Kari Väänänen

Kari Väänänen
Born	Kari Kyösti Väänänen 17 September 1953 Ivalo, Finland
Occupation	Actor, director, writer
Years active	1978 – present

Kari Kyösti Väänänen (born 17 September 1953 in Ivalo) is a Finnish actor and director. Domestically he is a member of the Ryhmäteatteri group of actors. He was introduced to international audiences by Aki Kaurismäki; and belongs to the list of his "trusted" stable of actors.

His most challenging role has been the eponymous mafia hitman of Rosso, for which he learned all his lines phonetically, without previously speaking a word of Italian.

Kari Väänänen was featured in Star Wreck, a Finnish sci-fi parody where he played the Russian president.

He also starred in Jim Jarmusch's 1991 film Night on Earth.

Selected filmography

As actor Jon (1983) The Clan – Tale of the Frogs (1984) Calamari Union (1985) Rosso (1985) Helsinki Napoli All Night Long (1987) Leningrad Cowboys Go America (1989) Amazon (1990) Night on Earth (1991) La Vie de Bohème (1992) Hobitit (1993) Ripa Hits the Skids (1993) Drifting Clouds (1996) Trains'n'Roses (1998) The Tough Ones (1999) Ambush (1999) Sincerely Yours in Cold Blood (10 episodes, 2000–2005) Bad Luck Love (2000) Trench Road (2004) Star Wreck: In the Pirkinning (2005) V2: Dead Angel (V2 – Jäätynyt enkeli, 2007) Joulutarina (2007) The House of Branching Love (Haarautuvan rakkauden talo, 2009)

As director The Quiet Village (Vaiennut kylä, 1997) The Classic (Klassikko, 2001) Backwood Philosopher (Havukka-ahon ajattelija, 2009)

External links

• Kari Väänänen at the Internet Movie Database