An Actress Who Tells A Great Story -Saana Laigren
We recently caught up with the intriguing and beautiful Saana Laigren about her work in the acting world, some of her career highlights and what projects she has coming up next. Here is what she had to say:
Please give us an introduction as to when you first got into the entertainment industry:
I studied acting first in Helsinki and then moved to Los Angeles to specifically study acting for film. Afterwards I stayed in Los Angeles and worked as a freelance actress for a year. I have acted in quite a few films and productions before moving to LA, but I have had most of my professional career in LA.
Do you feel like you have grown a lot more as an artist over the years, through your experiences?
Definitely. I used to be way more insecure about myself and about my talent and skills. Working on different projects with different people and taking more classes has definitely made me more confident. I can truly say I trust myself when I go to a set these days.
What has been one of your favorite projects to work on so far?
I really enjoyed working on Mr. Kunibert, even though it was super cold while we were filming. Also writing my first screenplay Waiting For Samuel, then acting in it, watching it come to life, was an unusual experience. It felt amazing to be able to make a personal story into a movie, many of the characters were inspired by people from real life.
What has been one of the biggest highlights/achievements of your career?
I still can’t believe Mr. Kunibert got so many awards and nominations. I have won best actress in multiple international film festivals in the US and UK -it feels amazing and a little bit surreal. We had an amazing team, working with a director I truly trust 100% made my job so much easier. Also I have to mention the process of Waiting For Samuel -creating something from beginning to end and using truly painful experiences from real life and making them into something beautiful was really rewarding.
Who has been one of your favorite actors/filmmakers you have worked with so far and why?
My mentor Barbara Brownell has helped me so much through everything. Also working with director Tapio Antere is always a pleasure, our minds really think alike, it makes everything so much easier.
What other projects do you have coming up?
I am working on another movie of Tapio Antere right now, it’s called Lämpö (Warmth). We still have two days of filming left, I’m super excited to see the final film and I feel like everyone has been giving 100% and doing a great job. I am super proud of the whole cast and crew so far.
What is your best piece of advice for aspiring artists?
Don’t doubt yourself and never give up, but also keep striving. It is super important to keep working on our craft all the time. I can’t wait to take more acting classes as soon as I have a little more free time again.
