Krista Kosonen is an actor known for her work on acclaimed films including Tove, The Midwife, Miami, and Blade Runner 2049. I spoke with Krista about breaking into the industry, the future of Finnish cinema, and her upcoming projects.
Did you always want to pursue a career in acting, and how did you land your first role?
No! I wanted to be a writer and that´s how I ended up in an art high school. There I chose all the acting classes and that is how I fell in love with acting. I guess the love for storytelling came first through books – and the dream of writing. I just find that it comes more natural for me to act than write.
I applied to Theatre Academy when I was 19 years old and luckily got in on the first try. I studied acting there for six years.
I have done a lot of theatre but in the recent years it has been more movies and television.
I do think that I learned to act in theatre.
I got my first movie role when I was studying in Theatre school for the second year, I got it through an audition- the film was called Jade Warrior and it was a Finnish kung-fu-film. Not a typical genre for a Finnish film!
Is there anyone in the industry who has particularly influenced you?
Well, this answer is a big cliché but Meryl Streep is someone I have endless admiration for. Also, I absolutely love the work of Isabelle Huppert.
Do you ever find yourself working with actors who have very different approaches to your own, and how does that affect you?
Yes I do, all the time! But I find it very interesting because everyone has their own style of approaching acting and I think there is a great possibility to learn new things just by watching other people work.
Anything works as long as the atmosphere between colleagues is respectful, honest and trusting.
It's great to see Finland producing more films with international releases. How do you think this will affect the Finnish film industry?
It is absolutely wonderful. I think the industry has changed a lot in the last ten years, there are more possibilities for actors and I feel like the productions have become more ambitious on every level.
Are you currently working on any projects?
I just finished a five month shoot in Norway, season two for an HBO Nordic- show called Beforeigners. That was a long time away from home (because of covid there is no flying back and forth anymore) so now it is nice to be back in Finland.
At this very moment I am actually teaching a master class in film acting for the acting students of Theatre Academy and directing students from Aalto University (Film department). It is a lot of fun!
I am also reading a couple of audiobooks at the same time, which is like meditation for me because I love to read and to do it as a profession is just ideal.
In May I will start to shoot a TV series that I am very excited about. Unfortunately I can´t say what it is yet, sorry!