Laura Malmivaara

Laura Pauliina Malmivaara (born 26 October 1973) 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.

Early life and education

Malmivaara was born into a clerical family in Kajaanin maalaiskunta [fi] (now Kajaani), Finland. Prior to her acting career, she worked as a model in her youth. After graduating from the Sibelius Upper Secondary School [fi] in 1992, she lived and worked as a model in Athens, Greece for a period of time. In 2002, Malmivaara graduated from the Helsinki Theatre Academy. She has also studied photography at the School of Arts, Design and Architecture in Helsinki and theology at the University of Helsinki.

Acting career: 1993–present

Malmivaara made her debut as an actress in the 1993 film Harjunpää and the Persecutors and has since then acted in dozens of Finnish film and television productions. Among her best-known roles are in the films Restless (2002), Lovers & Leavers (2002), Vares: Private Eye (2004), and FC Venus (2005); for her role in the latter, she was nominated for the Best Supporting Actress Award [fi] at the 60th [fi] Jussi Awards in 2006. Malmivaara is also known for her role in the drama television series Kotikatu, in which she played the priest Tuija Kangasharju from 2002 to 2012.

In addition to her roles in Finnish productions, Malmivaara's career also includes lead roles in two Italian films written and directed by Anne Riitta Ciccone [fi; it]: L'amore di Màrja [fi; it] (2002) and Thy Neighbor [it] (2008), and a role in the 2006 Swedish comedy film Baba's Cars [fi; sv], written and directed by Rafael Edholm.

Onstage

Malmivaara was a founding member of the theatre group Akseli Ensemble [fi] that was active from 2004 to 2008, and since 2008, she has been attached to KOM-teatteri [fi], located in Helsinki.

Musical career debut in 2005

Malmivaara's debut album, Myytävänä elämä [fi], was released in 2005 by Elements Music. The ten-track album consists of pop songs, and before and after its release, the singles "Nukkumaan" and "Myytävänä elämä" were released in 2005 and 2006, respectively. "Nukkumaan" peaked at number seventeen on the Official Finnish Singles Chart, whereas the single "Myytävänä elämä" did not make it to the chart. Before her recording career, Malmivaara performed the song "Daa da daa da" with other actors in the film Restless and wrote and performed the song "Sadepilvet" for the film Lovers & Leavers.

Photography

In addition to her film acting career, Malmivaara has worked as a still photographer for a number of films, and furthermore, three exhibitions featuring her photographic works have been held: Mikä minusta tulee isona (2004), Lauran matkakuvia: Tukholma (2012, 2013), and Taiteilijakuvia (2015).

Non-fiction television

Malmivaara has hosted two televisions programs. She hosted Peili, a show based on a board game, that ran for two seasons and aired on MTV3 AVA from 2009 to 2010. From 2012 to 2013, Malmivaara hosted the travel series Lauran matkakuvia: Tukholma [fi] that ran for two seasons on Liv. In the series' every episode, she travelled to the city of Stockholm with an alternating celebrity guest.

In 2017, Malmivaara participated in the tenth season of Tanssii tähtien kanssa, the Finnish version of Dancing with the Stars, with the dancer Mikko Ahti [fi] as her partner.

Blogging

Malmivaara blogged frequently for the women's magazine Evita [fi], which was published by Bonnier Publications Oy from 2010 to 2013.

Malmivaara's younger brother, Olli, is a former professional ice hockey player, and the actress and singer Malla Malmivaara (also born Laura Malmivaara) is her second cousin.

Malmivaara has two daughters—born in 2004 and 2006—with the director Aku Louhimies, to whom she was married from 2003 to 2012. She lives in Helsinki.

Albums

• Myytävänä elämä [fi] (2005)

Singles

• "Nukkumaan" (2005) – peaked at #17 on the Official Finnish Singles Chart
• "Myytävänä elämä" (2006)

• Mikä minusta tulee isona (2004)
• Lauran matkakuvia: Tukholma (2012, 2013)
• Taiteilijakuvia (2015)