Lasse Hallström facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lasse Hallström
Born	Lars Sven Hallström (1946-06-02) 2 June 1946 (age 79) Stockholm, Sweden
Occupation	Film director, screenwriter
Years active	1973–present
Spouse(s)	Malou Hallström ​ ​ (m. 1974; div. 1981)​ Lena Olin ​ ​ (m. 1994)​
Children	2

Lars Sven "Lasse" Hallström is a famous Swedish film director. He was born on June 2, 1946. Many people first knew him for directing almost all the music videos for the popular music group ABBA. Later, he became known around the world for his 1985 movie My Life as a Dog. This film even earned him a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Director.

Lasse Hallström has also directed other well-known movies. These include What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993), The Cider House Rules (1999), and Chocolat (2000).

Early Life and School

Lars Sven "Lasse" Hallström was born in Stockholm, Sweden. His father was a dentist who loved making videos as a hobby. His mother, Karin Lyberg, was an author and a poet.

Lasse went to Adolf Fredrik's Music School in Stockholm. While he was there, he made his very first music videos and short films.

Lasse Hallström's Career

Lasse Hallström at a special event in 2013.

In the late 1960s, Lasse Hallström started working as a director. He made short music videos for Swedish television.

His first time directing a TV show was in 1973. It was a comedy series called Pappas pojkar. During his early career in Sweden, he often worked with funny actors like Magnus Härenstam and Brasse Brännström.

Working with ABBA

From 1974 to 1982, Hallström worked closely with the Swedish pop group ABBA. He directed many of their music videos. He also directed their 1977 movie, ABBA: The Movie.

Lasse Hallström directed almost all of ABBA's music videos. There were only a few exceptions that other directors made. These videos helped ABBA become famous all over the world.

Moving to Hollywood

After his movie My Life as a Dog became a big success in 1985, Hallström began working in Hollywood. His first English-language film was Once Around.

His first really successful English movie was What's Eating Gilbert Grape in 1993. This film starred famous actors like Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Directing Popular Book Adaptations

Lasse Hallström has directed many successful movies that were based on books. In 1999, he directed The Cider House Rules. This movie was very popular.

The next year, in 2000, he directed Chocolat. This film starred Johnny Depp, Juliette Binoche, and Judi Dench. It was a big hit with both critics and audiences.

In 2001, he directed The Shipping News. This movie was based on a book that won a special award called the Pulitzer Prize. It featured actors like Kevin Spacey, Judi Dench, Julianne Moore, and Cate Blanchett.

His 2011 movie, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, was also based on a book. It starred Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt.

In 2017, Hallström directed A Dog's Purpose. This movie was based on a 2010 book. It was made to celebrate the special bond between people and their dogs.

More recently, in 2024, Hallström directed and helped produce a TV series called The Darkness. This show is a thriller and stars his wife, Lena Olin. She has worked with him on other films too.

Awards and Nominations

Lasse Hallström's films have won or been nominated for many important awards.

• 1985: His movie My Life as a Dog was nominated for awards for both directing and screenwriting.
• 1993: What's Eating Gilbert Grape received several nominations. Leonardo DiCaprio won an award for his acting in this film.
• 1999: The Cider House Rules was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director. The movie also received six other Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. Michael Caine won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, and John Irving won for Best Adapted Screenplay.
• 2000: Chocolat was nominated for Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Academy Awards, including Best Picture. The actresses Juliette Binoche and Judi Dench won awards for their roles in this movie.
• 2001: The Shipping News won the Golden Bear award at the Berlin International Film Festival. Its actors also received nominations for Golden Globe and BAFTA awards.
• 2011: Salmon Fishing in the Yemen was nominated for three Golden Globe Awards in the Comedy or Musical category. These included Best Motion Picture, Best Actor for Ewan McGregor, and Best Actress for Emily Blunt.
• 2012: His film The Hypnotist was chosen to represent Sweden for the Best Foreign Language Oscar at the 85th Academy Awards.

Personal Life

Lasse Hallström married Malou Hallström in 1974. She was a media personality and actress. They later divorced in 1981.

In 1990, he met actress Lena Olin. They got married on March 18, 1994, and they have a daughter together. In 2011, they lived in Bedford, New York, and also had a home in Sweden.

In 2014, Lasse Hallström became a vegan. This means he chose not to eat any animal products.

Music Videos Directed for ABBA

Lasse Hallström directed all the following music videos for the group ABBA:

Movies Directed by Lasse Hallström

Here is a list of the movies Lasse Hallström has directed:

See also

In Spanish: Lasse Hallström para niños

• ABBA discography