05/06/2026
Pihla Viitala is one of Finland’s most internationally recognized contemporary actors, known for her emotional range and commanding screen presence. After graduating from the Helsinki Theatre Academy, she built a strong foundation in Finnish cinema with standout roles in Ganes, Tears of April, and Bad Family. Her performance in Star Boys earned her a Jussi Award nomination for Best Leading Actress, highlighting her ability to portray layered, emotionally complex characters.
Viitala’s career soon expanded beyond Finland. She appeared in the Icelandic horror-comedy Reykjavik Whale Watching Massacre and reached wider audiences with a role as Mina in the Hollywood fantasy-action film Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters.
On television, she gained prominence in the Finnish drama Black Widows.Her international breakthrough came with her lead role as detective Sofia Karppi in Karppi, distributed globally as Deadwind. The series’ worldwide streaming success and her Golden Venla Award for Best Actress cemented her global reputation. Her portrayal of Karppi—intense, restrained, and deeply human—demonstrated her capacity to anchor a series with psychological depth and quiet strength.
Recognized early in her career as a European Film Promotion Shooting Star at the Berlin International Film Festival, Viitala continues to choose challenging, character-driven projects, solidifying her place as a distinctive force in both Nordic and international screen storytelling.