Jasper Pääkkönen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jasper Pääkkönen
Pääkkönen in 2022
Born	Joona Jasper Pääkkönen (1980-07-15) 15 July 1980 (age 44) Helsinki, Finland
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1988–present
Spouse(s)	Alexandra Escat ​ (m. 2017)​
Children	2

Jasper Pääkkönen (born July 15, 1980) is a famous actor from Finland. He has been acting in movies and TV shows for a long time.

After many years in Finnish films, Jasper became known around the world. This happened when he starred in the TV series Vikings. He played the character Halfdan the Black. Later, he worked with director Spike Lee in movies like BlacKkKlansman and Da 5 Bloods.

Early Life and School Days

Jasper Pääkkönen was born in Helsinki, Finland. His father, Seppo Pääkkönen, is also an actor. His uncle, Antti Pääkkönen, is an actor too and often does voice acting.

When Jasper was a child, he helped out at the theater. He also went to a special school for performing arts in Helsinki. When he was 17, he spent a year in Maryland, USA. He was an exchange student there.

Acting Career Highlights

Aku Louhimies, director of Frozen Land, and Pääkkönen in 2005

Jasper Pääkkönen started acting very young. His first movie role was in 1988 when he was just seven years old. He became well-known in Finland for playing Saku Salin in the TV show Salatut elämät.

Many of Jasper's films have been very popular in Finland. Some of his big hits include Bad Boys and Frozen Land. Bad Boys is one of the most successful Finnish films ever. Other popular movies he starred in are Matti: Hell Is for Heroes and Lapland Odyssey.

For his role in Bad Boys, Jasper won an award for Best Actor. Critics from other countries have also praised his acting. In 2006, he was named a "Shooting Star" from Finland at a big film festival in Berlin.

Pääkkönen with Spike Lee and the cast of BlacKkKlansman at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival

In 2013, Jasper won his first Jussi Award for Best Supporting Actor. This was for his role in the movie Heart of a Lion. In 2015, he joined the cast of the popular TV series Vikings. He played the character Halfdan the Black.

Later, he worked with famous director Spike Lee. Jasper played a member of the KKK in Lee's movie BlacKkKlansman. This movie was shown at the Cannes Film Festival. He also starred in Spike Lee's 2020 movie Da 5 Bloods.

Other Activities and Businesses

Jasper Pääkkönen in 2012

Besides acting, Jasper Pääkkönen has other interests. In 2009, he started a poker magazine called Pokerisivut.com. This magazine even won an award in London.

Jasper is also very passionate about fly fishing. He is part of a world team for fly fishing. He has appeared on TV shows and DVDs about this hobby. He cares a lot about protecting endangered fish species in Finland, especially salmon. He also helped start Superflies.com. This company sells fishing flies and helps raise money to protect native fish.

Jasper has also started some businesses. He and a partner built a large sauna and restaurant complex called Löyly in Helsinki. It cost a lot of money to build. He also bought an old sanatorium building. He plans to turn it into a hotel.

Family Life

Since 2017, Jasper Pääkkönen has been married to Alexandra Escat. She is a model from Spain and the Philippines. They had their first child, a daughter, on Christmas Day in 2021. In January 2024, they welcomed their second child, a son.

Selected Filmography

Television Shows

See also

In Spanish: Jasper Pääkkönen para niños