Lena's Biography
Find out all you need to know about the fabulous Lena Olin!
On March 22, 1956, a star was born- that is, Lena Olin came into the world to the delight of her mother and father (Stig Olin, an actor) in Stockholm, Sweden. Even as a young lady, Lena knew she wanted to be an actress, earning roles in Shakespeare, Ibsen and Strindberg classics. She followed in her father's footsteps and worked in Stockholm's Royal Theatre under Ingmar Bergman; both Stig and Lena are conisdered to belong to the Bergman "family".
Lena's first big job was Efter repetitonen- After the Rehearsal. Bergman also directed her in this Swedish-speaking film. After several more European film and television roles, Lena made a name for herself in North America in the 1998 film The Unbearable Lightness of Being. Audiences were captured by her talent and her beauty alike. From that point on, Lena began to rake in the film jobs, often playing the exotic, tempting villainesses you can't help but love. However Lena would not get typecast despite playing several similar roles; she delves into human emotion in Havana, stretches her funny bone in Polish Wedding, and plays a timid, vulnerable French housewife in Chocolat.
Lena has had an astounding career spanning 27 years, and the remarkable actress shows no sign of slowing down. With 8 TV spots and 23 movie roles under her belt, Lena has two new movies coming to theatres in 2003- Hollywood Homicide and The United States of Leland- as well as a film due out in 2004 which she is currently shooting, The Swedish Job. Also, Lena's popularity seems to have reached its peak, as she is captivating audiences worldwide as Irina Derevko on TV's Alias. Irina quickly became one of the most, if not the most, popular characters on the show, due largely in part to Lena's intense, attention-grabbing performances. With Season 2 at its close, questions remained unanswered as to whether or not Lena Olin/Irina will return for the next go-round. One can only hope that she does, but regardless, one thing is for certain- Lena Olin is a phenomenal actress who will enjoy success for a long time to come!
FAST FACTS
Birthdate: 3/22/56
Birthplace: Stockholm, Sweden
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown
Height: 5'11"
Siblings: A sister named Mats
Marital Status: Divorved from Örjan Ramberg. Married Lasse Hallström in 1994.
Children: Son, August, born in 1986. Daughter, Tora, born in 1995.
Research Credits:
www.abc.com
www.imdb.com