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1-50 of 1,337
- 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).- 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.- 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
- 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.- 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).- 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
- 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
- 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
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).- 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
- 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- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Aku Louhimies is an award-winning director and screenwriter. His highly acclaimed, commercially successful films have established him as one of the most preeminent directors of Scandinavian cinema today.
Accomplished in both film and television, Louhimies' works have consistently garnered attention and praise, not least on the international film festival scene. Of his twelve feature films, his works include Omerta 6/12 and the award winning and world's first carbon negative film Wait, both (2021), the box-office record breaking Unknown Soldier (2017) and the European Film Award nominees 8-Ball (2013) and Frozen Land (2012). The latest TV- series include The Inheritance (2023), The Rig (2020) and to be released (2024) Conflict.
Louhimies graduated from Billings West High School in Montana, U.S. returned to Finland to study history at the University of Helsinki, continuing on to Aalto University with a degree in film directing.
He is fluent in English, Finnish, Swedish, and Spanish.
Louhimies attributes his discipline and a strong work ethic to his military background, having served as platoon leader of the Finnish Defence Forces. He is still an active reserve officer.
Louhimies was born in Helsinki, Finland to an artistic household; his father was an architect and his mother one of the first female commercial directors in Finland. Louhimies considers Montana his home state and has strong connections there. A dedicated father of five, Louhimies is passionate about using the medium for socially and environmentally constructive purposes. He is also a well-known public speaker and headed the Finnish Directors Guild for several years.- 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.- 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.
- 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.- 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 Kukkia & sidontaa (2004). He has been married to Linda Zilliacus since 2001. They have three children.- Actor
- Composer
- Music Department
Markku Peltola was born on 12 July 1956 in Helsinki, Finland. He was an actor and composer, known for The Man Without a Past (2002), Private Eye Vares (2004) and V2 - jäätynyt enkeli (2007). He died on 31 December 2007 in Kangasala, Finland.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Director
Antti Reini was born on 27 August 1964 in Helsinki, Finland. He is an actor and director, known for Eros and Psyche (1998), The Man Without a Past (2002) and Highway Society (2000).- 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.
- 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.- Actor
- Writer
- Music Department
Tommi Korpela was born on 23 August 1968 in Helsinki, Finland. He is an actor and writer, known for Rare Exports (2010), Distractions (2015) and Putoavia enkeleitä (2008). He is married to Elina Knihtilä. They have one child.- Actor
- Composer
- Music Department
Ville Valo was born on 22 November 1976 in Helsinki, Finland. He is an actor and composer, known for Transformers (2007), Restless (2000) and Honey Baby (2004).- 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).- 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).- Actress
- Music Department
- Composer
Mariska was born on 19 February 1979 in Helsinki, Finland. She is an actress and composer, known for Vain elämää (2012), Finnsurf (2011) and Tyttö sinä olet tähti (2005).