Lena Olin Biography

Fast Facts

• In 1980, she became a member of Sweden's Royal Dramatic Theatre
• Awarded the Ingmar Bergman Award in 1980
• Trained in acting at the National Academy of Dramatic Art in Sweden
• In 1994, she got married to director and screenwriter Lasse Hallstrom
• Born to actress Britta and director Stig Olin
• Before acting, she was a substitute teacher and a nurse
• Quote: "''ACTING is a very strange job․ To be a good actor, you have to be very smart․ But to be a great actor, you also have to have a streak of, 'I'm an idiot, a complete lunatic․' Sometimes I think, 'Wow, why didn't I grow up the way other people do? Why do I have this idiotic side to me?' Because even the wish to do what actors do is somewhat idiotic: 'O․K․, I'm really sad and I have to show you how sad I am․' I mean, who would want to do that?''"
• Often takes on the role of free-spirited characters in her projects
• In 1974, she was crowned Miss Scandinavia in Helsinki, Finland
• Was in contention for the role of Catwoman in 'Batman Returns․"