Kati Outinen considered Elina Salo one of her role models. Several colleagues remember the late actor fondly.
The death of Elina Salo, remembered as the voice of Pikku Myi and an award-winning actress, touches her colleagues.
Salo died on November 4. He was 89 years old when he died.
Seela Sella and Elina Salo were awarded at the Red Carpet gala in 2021. Timo Korhonen, AOP
Actress Seela Sella, 88, tells Iltalehte that she met Salo in the 1950s, when they studied at Teatterikorkeakoulu at the same time.
Sella has many memories of Salo from their school days together.
– I started Teatterikorkeakoulu in 1957, and he was in the upper class, Sella recalls.
– I remember when our vocal exercises started at 8:45. He ran up the school steps and always showed up at the last minute. He was completely out of breath, but after a while it was as if nothing had happened! Sella continues.
What Sella appreciated most about Salo was that he never changed.
– Throughout her life, Elina remained the same as she was when she was young. He was a very personable person. There can’t be another one like that.
– It feels like he was like a breath from some other world, some fairytale world. He was like an intermediate model between another world and this real world, Sella concludes.
Elina Salo always remained herself, says Seela Sella. ATTE KAJOVA
Far away the clouds flee
Actors Kari Väänänen and Kati Outinen received the news of Salo’s death with a heavy heart. Both Väänänen and Outinen heard about the death from Iltalehti’s editor.
Kari Väänänen, Kati Outinen and Elina Salo all played Aki Kaurismäki Far away the clouds flee in the movie that premiered in 1996.
– Peace to her soul, she was a great Mimmi and a great actress. He lived a long life, I only have good memories of him, says Väänänen.
– He was a very dear colleague to me and a person I admired. He was a good colleague, a supportive co-actor, Outinen describes Salo.
Kari Väänänen remembers Salo fondly. ATTE KAJOVA
Kati Outinen got to know Sal before Aki Kaurismäki Match factory girl -film at the turn of the 90s. Outinen played the main character of the film, Iris Rukka, and Salo played Iris Rukka’s mother.
– I was very nervous about the situation, because I admired Elina so much. He was a legend even then, says Outinen.
Outinen remembers well what kind Match factory girl -the filming of the movie was. The film was shot in Kallio, Helsinki, at Linjoi. Outinen says that one of the shooting locations was an unheated courtyard building that did not have a proper floor.
– It was crazy to see how an actor who had experienced so much and had been involved in so many things acted in that situation. It was an impossible filming location, but Elina still only asked for a blanket for warmth, and didn’t care about the situation. He understood how great the location was, and you can’t demand luxury conditions there.
– He was an actor who always encouraged Aki and was there for him at times when Aki was just starting his career. Elina really nicely supported Aki, and talked a lot about Aki’s language, Outinen continues.
Kati Outinen and Elina Salo were seen together in several of Aki Kaurismäki’s films. PDO
Outinen considers the way they were able to improvise together to be special.
– I was constantly aware of what he was doing and he was aware of what I was doing. We were able to offer Aki all sorts of things that he hadn’t scripted.
Outinen hasn’t been in contact with Salo for years, but the last meeting about ten years ago is very memorable.
At the time, Outinen visited Paris with the late composer and musician Anssi Tikanmäki Juha– about the movie. Salo lived in Paris.
– Our flight didn’t leave until the evening, so we went to Elina’s for lunch. We talked and talked for several hours. That day is a wonderful and vivid memory. Now it’s understandable that both of them are gone from that table, Outinen concludes sadly.
Kati Outinen is grateful when she got to work together with Elina Salo. Elle Laitila