Ville Haapasalo’s long career in Russia was partly a matter of chance.
Ville Haapasalo had a long career as an actor in Russia. Pete Anikari
Actor and entrepreneur Ville Haapasalo visited on Thursday On the gig bus podcastin which he told about the special twists and turns of his eventful career.
Haapasalo told the hosts of the podcast, Mato Valtone and Tuomas Uusitalo, among other things, about how he ended up in the Soviet Union to study acting.
He had dreamed of an acting career since the age of 12, as well as of studying abroad.
Originally, however, Haapasalo was supposed to go to study at a theater school in Great Britain.
– I had already paid the entrance exam fees for three theater schools in London, and I decided that I would go there by train, Haapasalo says in the podcast.
At the Lahti train station, however, Haapasalo had run into a family friend from the Soviet Union.
When a family friend found out the man’s destination, she wondered why Haapasalo was going so far.
– Go to the Soviet Union! a family friend said according to Haapasalo.
A relative had connections to a theater school in Leningrad, i.e. present-day St. Petersburg, and Haapasalo decided to take the entrance exams, inspired by her.
The language of the entrance exams was Russian, which Haapasalo did not know a word of at the time.
“Suddenly I’m going to learn Russian,” Haapasalo says in the podcast.
He had bought a dictionary to study the language.
A special reception
When Haapasalo had reached the city, there was a strange sight in front of him.
– At the station there, a grandmother was waiting for me, with whom I did not have a common language. The theater school had sent him for me.
Grandma finally led Haapasalo to an apartment where she could stay during the entrance exams.
Haapasalo immediately headed to the theater school first, where he was given instructions on participating in the entrance exams.
However, returning to the accommodation did not go well, as he had forgotten to write down the address of the apartment.
– I wandered around the city on the subway all evening, but I couldn’t find the right place. I ended up sleeping at the metro station for the night, Haapasalo says in the podcast.
Ville Haapasalo and Pipsa Hurmerinta starred Kuppilat in order, Ville Haapasalo and Pipsa Hurmerinta! program. Four, Joni Touri
In by accident
Haapasalo tells a confusing revelation about the entrance exam results themselves.
– Actually, I don’t even know if I got in there. I didn’t understand the language at all, but I always showed up, and I wasn’t thrown out, says Haapasalo.
– I was probably told many times to get out of here, but I didn’t understand it. I showed up every morning, so I guess my persistence was rewarded.
Although the entrance exam result was unclear, Haapasalo began studying at the St. Petersburg Theater Academy.
At school, no one spoke anything but Russian, so I had to learn the language. After half a year, Haapasalo already understood some conversations, and after about a year and a half, he already started thinking in Russian.
– We studied seven days a week, and the days were long, Haapasalo recalls his studies.
A long career
During the final years of theater school, Haapasalo was offered the opportunity to act in a movie National specialties of huntingwhich had a non-existent budget and was not expected to have any kind of success.
However, against all expectations, the film became a huge success, and Haapasalo instantly became an acting face known throughout Russia. The film in question is considered one of the best films in contemporary Russia.
Haapasalo has received the Russian State Prize for Cinematography, and in addition, Russian President Vladimir Putin has awarded him the title of State Artist.
In recent years, however, Haapasalo has withdrawn from Russia and made TV programs in Finland and worked as an entrepreneur.
At the end of April, it was reported that the recently divorced Haapasalo married a film director Tina Barkalajan with.
At the beginning of June, Haapasalo announced his intention to move to Georgia.