Hey folks, it’s your arts and culture beat reporter here, and I’ve got to tell you, every now and then I come across a story that just reminds me why I love covering the theater and film world. Today, that’s Lena Olin. At 70 years old – she turned that milestone back in March – she’s still turning heads and diving into roles that would make lesser actors run for the hills. And right now, with her upcoming turn in Strindberg’s Fadren at Stockholm’s Kulturhuset Stadsteatern, it feels like the perfect time to chat about this incredible woman who’s bridged Hollywood glamour with raw Scandinavian drama like no one else.
Born in Stockholm in 1955, Lena grew up in a family straight out of a Bergman script. Her dad, Stig Olin, was an actor and director who’d popped up in six of Ingmar Bergman’s films, and her mom, Britta Holmberg, was a singer and actress too. With that kind of pedigree, it’s no surprise she caught the acting bug early. But get this – before she even set foot in drama school, Lena was a straight-A student, nearly topping the charts in Sweden with a 4.9 average. She even dabbled in medicine and worked as a nurse and substitute teacher. Can you imagine? The woman who would later channel Holocaust survivors and KGB spies almost became a doctor. Life’s full of plot twists, right?
It was Bergman himself who nudged her toward the stage. After a couple of failed auditions for drama school, he convinced her to try again – and boom, she got in at Sweden’s National Academy of Dramatic Art in 1976. From there, she joined the Royal Dramatic Theatre, where she became one of Bergman’s go-to leading ladies. We’re talking roles in Fanny and Alexander in 1982 and After the Rehearsal in 1984, plus stage gems like A Dream Play and Miss Julie. She was touring the world as Cordelia in King Lear, hitting spots like New York and Moscow. Critics started calling her the “new Garbo,” and honestly, with her striking looks and that intense, soul-baring style, I can see why.
But Lena’s big break on the international scene came in 1988 with The Unbearable Lightness of Being. Playing the free-spirited artist Sabina opposite Daniel Day-Lewis, she lit up the screen in a way that had everyone talking. That role snagged her a Golden Globe nomination, and suddenly Hollywood was knocking. Then came Enemies, A Love Story in 1989, where she portrayed a traumatized Holocaust survivor – a performance so raw it earned her an Oscar nod for Best Supporting Actress. I remember watching that one back in the day and thinking, “This woman doesn’t just act; she lives these characters.” It’s the kind of work that sticks with you, especially knowing the emotional toll it must take.
The ’90s and early 2000s were a whirlwind for her. She teamed up with her husband, director Lasse Hallström (they tied the knot in 1994 after she had a son, August, from a previous relationship with actor Örjan Ramberg), in films like Chocolat in 2000, where she played an abused wife and picked up a BAFTA nomination. And who could forget her turn as the seductive hitwoman in Romeo Is Bleeding? That was Lena at her most fearless. On TV, she jumped into Alias as the enigmatic KGB agent Irina Derevko from 2002 to 2006, earning an Emmy nomination. Talk about range – from spies to sitcoms like Welcome to Sweden and intense dramas like Hunters and Riviera. She’s got two kids now, including daughter Tora with Lasse, and they’ve been based in New York since the mid-’90s, but Sweden’s always called her back.
Lena’s not one for the spotlight off-screen, though. In interviews, she’s said things like, “I have a big need of spending time being alone, just to face these dark sides. We must have secrets.” That guarded side makes her even more intriguing – she’s all about protecting that inner world that fuels her performances. And after a 26-year hiatus from the theater (her last big stage role was in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? at the same venue in 2017), she’s making a triumphant return this fall.
That’s right – starting October 10, 2025, Lena steps back into the spotlight as Laura in August Strindberg’s Fadren (The Father) at Kulturhuset Stadsteatern’s Klarascenen. Directed and adapted by none other than her son, F.A. Campbell – talk about family affair! – it’s a psychological powerhouse about a family’s toxic power struggles, manipulation, and blurred lines between right and wrong. Peter Andersson plays opposite her as the Captain, and the cast includes talents like Lena-Pia Bernhardsson and Simon Reithner. Campbell, who’s making his directorial debut at the theater (and has a novel coming out next year), described it beautifully: “It’s about a family where love is hard to give and receive. The world around them is blind and deaf, unable to help.” With Strindberg’s timeless take on gender roles and madness, and Lena channeling that inner fire, this production is already buzzing. I caught wind of it through some press releases, and if it’s anything like her past work, it’ll be unforgettable.
Lena’s been quiet on the interview front lately, but in a recent chat about an upcoming series called The Darkness, she opened up a bit about tackling heavy themes like abuse and trauma. “It’s exhausting, but that’s what draws me in,” she seemed to imply. And with projects like the romantic comedy Upgraded in post-production and her role in One Life from last year still fresh, she’s proving age is just a number. At 70, she’s not slowing down; she’s evolving.
Look, I’ve covered a lot of comebacks in this job, but Lena Olin’s feels special. She’s a reminder that true talent doesn’t fade – it deepens. If you’re in Stockholm, snag tickets for Fadren while you can; it’s going to be one of those seasons you talk about for years. And for the rest of us, let’s raise a glass (or a fika) to this Swedish icon who’s spent decades showing us the light and the shadows of the human soul. What’s your favorite Lena role? Drop a comment below – I’d love to hear.