Jussi Vatanen

Acting

Jussi Vatanen

Born 1978-01-30 · Sonkajärvi, Finland

Jussi Vatanen (born 30 January 1978 in Sonkajärvi) is a Finnish actor. He graduated from Theatre Academy Helsinki in 2005 and has since then worked for several Finnish theatres. He became a household name in Finland after joining the cast of a weekly sketch comedy show Putous in its second season in 2011. Vatanen has also appeared in other television programs and films. In 2010, he was nominated for a Jussi Award for the Best Actor in a Leading Role for his work in a Dome Karukoski film Lapland Odyssey. He has also appeared in films The Unknown Soldier (2017) and Fallen Leaves (2023), for which both he was nominated for Jussi Awards as well. Vatanen is married to a singer Marika Tuhkala. They have a daughter.

Acting credits

Fallen Leaves poster
7.1

In modern-day Helsinki, two lonely souls in search of love meet by chance in a karaoke bar. However, their path to happiness is beset by obstacles – from lost phone numbers to mistaken addresses, alcoholism, and a charming stray dog.

Fallen Leaves

2023

Unknown Soldier poster
7.4

The film follows Finnish army machine gun company in Continuation War against Soviet Union, 1941–1944. Based on Väinö Linna's best selling novel Tuntematon Sotilas (The Unknown Soldier) and the novel's uncensored version, Sotaromaani (A War Novel).

Unknown Soldier

2017

Vinski 2 poster
NR

The town of Hömpstad is once again under threat from criminals and Vinski's help is needed. When the criminals manage to steal the invisibility powder for themselves, Vinski has a real showdown on his hands.

Vinski 2

2026

The Kidnapping of a President poster
NR

In October 1930, a group of officers belonging to the Finnish army's top leadership decided, after a night of drinking, to kidnap Finland's retired first president, Ståhlberg. The Finnish people were divided in the aftermath of the civil war, and the political atmosphere was turbulent and tense. However, the kidnapping went wrong right from the start when the incompetent henchmen recruited for the job were forced to take the president's stubborn wife, Ester Ståhlberg, with them.

The Kidnapping of a President

2026

Lapland Odyssey poster
6.5

Lapland Odyssey is a comedy about Janne, a man from Lapland in northern Finland, a man who has made a career out of living on welfare. Inari, his girlfriend, is tired of Janne's incapability of getting a grip on life, Janne wasn't even able to buy a digital TV box that Inari had given money for. Inari gives an ultimatum: a digital box needs to arrive by dawn or she leaves. Janne sets out into the night with his two friends to find a box. On their way to the city of Rovaniemi, Janne and his friends face many challenges, obstacles and temptations. They learn that they need to be daring. There's no room to give into bitterness. The most important thing isn't success, but rather the journey in itself.

Lapland Odyssey

2010

Risto poster
4.2

The beloved actor Risto gets paralyzed - quadriplegiac - in a studio accident. The accident brings him massive financial compensation and a flood of sympathy. Suddenly there is money for everything that Risto's young and beautiful wife has always wanted. She gives up her boring job and becomes an artist.

Risto

2011

Legend of the Lake Bodom poster
4.3

The Legend of Bodom is a figment of the imagination, but it takes place in a land that once existed - between East and West, on the front lines of the Cold War. It is Pentecost morning in 1960. Three young people are found murdered on the shores of Lake Bodom.

Legend of the Lake Bodom

2006

Bad Women poster
6.2

Johanna, the hostess of the parish house, does her utmost to ensure that everything goes according to plan. There is no room for error. The last thing Johanna needs is a busload of uninvited guests knocking on the door of the parish house on the eve of an important wedding. However, a passing Russian party has had its car broken down and Johanna soon finds herself accommodating the party at the parish house. Johanna's brother is tasked with fixing the car to get the guests on the road and out of the way quickly. Her brother's entrepreneurial friend, on the other hand, sees great opportunities in the situation and decides to act. The clock ticks, the car won't start, the wedding ceremony is about to begin and the recipe for disaster is in motion.

Bad Women

2022

Fanatics poster
5.4

A buddy comedy about a fanatic small town football supporter who falls in love with a perfect girl, only to notice that his dream-girl supports the wrong football team. Now he has to befriend the enemy or forget the girl he loves.

Fanatics

2012

We Are the Pirates of the Roads poster
4.7

The Rosvola family – The Robbersons drive around the country in their pirate car robbing bypassing cars of their sweets, extra food and consumer goods. Life changes for the Rosvolas when they accidentally kidnap 10-year-old Vilja, a diligent school girl. Will Vilja succeed in escaping or will she become friends with the Rosvolas´ children Hele (12 years) and Kalle (9 years)? We are the Pirates of the Roads is a funny and crazy adventurous road movie for children.

We Are the Pirates of the Roads

2015

The Hijack That Went South poster
5.6

Aarno Lamminparras hijacked an airplane with a gun in 1978. A true story.

The Hijack That Went South

2013

Heart of a Lion poster
6.6

Neo-Nazi falls in love with a woman who has a black son and finds himself fighting with conflicting feelings.

Heart of a Lion

2013

No artwork available
NR

12-year-old Ossi sees his grandpa dying from a cardiac arrest while working. That very moment Ossi decides not to end up the same way. After underachieving in elementary school and intentionally failing to get any higher education, Ossi ends up living with his parents. Fed up, his father forces him to get a job or he will throw Ossi out in the street. Trapped, Ossi finds a solution when he learns that he is entitled to unemployment benefits.

Arrogance

Glass Ceiling poster
2.0

Sari works in middle management for a multinational company, and a promotion is within her grasp. She just has to finish her last presentation, break the glass ceiling and make it to the conference room in time.

Glass Ceiling

2015

Kolme suudelmaa poster
5.7

A comedy about lecturer Sakkas, who devotes himself to history in order to find meaning in the world. What happens when a man's frozen heart begins to thaw?

Kolme suudelmaa

2006

Summer Is Crazy poster
5.3

After the bankruptcy of their fine dining restaurant, the Eerolas are stuck in the seaside village of Nauvo with no clear plan for the future. In the shadow of the father’s depression both the mother and the teenage daughter rebel against the stagnant life, each in their own way. In the magical light of the midnight sun, new loves begin while others come to an end.

Summer Is Crazy

2025

Red Snow poster
NR

In Finland, sixteen-year-old emo teen Johanna dreams of a glittering Twilight vampire prince. What she gets instead is Martti — a balding, beer-bellied 49-year-old bloodsucker who slips into a Santa suit to gain entry to homes and devour entire families. In Finland, sixteen-year-old emo teen Johanna dreams of a glittering Twilight vampire prince. What she gets instead is Martti — a balding, beer-bellied 49-year-old bloodsucker who slips into a Santa suit to gain entry to homes and devour entire families. When Johanna crosses paths with Martti on Christmas Eve, she thinks her dark fairy tale has come true. But instead of eternal romance, she finds herself trapped in a bloody and horrific nightmare of aging masculine toxicity, family trauma, and festive slaughter. By morning, the snow will turn red.

Red Snow

2026

Dark Corners poster
3.8

Jack Strachan, a shady ex-sports star in hiding out in Norway, is stalked by a mysterious woman he cannot identify who closely resembles his murdered wife, Veronique. Convinced of her evil intent and determined to unmask her, he forces himself to re-live the harrowing events that culminate in Veronique's brutal murder at the hands of violent associate, Karim, and confront the demons that first drove him underground.

Dark Corners

2021

Towards the Day of Doom poster
5.4

Four stories about Finnish life intersect. In the first one, drum artist Monkki Mähönen arrives for a renovation job at his old band mate's summer villa. Second story revolves around wannabe motorcycle gang and its leader Jouni who are being humiliated at a village shop. Thirdly in the 1960s, a star reporter Erkki "Likasanko" Sysimetsä starts writing a once in a lifetime story about the womanizing of Arvo Hakala, a pipe organ repair man. In the fourth story, a fantasy and sci-fi film director Kurt "Kurre" von Riikonen is looking for financing of his upcoming movie Excalibur IV with catastrophic consequences.

Towards the Day of Doom

2014

Forest Giant poster
6.8

Pasi returns to his childhood town, asked to reconfigure the local plywood factory. With a child on the way with his upper-class wife, Pasi sees an opportunity – this is his ticket to climb the professional ladder in the company. On arrival, he bumps into his childhood friend Janne, who works in the factory he is about to downsize. Pasi begins to struggle with the fact that he is supposed to care for the profits – not for the people.

Forest Giant

2020

Off the Map poster
5.6

Career woman finds out that her boyfriend is living a secret double life. She finds a bag of money and decides to make a run for it. She is accompanied by a little girl who is also on a run from her criminal step-father. Together they're trying to make it to her grandmothers house.

Off the Map

2016

Lapland Odyssey 3 poster
5.2

In the third instalment of the franchise, Janne embarks on an epic hike, a journey of self-discovery. His dreams of a tranquil retreat into nature are quickly shattered however, when Räihänen and Kämäräinen both decide to come along for the trip. Meanwhile Janne’s spouse Inari gets the chance to go back to work, but only if she can prove she’s “management material” and a real leader. Inari enters the Swamp Soccer tournament, where to her horror she finds out her ex Little Mikko is also competing.

Lapland Odyssey 3

2017

Lapland Odyssey 2 poster
5.6

It’s been three years since we last met Janne and Inari. Since then, they’ve had a daughter named Lumi. Janne and his friends experience a new adventure, this time on an autumn night. The boys go to a party but end up chasing Lumi who has disappeared. Meanwhile, Inari enjoys a girls-night-out and has an adventure of her own.

Lapland Odyssey 2

2015

Blue Baby poster
NR

A specialist nurse is given responsibility for a baby boy with a serious heart condition in the middle of nurses’ strike. She is left balancing between her own family, the baby boy and her loyalty for nurses’ cause.

Blue Baby

2026