress and writer, known for Donna (2018), Deadwind (2018) and Funeral for a Dog (2022).- Actor
- Writer
- Camera and Electrical Department
Matti Pellonpää was born on 28 March 1951 in Helsinki, Finland. He was an actor and writer, known for Night on Earth (1991), The Bohemian Life (1992) and Räpsy & Dolly eli Pariisi odottaa (1990). He died on 13 July 1995 in Vaasa, Finland.- Yanti Somer was born on 29 February 1948 in Helsinki, Finland. She is an actress, known for Avanti! (1972), War of the Planets (1977) and Le temps de mourir (1970).
- Actor
- Producer
- Visual Effects
Martti Suosalo was born on 19 July 1962 in Oulu, Finland. He is an actor and producer, known for Control (2019), Kulkuri ja joutsen (1999) and The Rose of the Rascal (2001). He is married to Virpi Suutari. They have two children.- Vera Jordanova was born on 28 August 1975 in Helsinki, Finland. She is an actress, known for Hostel: Part II (2007), Harjunpää and the Persecutors (1993) and Isänmaan toivot (1998). She has been married to Federico Ruiz since 2016. They have one child.
- Jussi Kostamo was born in Finland. He is an actor, known for Deadwind (2018), What Remains (2022) and Helsinki Crimes (2022).
- Actress
- Director
- Soundtrack
Maria Sid was born on 13 May 1968 in Helsinki, Finland. She is an actress and director, known for Karjalan kunnailla (2007), The Conference (2023) and All the Sins (2019).- Actor
- Soundtrack
Mikko Kauppila was born on October 10, 1995 in Ylöjärvi, a small city in the southwestern region of Finland.
He started acting in Finnish TV-series at the age of 15, and had taken courses at Stockholm Dramatiska Högskola on the Swedish side. After finishing the arts-oriented high school, he studied acting at University of Tampere. Then he applied for the master's degree in theatre there and graduated in 2019.
Beside his acting career in films and TV series, Mikko played roles in theatre, musical, and dance stages, and he used to take piano lessons for more than ten years, and played classical piano and got a degree in it.
His role's on stage included: Underground Diary 2017, Hevoseni Kvääri: Poem Monologue 2018, Musta Saara 2018, Searching for Lost Time 2018, Peruskiviä 2018, Siegfried 2019, The Little Mermaid 2019, Cabaret 2020, and Bolla (2021)
Language skills: Finnish (mother tongue), English, Swedish, Danish- Actor
- Soundtrack
Janne Hyytiäinen was born on 23 August 1968 in Finland. He is an actor, known for Fallen Leaves (2023), The Other Side of Hope (2017) and Täällä Pohjantähden alla (2009).- Actress
- Additional Crew
- Composer
Oona Airola is a Finnish actress and singer. She has a Master of Arts degree in acting from the Theatre Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki, graduated 2015. She has both acted in theatre and movies. Her first and latest long Film is Cannes, Un certain regard 2016 winner "The happiest day in the life of Olli Mäki" by Juho Kuosmanen. Airola is playing the main femalerole as boxer Olli Mäkis fiancee Raija Jänkä. Her second long¨"Sorceress" will be published on (2017). The movie is written and directed by Naama Kates.
Oona Airola composes, writes the lyrics and sings in Lada Nuevo and Ykspihlajan Kino Orkesteri. Lada Nuevo, the orchestra of 11 members is founded by Airola. In Ykspihlajan Kino-orkesteri Airola works as a singer. Together with Ykspihlajan Kino-Orkesteri Airola has composed also music to Juho Kuosmanen's films.(silent film "Romu-Mattila ja kaunis nainen" 2012 & "The Happiest day in the life of Olli Mäki" 2016)
Oona Airola is born in northern west coast Finland, Kokkola. She is a third sibling in the family of five children. Four daughters and one brother. Her mother is journalist Outi Airola and father Tuomas Airola a cellist. (Also actor in Juho Kuosmanen's Painting sellers and violinplayer in Ykspihlajan Kino-orkesteri.)
Oona Airola's passion beside music and theatre has always been horses. She has had own horses and done horseback riding mainly by show-jumping and hurdle. Airola works as an freelancer actress/musician mainly in Helsinki.- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Kari Väänänen was born on 17 September 1953 in Ivalo, Finland. He is an actor and writer, known for Taivaan tulet (2007), Night on Earth (1991) and Lakeuden kutsu (2000). He is married to Terhi Väänänen. They have one child. He was previously married to Sanna Fransman and Susanna Roine.- Seidi Haarla was born on 1 January 1984 in Kirkkonummi, Finland. She is an actress, known for Compartment Number 6 (2021), The Night Servants (2019) and Agent Hamilton (2020).
- Actor
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Joonas Saartamo, born in Helsinki in 1980, is among the finest actors in Finland today.
Joonas graduated from Helsinki Theatre Academy in 2012. He is known from the movies One-Way Ticket to Mombasa (2002), Beauty and the Bastard (2005), Silence (2011), The Mine (2016), The happiest day in the life of Olli Mäkiand (2016), which won the film award Un Certain Regard in Cannes. In televison he is known from the series; Pelkovaara (2004), Protectors (2008) and Welcome To Texas, season 1 (2017). The second series of Welcome To Texas will be screened in spring 2019.
Jonaas has one of the major supporting roles in the film success and classic story The Unknown Solider, which premiered in 2017. Based on this story and edited material, a TV series will be screened in 2019. He will appear in a movie being released soon - Bayoneta - a boxing drama.
Saartamo won the Jussi Statue in 2011 (The Finnish Oscar) for the best male actor in a leading role and has been nominated twice, once as the best male actor in a supporting role and once as best male in a leading role. Joonas is also known as the hip-hop artist Jonde, previously known as Alarik.
in 2019, Joonas will play the role of Richard Wagner in the movie The Zurich Liaison- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Heikki Paavilainen was born on 12 May 1962 in Valkeakoski, Finland. He is an actor and director, known for The Winter War (1989), Ponterosa (2001) and Lakeuden kutsu (2000). He has been married to Mervi Tulokas since 1990. They have three children.- Actor
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Mikko Leppilampi was born on 22 September 1978 in Pälkäne, Finland. He is an actor and writer, known for Pearls and Pigs (2003), Downshiftaajat (2015) and The Girls of April (2011). He was previously married to Emilia Vuorisalmi.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Stina Ekblad was born on 26 February 1954 in Solf, Finland. She is an actress, known for Fanny and Alexander (1982), The Serpent's Way (1986) and Amorosa (1986).- Actor
- Writer
- Composer
Samuli Edelmann was born on 21 July 1968 in Pori, Finland. He is an actor and writer, known for Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011), Private Eye Vares (2004) and Riisuttu mies (2006). He is married to Laura Tuomarila. They have two children.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Regina Lund was born during the rehearsals of Brecht's "Three Penny Opera" directed by Christian Lund, her father. Her mother, Sonja Lund, swedish actress and professional ballet dancer had the part of Polly in that very same play and she brest fed Regina in the small dressing rooms of the theatre during the performances. At the age of one she came to Stockholm, and at the age of three she was left to grow up with her father's parents in Gävle, a small city in the north of Sweden. She learned American English at the age of four and two years later she started attending acting schools. At the age of 13 she was singing, dancing and acting in the local musicals and plays in Gävle. At 17 she went on a scholarship to the US and when she got back to Sweden she was accepted to law school but decided after a very short period there that she had to go back to where she belonged. At the age of 21 she was accepted to the State School of Performing Arts in Gothenburg, Sweden. Her first part after acting school was as Ofelia in Hamlet directed by Jan Bergman (Ingmar Bergman's eldest son), Regina received great reviews and then hit Sweden like a bomb in one success after another. She seduced the audience as Sugar in the musical "Some like it hot" receiving the best female musical artist award (guld masken). She added a singer song writer career to her already successful acting one, both highly saluted by critics and audience. Regina is today in the process of her fort solo album. Apart from films, tv, shows, musicals, music projects, photography and, of course, theatre performances she just released her first poetry book.- Actor
- Writer
Tobias Zilliacus was born on 30 September 1971 in Helsinki, Finland. He is an actor and writer, known for Vapaa pudotus (2001), Gåsmamman (2015) and Lahti 2001 (2023). He has been married to Linda Zilliacus since 2001. They have three children.- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Juho Kuosmanen was born in 1979 in Kokkola, Finland. He is a director and writer, known for Compartment Number 6 (2021), The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki (2016) and The Painting Sellers (2010).- Actress
- Soundtrack
BACKGROUND: Brava was born into a Fennoswede family and culture in which music formed a vital part of life. Her father, Börje Lampenius, is a former theater director, actor, singer and also a composer of musicals and operettas. Her mother, Ulla Eklund, is a former actress and singer. Both of them worked primarily at the Swedish Theatre, but also on TV and films. Brava grew up in Eira, a wealthy district in Helsinki, the capital of Finland, and in a family country house in Lappträsk. She attended Svenska normallyceum in Helsinki. After leaving Finland in 1997, Brava has resided in Los Angeles and London. Since 2002, she has lived in Stockholm. Brava is married to Martin Cullberg, a Swedish criminal defence lawyer.
MUSICAL CAREER: Brava has performed around the world since the age of eight playing in and with many European orchestras, pianists and other artists. Brava has done innumerable public concerts in addition to her head of state and royal concert appearances. As a musician, Brava has performed and been interviewed on various television and radio channels from the BBC, CNN and Classic FM to CBS and Rai Uno as well as featured in broadsheets, magazines and tabloids from the The Times to The Gramophone, Playboy and The Sun.
CLASSICAL MUSIC EDUCATION: Brava started her music studies as a three-year-old in a musical kindergarten and played the piano. At the age of five, she started to play the violin with Géza Szilvay at the East Helsinki Music Institute. By the age of ten, Brava had already been granted a scholarship by the notable Swedish Cultural Foundation for being such a promising young violinist. Brava was then accepted to the world-renowned university level music school Sibelius Academy (qualifies as being among the top music schools in the world) even before earning her Matriculation examination. Brava studied at the Academy from 1985 to 1996. During the years, Brava was the concertmistress of the Sibelius Academy Symphony Orchestra on several occasions and led Sibelius Academy Conducting Class Orchestra (Jorma Panula and Eri Klas served as professors of conducting) for seven years as well as did some broadcast performances for the Finnish Broadcasting Company. Brava also played in Ofelia, a string quartet, and participated in masterclass with the Amadeus Quartet. Ofelia was then chosen to perform at final concert of the masterclass. From 1990 to 1996, Brava worked for some of the best orchestras in Finland, like the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra and the Finnish National Opera Orchestra, performing also as a soloist - for example, Brava opened Sibeliuspäivät (The Sibelius Days, named after Jean Sibelius) in Finland in 1995. Later on, Brava was guided by professor Mauricio Fuks, Jacobs School of Music, and Eduard Schmieder in the USA. Lajos Garam, Doctor of Music and former leader of The Sibelius Academy's Department of Soloists, has said that Brava "is a sensitive artistic type and very skillful and experienced as a musician. Her playing is high-quality and full-blooded". Moreover, for the respected Finnish conductor Atso Almila "it was self-evident that she was going to be one of the most notable Finnish violinists." Päivyt (Rajamäki) Meller, who herself has studied with Josef Gingold and is a notable violinist and teacher, has stated that "Linda is very multiply gifted. She has aberrantly lots of capability of expression, strength and artistry and her playing is technically on quite a high level". In a recent interview with a Finnish newspaper, Ari Angervo, a well-known violinist and conductor in Finland as well as a teacher in the Sibelius Academy, said that Brava "just wanted to learn to play as well as possible, to go as deep as possible into music. To my mind she has succeeded in that. Linda is top talented as a violinist."
CLASSICAL MUSIC: Brava started to play the violin at the age of five and was made a member and soloist of the prestigious Helsinki Strings Orchestra three years later. As a child prodigy on the violin, Brava also played on Finnish television countless times as part of Viuluviikarit musiikkimaassa (Minifiddlers in Musicland) TV series presenting the Colourstrings method, which was created by her first violin teacher Géza Szilvay, now also used at the Royal Academy of Music, among other music schools. Brava made her solo orchestral appearance debut with The Radio Symphony Orchestra of Finland at the age of eleven, led the Helsinki Strings at thirteen, and, from 1978 to 1993, she toured as a soloist, concertmistress and member with many orchestras in Europe, North America and Asia. Brava also served as a board member of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra after she was elected to the Helsinki City Council for a four-year term in 1996. Brava is foremost a chamber musician, performing mainly with an accompanist, but she has also made many solo orchestral appearances after her solo career fully started in 1996. Brava has played as a soloist, for example, with many Finnish city orchestras, Stockholm Sinfonietta and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. She has also played with pianists like John Lenehan and Laura Mikkola. In addition to playing in public concerts, Brava has also performed, for example, for the president of Finland, Prince of Monaco (Brava was accompanied by Milan's La Scala Philharmonic Orchestra), the Swedish Royal Family and some of the Nobel Prize winners. Brava was offered a record deal by EMI in 1997, and her classical album, "Linda Brava", which was made up of lyrical violin classics, was released worldwide by EMI Classics in 1999. Positive reviews were given by classical music magazines like The Gramophone, and Classic FM Magazine dedicated its cover story for "Linda Brava, Finland's violin sensation". The magazine also wrote that she plays "with a pleasant, honeyed tone - making the most of her golden-voiced 1781 Galliano violin - and an unaffected grace that will surely win her many friends". American Record Guide's critic went on saying that the "interpretations are all very sensible and well paced. Indeed, from the standpoint of structural clarity, this is one of the better Grieg Sonatas I've heard". The album made its way on the UK classical chart at number 14, and sold around three thousand copies in Finland during the first months after the release - a remarkable number for a classical recording. With the classical release, Brava toured and played all around Europe and the Far East appearing on various television and radio shows including popular British morning shows Big Breakfast and This Morning as well as ITV's hit chat show Friday Night's All Wright. During the album release, Brava was also seen on a poster on the back of a red double decker bus driving on Oxford Street in London. The UK's Classic FM aired music from the album daily for several weeks, and Brava's music video for "Ave Maria" can still be seen on Classic FM TV. The video is also featured on the first edition of Classic FM [2003] DVD. Brava has also been featured in music magazines like Andante, Classic CD, Q and Muso. The Times has stated her to be "the gifted Finnish classical violinist", who is "brilliant" and "acclaimed by critics", while The Sunday Times has said "she plays like Nigel Kennedy". Brava has also been called "a striking Finnish blonde with impeccable musical credentials" by the Los Angeles Daily News and "Finnish Phenom" by the New York Post. After taking some time of her own, and years spent in Los Angeles and London, Brava moved to Stockholm in 2002. In 2004, Kalle Moraeus, a former violinist of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and one of the most sought-after artists in Sweden, invited Brava to join his 25-city spring tour across Sweden as a guest soloist. The outcome was successful as critics raved Brava's talent and she managed to break into the Swedish music scene. "She has been described as a super violinist with Playboy attraction. When Linda Lampenius takes the stage in light blue coverings it is completely without prima donna behaviour. With total stage presence and a bewitched violin she enchants the ears already from the start and there seems to be no end to the applause after the entrance performance" wrote Dalarnas Tidningar while Göteborgs-Posten told how Brava's "music potpourri became a display in virtuoso violin playing" and that "she is undeniably a gifted musician with dazzling technique and a big amount of charm". Brava also played on another 25-city concert tour in Sweden in 2004. It was Sweden's official Christmas show, which was presented in concert halls and arenas all around the country. During her years in Sweden, Brava has performed many times for the members and friends of the Swedish Royal Court, but she has also done lots of public concerts and television and radio appearances. With her classical repertoire, Brava has appeared in venues such as the Stockholm Concert Hall, but also in rock events. She has also performed around Scandinavia for various corporate events, played for the NATO troops in Kosovo, in Unicef's gala in Switzerland, in "Rhapsody in Rock" show in London's Royal Albert Hall, at 2007 Cannes Film Festival and she even made a concert appearance in Irkutsk's Drama Theater in Siberia in 2006. In the summer of 2008, Brava made exclusive outdoor classical music concerts at Swedish castles with tenor Paul Potts and a Prague symphony orchestra, which was formed by musicians from two of the biggest orchestras in Prague. Brava also performed the Triple Concerto by Beethoven at The Malar International Music Festival as part of its Beethoven evening with the Swedish pianist Patrik Jablonski, the British cellist Gemma Rosefield and the Västerås Sinfonietta, one of the oldest orchestras in Sweden. Peter Jablonski served as a conductor. Brava's instrument is a 1781 Gagliano violin. She has also used some electric violins when playing other than classical music.
POP AND ROCK MUSIC: Brava released her first pop single, "Violator"/"Toccata & Fugue", in 1996. "Pammi lookalike's great on her Bach" stated The Mirror and Daily Record wrote that "just when interest in violin music was toning down - along comes Linda Lampenius -- the fiddling Finn has taken a major bow. With her long blonde hair, pouting lips and gorgeous figure, she is already a sensation with her version of Bach's Toccata and Fugue". Also The Sunday Times reported how Brava "has enjoyed huge success in Scandinavia with an up-tempo version of Bach's Toccata and Fugue". Brava's self-titled pop album, "Linda Lampenius", was released in 1997, and it hit the Finnish Top Album Chart peaking at number 8 as it was only released in Finland. It went gold the following year. Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber reportedly saw a documentary about Brava on Channel 4 and was amazed at her ability to play the violin. He then invited Brava to take a lead within "Metal Philhamonic", an Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jim Steinman composition, which Brava performed with a band, orchestra, choir and group of dancers at Lloyd Webber's private musical festival at his home in Sydmonton Court, Hampshire in the summer of 1997. Brava also gave a concert of her own at the festival, and the collaboration between Brava and Lloyd Webber brought her the cover story of The Sunday Times (culture supplement) and many headlines across Europe while she became known as a blonde violin sensation, the Bach Babe. Brava has since done some pop appearances on American television, the BBC and Rai Uno as well as in Globen, Sporting Club and the Royal Albert Hall, to name a few. Brava has had her own pop/rock band, The Violators, with whom she performed music from her first album. While living in London, Brava also played and recorded with musicians from Page & Plant's on-tour band and producer Craig Leon. Unreleased recordings from the sessions include perhaps the last recording of Ofra Haza who died soon after. In 2002, Brava was given a lead role in a variety show called Fantastix, which ran in Stockholm in 2003. In the show, Brava played the violin, acted, danced and she was also seen on stage as a fire eater. Brava has performed many times in the "Rhapsody in Rock" show, which was created by pianist and composer Robert Wells, who has also written music for Celine Dion and the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. "Rhapsody in Rock" combines classical and popular music, and the show has been touring all around the world and seen by hundreds of millions of people since the 1990s. Brava has performed as a soloist of the show, among other places, in Circus and the Royal Albert Hall. She was also one of the soloists of the show's 10th anniversary tour in Sweden in 2008. Aftonbladet, the largest daily newspaper in Nordic countries, rated Brava, who "awes as usual", as the best artist of the show. Brava has also made many guest appearances with pop and rock artists, e.g. Mustasch, Takida, Leningrad Cowboys and Magnus Bäcklund (Brava was featured on Bäcklund's single, "Burn", which hit the Swedish Top Singles Chart peaking at number 4 in 2007). Brava is also playing the violin in "Fade Away" on Celine Dion's album Taking Chances released in November 2007.
FOLK, CELTIC AND JAZZ MUSIC: In 2005, Brava's "Nordic Light", which presents Nordic folk melodies, was released with acclaim in the North. The album was re-released in the spring of 2008 and it peaked at number 12 on the Swedish Top Album Chart. Anúna, an Irish choral group, asked Brava to participate in their upcoming "Celtic Origins" project in 2006. For the PBS music special, the choir and Brava performed in three concerts held at the Trinity Cathedral in Cleveland, the USA in January 2007. Live CD and DVD were also done that time. PBS then aired the show called Anúna: Celtic Origins on over 220 TV stations in the USA in August/September 2007. Following the television special, Anúna and Brava embarked on a 9-week and around 40-city tour in concert halls all around the States. The "Celtic Origins" stage show was seen in New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Boston, San Francisco, Denver, Detroit, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Charlotte, Nashville, Knoxville, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Toronto, Atlanta, Phoenix and others. Anúna's "Celtic Origins" CD and DVD releases, in which Brava is also featured in as a special guest violinist, were released during the summer and fall of 2007. The album was North America's bestselling World Music CD for weeks according to Nielsen SoundScan, and it was also the bestselling CD in all categories at Borders for the entire month of August. In a 2007 interview with a Finnish newspaper, Michael McGlynn, the founder and leader of Anúna, said that "Linda seemed to be exactly what the forthcoming Anúna show needs to get more classical delicacy to the performance -- Her playing is beautiful, profound and insightful". Ronan Hardiman, the Irish composer, was also quoted in the article as he has been working with Brava on different projects and stated Brava to be "a splendid classical violinist, a magnificent artist who has an incomprehensible ability to transfer her feelings strongly into the music. She is very creative. It is easy to work with her. In addition, she has charisma the like of which you rarely meet". Brava has also made a few public jazz performances during her career. The first one took part in a Los Angeles club called Lucky Seven in 1998, when Brava played with Jeff Goldblum, an Academy Award-nominated American actor and an excellent jazz pianist, and his band. The other one was with Irish singer Owen Brady in a jazz club in Stockholm at the end of the year 2007.
DISCOGRAPHY: SOLOIST: Linda Lampenius (Audiovox Records, 1997) - Finnish Top Album Chart: 8 Linda Brava (EMI Classics, 1999) - UK classical chart: 14 Nordic Light (Ladybird, 2005/re-released 2008) - Swedish Top Album Chart: 12 GUEST: Paul Oxley's Unit, The Magic (Sony Music Entertainment Finland, 1996) (violin) Anúna, Celtic Origins (Elevation, 2007) (guest violin soloist) - Nielsen SoundScan: 1 Celine Dion, Taking Chances (Sony, 2007) (strings) - United World Chart: 2 Sofia Källgren, Cinema Paradiso (2008) (duet with Sofia)
SINGLES: SOLOIST: Violator/Toccata & Fugue in D minor (Audiovox Records, 1996) Ave Maria/Salut d'Amour (EMI Classics, 1999) GUEST: Magnus Bäcklund, Burn (UNI, 2007) (featured artist) - Swedish Top Singles Chart: 4 Emilia de Poret, Pick me up (2008)
DVDs: VARIOUS ARTISTS: Classic FM [2003] DVD (BMG Music Programming, 2003) Anúna, Celtic Origins (Elevation, 2007) (guest violin soloist)
UNRELEASED EMI RECORDINGS: According to the official website of Dave Gregory, the former lead guitarist of XTC, Brava recorded various songs with him and two other musicians loaned from Page & Plant's on-tour band for EMI in 1999. According to the official website of Chris Blackwell, one of the two musicians, the recordings also include perhaps the last recording of Ofra Haza who died soon after. The songs, which were produced by Craig Leon, have not been released yet. Traclisting according to Gregory's website: Frankenstein Inna Gadda Da Vida Violator Let's Get Down Get Real Turkish/Middle Eastern tune Running Up That Hill Aquamarine
OTHER CAREERS: Not only has Brava an impressive musical career, but she has also worked as a model, actress, part-time politico, rally/co-driver, entrepreneur and author. [edit]Modelling Brava was the spokesperson and model for Björn Borg's range of underwear and bathing suits in the North from 1996 to 1999. She appeared in print ads and on catwalks playing music from her pop album. In 2000, Brava was a model for Laxroix watches in England performing in their PR events and appearing in print ads. Because of her status as a blond violin sensation in Europe, Brava was offered a contract to become the celebrity cover girl of Playboy magazine. Brava agreed, and the Brahms Bombshell was featured in and on the cover of Playboy's Sex & Music issue of 1998; the first classical artist to be on the cover; the only one along Marilyn Monroe to be on the special cover without any additional headlines. Brava was then chosen to be one of Playboy's "Sexiest Stars of 1998", among such celebrities as Cindy Crawford and Kate Winslet, for the magazine's December issue of 1998. Brava has also modelled, for example, for Café, Classic FM, Details (named Brava the best newcomer in sex and music categories), Elle, Esquire, GQ, Hello!, Maxim and Vogue magazines.
ACTING: Brava's film debut took place in 1970. Her mother played a lead in a notable Finnish film classic, Akseli ja Elina (Akseli and Elina), and Brava potrayed her infant daughter. Brava made her theater debut in a play called Hard Times in Svenska Teatern at the age of three, and she was also touring with the theater company in Sweden and Norway the following year. Brava has also done some acting on Finnish and Swedish TV and has been a guest actress for one episode each of American TV series Fame L.A. and Baywatch.
POLITICS: Brava represented the Swedish People's Party and was elected to the Helsinki City Council for a four-year term in 1996. At the time, she also served as a board member of the Helsinki Philharmonic. In 1997, Brava was chosen to be "Finland's Tourist Envoy in Sweden".
RACE RALLYING AND OTHER SPORTS: Brava has driven Sports 2000 series cars and worked as a co-driver in rally in Finland. She has also had her own go-cart team. Brava danced classical ballet for a while as a child, and learnt ballroom dances when participating in TV4's Let's Dance (a Swedish version of Dancing with the Stars) in 2008. Brava and her dance partner won several rounds of the competition, but, after an injury, they came 6th out of 12. Brava has also went in for alpine skiing, scuba-diving, boxing and archery over the years. In 2008, Brava trained Muay Thai at Fairtex Bangplee in Bangkok, and the training center made a PR video with her. The video can be seen on YouTube. During the years, Brava has also performed in various sports events. She has played in national basketball, football and ice hockey matches in Finland and Sweden, in the Honda Challenge ATP Senior Tour event at the Royal Albert Hall, for Formula 1 people in Monaco and Monza and opened up the 2008 GE Galan and different K-1 galas in the Stockholm Globe Arena. Brava also recorded the official song for the Swedish national ice hockey team during the Ice Hockey World Championships in Prague in 2004.
ENTREPRENEUR: Brava has had her own cider, which sold millions of litres in the North between 1997 and 2000, and she has also had her own calendar in Finland for the year 1998.
AUTHOR: Brava's autobiography, Linda, was published by WSOY in Finland in 2003. Some diary entries and a short story of hers have also been published in Finnish newspapers.
NOW: Brava has worked on her next album in Ireland and New York, but no release date has been given yet. She's also working on another album in Stockholm. Brava is one of the leading soloists of Sweden's official 2008 Christmas show. The tour includes 30 concerts in 20 cities.- Actress
- Music Department
- Writer
Sonja Kuittinen was born on 30 September 1990 in Puumala, Finland. She is an actress and writer, known for Miami (2017) and Mädät omenat (2021).- Actress
- Music Artist
- Soundtrack
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