Leena Uotila, 76, tells the secret of her decades-long marriage

Leena Uotila has had a long career as an actress. Karoliina Simoinen

Actress Leena Uotila, 76, has been married to her husband, screenwriter Henri Kapulainen, since 1970.

Despite the long marriage, the couple has gotten to know each other on a whole new level. When Leena stopped being a regular actress in the theater, she had more time to be at home.

– There was a bit of an official statement that you are here. I got to watch how my husband spends his days at home. He is a writer and writes at home, Leena laughs.

In Leena’s opinion, the secret of a long union lies in communication skills.

– We probably have a common sense of humor and self-irony. You can find a comical perspective on many things.

– You can even be furious for a while. Then when it’s over, there’s no grudge left. Then you can talk normally when you have had your say. There was no need to learn it. It’s just natural, Leena continues.

Pension

Even though her days as a regular theater actress are over, Leena still works a lot as a freelancer and in various productions. Leena has spoken in public before that she does not think she will retire.

Workgroups have a sense of community that Leena doesn’t think she gets from a pensioner’s everyday life.

– For most actors, it’s really important. There is a community and the effort that we try to do something together. I don’t deny that another job could be just as exciting and fun.

– The worst thing about retiring is that you have to leave that work community, Leena says.

Health through exercise

The body is an important tool for actors, and therefore physical health and mobility are important for actors. Leena takes care of her own body in many different ways, even though acting itself can be physically taxing. The theater has daytime and evening rehearsals, during which you stand and walk for up to seven hours a day.

– It’s already pretty good exercise. Then I just walk to the workplace and back. That already brings a lot. Otherwise, my regular forms of exercise are water running and yoga. I do notice if I haven’t stretched or done yoga, Leena says.

A good recovery also plays a part in the fact that the actor has remained cool.

– When I put my head on the pillow, it’s a thump, Leena laughs.

In addition to work, Leena gets her mind refreshed from moving, but also from meeting friends. Reading books is also important to Leena.

Grandma

Leena plays one of the main roles in the soon to be released Grandmain the movie. Grandma is a tragicomic story about a Finnish family whose Christmas and everyday life are overshadowed by grandfather’s alcohol problem, old quarrels and lack of communication. The film premiered at the Berlin Film Festival this year.

Leena believes that even if the film only shows a certain kind of family model, everyone can still find someone in the characters who corresponds to their own life. He himself sees his own mother and her sister in the film’s bickering siblings.

Leena is remembered, among other things, from movies Steel ladies, Off-key and Human parts. Leena’s voice has also become familiar Moomin Valley stories – for working as a voice actor for the television series.

Mummola in cinemas from 10.11.2023 throughout Finland.