Margus Oopkaup

Last updated

Margus Oopkaup
Born
Margus Oopkaup

(1959-03-11) 11 March 1959 (age 65)
Kuressaare, Saare County, Estonia
Occupation(s)Actor, playwright
Years active1980–present

Margus Oopkaup (born 11 March 1959) [1] is an Estonian stage, film and television actor and playwright who was engaged at the Endla Theatre from 1982 to 2000. In 1983, he was awarded the Best Young Actor award for his performance in the film Nipernaadi .

Contents

Early life and education

Margus Oopkaup was born in Kuressaare on the island of Saaremaa. His father was a school teacher and his mother was a medical professional. [2] He graduated from secondary school in Kuressare in 1977 and studied at the Tallinn State Conservatory (now, the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre) from 1978 until 1982 under instruction from Aarne Üksküla. Among his graduating classmates were Anu Lamp, Jaan Rekkor, Laine Mägi, Sulev Teppart, Andrus Vaarik, and Viire Valdma. He also studied psychology at the University of Tartu from 1985 until 1989. [3]

Acting career

Shortly after graduating from the Tallinn State Conservatory in 1982, Oopkaup was engaged at the Endla Theatre. There, he appeared in numerous stage productions until his departure in 2000. Among his more memorable roles in theater were in works by: Leo Tolstoy, A. H. Tammsaare, Aleksis Kivi, Mika Waltari, August Strindberg, August Kitzberg, Ödön von Horvath, Gerhart Hauptmann, Sławomir Mrożek, Ivan Turgenev, Franz Pocci and Brian Friel. [4]

In 1981 he made his screen debut in the Mark-Toomas Soosaar directed Tallinnfilm drama Jõulud Vigalas (Christmas in Vigala ) as Anton Kolumbus. [5] This was followed by the role of Päärn Anders in the 1981 Arvo Kruusement directed film adaptation of the 1938 August Gailit novel Karge meri , which chronicles the lives of seal hunters living on the coast of the Baltic Sea. In 1983, Oopkaup appeared in the role of Joonatan in the Kaljo Kiisk directed film Nipernaadi (English release tite: The Adventurer), based on the 1928 novel Toomas Nipernaadi by Estonian writer August Gailit. For his role in the film, Oopkaup was given the Best Young Actor award for 1983. [6] In 1991, he appeared as the title character Otto Almar in the Ingo Normet directed television film Otto Almari nägemus, based on the 1907 story Uurimisel, by A. H. Tammsaare. [7]

In 2004, Margus Oopkaup (with Raivo Kuusk) penned his first book: Mõtle endasse. [8] The following year he penned the children's Christmas play Jõuluvana kodu jõulud, published by Tänapäev. [9]

Health and career decline

In 2000, Oopkaup was fired from the Endla Theatre after eighteen years. [10] Following his departure, Oopkaup's mental and physical health began to decline. He was diagnosed with crippling rheumatoid arthritis in his legs and suffered from severe bouts of depression for which he had to be hospitalized. [11] [12] As his health declined, he worked a series of odd-jobs, including work as an undertaker, a shop salesperson and a security guard, among others. In 2005, he began working at the Pärnu rehabilitation center for people with special needs and the Pärnu Hospital of Psychiatry Day Centre as a drama instructor. [13]

On 22 January 2015, Estonian weekly newspaper Maaleht interviewed Oopkaup, where he revealed that he was nearly destitute and surviving on € 227 euros a month; only allotting himself three euros a day for meals. [14]

Career revitalization

The response by the Estonian public to the news of Oopkaup's health and career downturn brought numerous offers of work for the actor. [15] During a follow-up interview with Maaleht on 31 December 2015, Oopkaup revealed he was offered and accepted stage work as Klaus, a character from Lotte from Gadgetville at Lottemaa; a Lotte from Gadgetville theme park in Häädemeeste Parish; [16] accepted an offer to become the Pärnu Association of the Blind's drama instructor and was hired to become the director of the Raeküla Rahva Teater in Pärnu. [17] [18]

In 2015, Oopkaup also returned to television in several episodes of the TV3 series Kättemaksukontor as the character of Magnus. Also in 2015 a play, Heldur ja Naised (Fantaasia publishing) and Iseendale (Hea Tegu publishing), a collection of poetry, were published. [19]

Acknowledgements

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Endla Theatre</span> Theatre in Pärnu, Estonia

Endla is a professional theatre in city of Pärnu, Estonia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laine Mägi</span> Estonian actress and dancer

Laine Mägi is an Estonian stage, film and television actress, dancer and choreographer and dance pedagogue who began her career as a teenager. She is the founder of the Laine Mägi School of Dance, based in Pärnu.

Herta Elviste, was an Estonian stage, film and television actress and assistant theatre director whose career spanned nearly seventy years.

Laine Mesikäpp was an Estonian film, radio and stage actress, singer and prolific collector and cataloguer of Estonian folk music.

Piret Laurimaa, is an Estonian stage, television, radio, and film actress.

Karin Tammaru is an Estonian stage, television and film actress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rita Raave</span> Estonian actress

Rita Raave is an Estonian stage, television and film actress, and painter.

Jaan Rekkor is an Estonian stage, film and television actor.

Leila Säälik is an Estonian stage, film and radio actress.

Liis Lindmaa is an Estonian stage, television and film actress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tõnu Kilgas</span> Estonian actor (1954–2021)

Tõnu Kilgas was an Estonian singer (baritone) and stage, film, voice, and television actor.

Astrid Lepa was an Estonian stage, television, voice, and film actress, screenwriter, and television director whose career began in the 1940s and ended shortly before her death, spanning over sixty years.

Heikki Haravee was an Estonian actor, theatre director, and singer whose career spanned over fifty years; forty-three of which were spent at the Vanemuine theatre in Tartu.

Leida Rammo was an Estonian stage, radio, television, and film actress and theatre director whose career spanned over seven decades.

Kaili Närep is an Estonian stage, television and film actress whose career began in 1991. She has been engaged at the Ugala theatre in Viljandi and the Endla Theatre in Pärnu, where she also worked as a makeup artist. Närep has appeared in several motion pictures and has had recurring roles on several Estonian television series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maarja Jakobson</span> Estonian actress

Maarja Jakobson is an Estonian television, stage and film actress whose career began in the late 1990s.

Kaie Mihkelson is an Estonian film and stage actress.

Liisa Aibel is an Estonian stage, film and television actress.

Aire Koop is an Estonian stage, film, and television actress whose career began in the late 1970s.

Erik Ruus is an Estonian actor.

References

  1. ↑ Maaleht. Endine näitleja Margus Oopkaup: toitu saan päevas osta kolme euro eest. 22 January 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  2. ↑ gulliver.kand.pri.ee Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  3. ↑ Maaleht. Endine näitleja Margus Oopkaup: toitu saan päevas osta kolme euro eest. 22 January 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  4. ↑ Endla Teater. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  5. ↑ Sirp. Unustatud väärtfilm. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  6. ↑ Maaleht. Endine näitleja Margus Oopkaup: toitu saan päevas osta kolme euro eest. 22 January 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  7. ↑ "Otto Almari nägemus". Eesti Rahvusringhääling (archive) (in Estonian). 12 October 1991. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  8. ↑ Raamatukoi.ee Retrieved 26 2016.
  9. ↑ Raamatukoi.ee Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  10. ↑ Őhtuleht. Endla teatri endine näitleja Margus Oopkaup võttis kahe kuuga juurde 37 kilo. 3 December 2013. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  11. ↑ Őhtuleht. Margus Oopkaup: "Depressioon vajus peale nagu laviin! 4 June 2011. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  12. ↑ Puutepunkt. Depressioonist räägitakse palju, kuid tihti on see pelgalt sõnakõlks. November 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  13. ↑ Maaleht. Margus Oopkaup: pärast Maalehe artiklit algas uus elu. 31 December 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  14. ↑ Maaleht. Endine näitleja Margus Oopkaup: toitu saan päevas osta kolme euro eest. 22 January 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  15. ↑ Maaleht. Margus Oopkaup: pärast Maalehe artiklit algas uus elu. 31 December 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  16. ↑ Saarte Hääl: Saarlaste Päevaleht. Margus Oopkaup kutsuti rännumees Klausiks. 18 February 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  17. ↑ Maaleht. Margus Oopkaup: pärast Maalehe artiklit algas uus elu. 31 December 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  18. ↑ Kylauudis.ee Margus Oopkaup tõi „Ristsed“ Raekülla ja läheb nendega läbi Sindi Lümandasse. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  19. ↑ Raamatukoi.ee Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  20. ↑ "Bearers of decorations". Estonian State Decorations. 29 January 2009. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
  21. ↑ Pärnu Postimees Margus Oopkaup teenetemärgist: Näha rõõmu nende inimeste silmades on kõige tähtsam siinilmas, Jürisson, Anu. (In Estonian) 29 January 2019. Retrieved 32 January 2019.

Further reading

Eesti teatri biograafiline leksikon. Eesti Entsüklopeediakirjastus. Eesti Teatriliit. Tallinn, 2000.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.