Salatut elämät is a Finnish television soap opera that premiered on MTV3 on 25 January 1999. The series' storylines follow the daily lives of several families who live in the same apartment block in Helsinki. The series primarily centres on the residents of Pihlajakatu and its neighbouring areas. Only six of the original twenty characters Ismo, Kalle, Ulla, Aki, Kari and Elina still remain in the series, and most of the series' current characters have made their debuts in 2014 or later. Ismo is the only character who has never left the series.
Kirsi Hannele Sirén, better known by her stage name Kikka, was a Finnish pop/schlager singer. She was known for her sexpot image and suggestive, double entendre-filled songs. Kikka's best-known songs were "Mä haluun viihdyttää", "Sukkula Venukseen", "Tartu tiukasti hanuriin" and a cover of Ami Aspelund's "Apinamies".
Jonna Marika Tervomaa is a Finnish pop singer and songwriter. She was born in Forssa, and became famous at the age of ten, when she won the song contest "Syksyn Sävel" with the song "Minttu sekä Ville". Tervomaa started her adult career in 1998 with her self-titled album.
Mikko Johannes Leppilampi is a Finnish actor, musician, and TV host. He is the son of Jukka Leppilampi, a Finnish gospel musician. Leppilampi is considered to be one of the most promising stars of Finland's movie industry in the new millennium. He shot to fame as a result of his debut movie Helmiä ja sikoja, for which he also won a Jussi award.
Helmiä ja sikoja is a 2003 Finnish comedy film directed and written by Perttu Leppä, and starring Mikko Leppilampi and Laura Birn.
Perttu Leppä is a Finnish film director and screenwriter.
Amanda Pilke is a Finnish film and television actress.
Taina Elisabeth Elg is a Finnish-American actress and dancer. She has appeared on stage, television, and in film.
Sofi-Elina Oksanen is a Finnish writer and playwright. Oksanen has published six novels, of which "Purge" has gained the widest recognition. She has received several international and domestic awards for her literary work. Her work has been translated into more than 40 languages and sold more than two million copies. Oksanen has been called "Finnish-Estonian Charles Dickens" and her work has often been compared to Margaret Atwood's novels. Oksanen is actively involved in public debate in Finland and comments on current issues in her columns and various talk shows.
Kaija Kärkinen is a Finnish singer and actress. She represented Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest 1991, with the song "Hullu yö", finishing 20th.
Antti Reini is a Finnish film actor. At the 27th Guldbagge Awards he was nominated for the award for Best Actor for his role in Il Capitano: A Swedish Requiem.
Purge is a 2012 Finnish drama film directed by Antti Jokinen, based on the novel of the same name by Sofi Oksanen. The film was selected as the Finnish entry for the Best Foreign Language Oscar at the 85th Academy Awards, but it did not make it to the final shortlist. At the 2013 Jussi Award, the film received eight nominations, including Best Film, Best Direction and Best Costume Design. It won Best Actress for Birn, Best Supporting Actress for Liisi Tandefelt, along with Best Cinematography, Best Sound Design and Best Make-Up Design. Birn was also nominated for the Satellite Award for Best Actress.
Marjaana Maijala is a Finnish actress, who has appeared in several feature films and television series. She has also performed in several Finnish theatres, including The National Theatre of Finland.
Säde Eila Talvikki Pennanen was a Finnish writer, critic, essayist, and translator. A key contributor to nurturing Finnish literature, she published approximately twenty novels and a number of short stories and plays. She worked for 40 years as a literary critic and wrote essays for magazines. Pennanen translated a hundred books, trained translators, and lectured.
Naked Harbour is a 2012 Finnish drama film directed by Aku Louhimies.
Minna-Maria Erika Haapkylä is a Finnish actress. She has won two Jussi Awards; one for the best actress in a supporting role for a 1999 Veikko Aaltonen film Rakkaudella Maire, and another in 2009 for the best actress in a leading role for Kuulustelu, directed by Jörn Donner. Haapkylä was married to actor Hannu-Pekka Björkman from 2002 to 2014. They have two sons. Since 2014, she has been in a relationship with actress Joanna Haartti. They got married in August 2023.
Laura Pauliina Malmivaara is a Finnish actress. Her acting career began in 1993 and includes dozens of roles in film and television productions, as well as stage appearances. In addition to acting, she has also worked as a singer, photographer, television host, blogger and model.
Laura Malmivaara, performing under the stage name Malla, is a Finnish actress and singer.
Rakel Liehu is a Finnish poet, dramatist and novelist.
Kiti Karoliina Kokkonen is a Finnish film and television actress, voice actress and writer. She has been the artistic director of Suomen Komediateatteri since February 2010. She is the daughter of film director Ere Kokkonen and actress Titta Jokinen.
