“I had no idea what had happened”

Actor Esko Kovero walks as usual Secret lives in the corridors of the studios. Every visitor receives a wink from Kovero and the actor knows the shortcut to the requested places.

Kovero, 65, certainly would not have believed when he was young that his everyday life would look like this.

Behind him is a 40-year career as an actor. Kovero is humble about his achievement, although at the same time he understands that he holds an exceptional title in Finland.

– Actors usually don’t terribly count their achievements, but when you stop and think about it, this is quite a thing, Kovero tells Iltalehte.

President of the Actors’ Union Antti Timonen too stated in his speech to Kovero that a path similar to Kovero’s career may never be seen in Finland again.

Kovero’s career as an actor has not been a given. Kovero, who hails from Outokumpu, was trained as an instrument fitter after the army, and a job at the electricity company would have been secured “until the grave”.

However, something drew Kovero towards self-expression and the theater world. Making the effort from a small town was not simple, but you had to go to the entrance exams of the University of Theater in secret.

– I had one week of summer vacation available from the electricity company. The others wanted to take their vacation during Midsummer, but I already requested my vacation for May. They were very surprised at my decision and I made up my mind to go to meet my relatives, Kovero recalls with a laugh.

Kovero’s family would not necessarily have understood his aspiration to the Theater Academy, so the application process that took place in the late 1970s was also carried out hidden from the family.

A complete surprise

Kovero, who had just left the army, enthusiastically went to the entrance exams, where there were more than 400 aspiring actors.

– The entrance exams were a great experience in themselves. I met great actors live and I had a really good flow during the entrance exams.

Kovero passed the first two stages of the four-stage entrance exams. However, after the third stage, Kovero was ready to go home, as the improvisation and singing parts were not his strengths.

A friend talked Kovero into looking at the list of applicants who made it to the last stage at the school’s door. Kovero’s name was found on the list.

– I didn’t understand at all what had happened. I had to look up the name on the list six times. That’s when I was sure that I would definitely get to school.

Outokumpu kept getting congratulatory calls from the school and Kovero had to tell his family the news. Since the good news, the family has supported him in his career and was very proud of his achievement.

– In 1979, however, a sad event happened when my father passed away. My mother was sad that she would stay in Outokumpu alone when I moved to Helsinki, but in the end she too was proud of my achievement and understood that it had to be done this way.

Kovero reveals that he would not have applied a second time to Teatterikorkeakoulu if he had not made it on the first attempt.

– The gods wanted me to be an actor, Kovero states.

From stage to TV

For the first 15 years of his career, Kovero worked in the city theaters of Vaasa and Turku, as well as the Tampere Työväen Theatre.

– I recently calculated that I have performed almost 100 different roles in this career. This man is torn into a hundred different patterns. This happens when you live this long, Kovero says.

In 1998, Kovero wrote a contract for the role for which Finns know him. Encrypted lives Ismo Laitela has traveled Kovero’s journey for over 24 years.

– This is certainly a kind of record in Finland and elsewhere as well. Tremble Ron Moss! He also visited Finland last week, but didn’t dare to meet because he knows he would lose, Kovero jokes.

Career In hidden lives it wouldn’t have been this long if Kovero had felt uncomfortable making the series or if he had wanted to do something else.

– I have been in the series for so long because I have enjoyed myself. I liked Ismo’s role, but the work environment is at least as important.

Ismo’s role has included a huge number of different twists and turns, both in relationships, at work and in personal life problems. These have also shaped Kovero’s own world of thought. If, on the other hand, there has been a more difficult moment in Kovero’s own life, he has been able to handle things through Ismo, like occupational therapy.

“It wouldn’t even be Ismo”

In many contexts Encrypted lives The actors have described their working community as a family, and Kovero does the same.

– It’s been really nice here and the time has gone incredibly fast, he adds.

– It has been good luck for Ismo that his son Kalle came back to the series. Without Kalle, aka Pete Lattu, Ismoaka wouldn’t even be in the series, Kovero states.

Kovero’s own family has also been allowed to live as a part of Ismo’s life. The co-wife and two adult children are completely used to seeing their family members’ faces on the television screen on weeknights.

Even though Kovero finds it a bit embarrassing to watch himself on TV, he is able to turn on the TV in the evenings and occasionally watch Salkkarei.

– Of course, I’m interested in how my scene is cut into the series. Yes, the series will be followed, says Kovero.

“Life carries”

Koverosta The secret of Hidden Lives lies in its everyday essence and Finnishness. The program has also changed with the changes in the world and the purpose is also to teach the viewers.

– This series is familiar and safe. Of course, Ismo has not always been safe, Kovero laughs.

– Relationships between people have changed during the series and equality has increased. It can also be seen in the series. You have to take a stand on these and that is part of the nature of the series.

Kovero is very grateful for the long career he has had, and especially when he is healthy.

– I am 65 years old. If I can wear more than just a hat and I’m fit enough, I’d be happy to do interesting roles, even from retirement.

Time has passed so quickly that Kovero has not managed to pay attention to aging.

– I was only fifty! I’d be lying if I said that aging wasn’t scary. After all, no one is here forever and what will those end times be like in this changing world.

– However, it’s not worth lying down in that fire. It just goes one day at a time. If it feels too long, take a step or a centimeter at a time with the rollator, Kovero continues.

Kovero would have comforting but motivating words for young Esko, who secretly entered the entrance exams of the Theater University without knowing what was to come.

– Life carries. And every cloud has a silver lining, Kovero concludes movedly.