Famous Finnish actors and actresses: Top 10

Famous Finnish actresses and actors have long been able to keep up with the competition from Hollywood. We present the top 10

Famous Finnish actors: The top 5 men

It is no longer a secret that Europe has produced talented and well-known Finnish actors and actresses. Nevertheless, most people are more familiar with the popular stars from Sweden or Denmark. You should remember these men from Finnish cinema:

• Jasper Pääkkönen: The actor was born in Helsinki in 1980 and rose to fame with a role in the only Finnish soap opera “Salatut elämät”. To date, the Finn has been awarded Best Actor at the Brussel International Independent Film Festival and the “Jussi” for the drama “Icy Land”. Internationally, the actor is known from “Vikings”, “BlacKkKlansman” and “Da 5 Bloods.”

• Aki Kaurismäki: Although the Finn is better known as a director for works such as “Shadows in Paradise”, “The Man Without a Past” and “The Other Side of Hope”, he has also worked as an actor. The filmmaker was nominated for an Oscar for “The Man Without a Past” in 2002, and the director himself was in front of the camera in the docu-drama “Midsummer Night’s Tango.”

• Matti Pellonpää: Pellonpää was born in Helsinki in 1951 and died of a heart attack in 1995. The Finn initially set radio plays to music, but also ventured onto the theater stage in the early 70s. He achieved international fame in collaboration with the director brothers Aki and Mika Kaurismäki. In 1993, the actor received the “Felix” award from the European Film Academy

• Ville Virtanen: As the son of filmmaker Jukka Virtanen, Ville’s path to film was almost preprogrammed. Born in Espoo in 1961, the Finn learned his craft at the Helsinki Theater Academy in the early 80s. The actor became internationally known at the latest with the Swedish drama “Better Times” alongside Ola Rapace – the ex-husband of Noomi Rapace, who is known for Swedish films.

• Jussi Vatanen: Born in Sonkajärvi in 1978, Vatanen studied acting at the Helsinki Theater Academy. He completed his training with a master’s degree in theater studies. His role in the drama “Unknown Soldier – Kampf ums Vaterland” earned him a “Jussi” nomination, while his performance in the tragicomedy “Falling Leaves” earned him a nomination for the European Film Awards in 2023.

Famous Finnish actresses: The Top 5 Women

There’s no denying that well-known Finnish actresses have also had a significant influence on European cinema. In addition to the greats from Denmark and Sweden, you should memorize these names:

• Alina Tomnikov: Tomnikov was born in Kerava in 1988 and has both Finnish and Russian roots. The actress speaks English, Swedish and German. She made her debut on Russian TV as the German princess Wilhelmina in “Ekatarina”, while in Germany the actress is known from crime series such as “Arctic Circle” and “Deadwind”. Tomnikov also completed her training with a master’s degree in theater studies.

• Inka Kallén: Born in Tuusula in 1981, the actress and screenwriter has also made a name for herself internationally. With works such as “Mittsommerlust”, “The Knocking” and “Arctic Circle”, the Finnish-born actress covers a wide range of genres in front of and behind the camera.

• Stina Rautelin: Rautelin was born in Helsinki in 1963 and became known in this country primarily through the Swedish-Danish-German crime thriller production “Kommissar Beck – Die neuen Fälle”. In 1986, she appeared in the drama “På liv och död” alongside Lena Olin. The actress also proved her talent in the crime thrillers “The Ice Princess” and “The Preacher”, based on the novels by author Camilla Läckberg. The actress died in April 2023 at the age of 59.

• Laura Birn: Born on April 25, 1981 in Helsinki, the Finnish actress also speaks English, Spanish and Portuguese. In 2013, she was awarded the “Jussi” for Best Actress in a Leading Role for “Purgatory”. The Finn gained international experience alongside Liam Neeson in “Rest in Peace” and the Apple series “Foundation”. You can see her talent for yourself on your Apple TV

• Phila Viitala: Born in Helsinki in 1982, Viitala made her debut in the Finnish film “Ganes” in 2007. In 2010, the Finnish actress was honored as a European Shooting Star at the Berlin International Film Festival. The actress is best known for the horror film “Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters” alongside Jeremy Renner. Crime fans will certainly know the actress from the TV series “Deadwind”, in which she plays the investigator Sofia Karppi.