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 (born 2 June 1946) is a famous Swedish film director. He first became well-known for directing almost all the music videos for the super popular pop group ABBA. He gained international fame with his 1985 movie My Life as a Dog, which earned him a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Director. Lasse Hallström is also famous for directing other great movies like What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993), The Cider House Rules (1999), and Chocolat (2000).

Early Life and First Films

Lars Sven "Lasse" Hallström was born in Stockholm, Sweden, on June 2, 1946. His father was a dentist who loved making home videos. His mother, Karin Lyberg, was an author and poet.

Lasse went to Adolf Fredrik's Music School in Stockholm. It was there that he made his very first music videos and short films using 8 mm film.

Career Highlights

Lasse Hallström at the 2013 Miami International Film Festival

In the late 1960s, Lasse Hallström started working as a director for short pop music clips at Swedish Television.

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

Working with ABBA

Between 1974 and 1982, Hallström worked closely with the famous 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. Only a few were made by other directors.

Moving to Hollywood

After his movie My Life as a Dog (1985) became a big hit around the world, Hallström began working in Hollywood. His first English-language film was Once Around. But his first really successful English movie was What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993). This film starred famous actors like Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Hallström has directed many successful movies that were based on books. In 1999, he directed The Cider House Rules. The next year, he directed Chocolat. This movie starred Johnny Depp, Juliette Binoche, and Judi Dench. Both movies were very popular with critics and audiences.

His 2001 film The Shipping News was also based on a book that won a Pulitzer Prize. It featured a cast of well-known actors like Kevin Spacey, Judi Dench, Julianne Moore, and Cate Blanchett.

Later Films and Dog Stories

In 2011, he directed Salmon Fishing in the Yemen. This movie was based on a 2007 book and starred Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt.

His 2017 film, A Dog's Purpose, was based on a 2010 book. It was described as a movie that celebrates the special bond between people and their dogs.

More recently, Hallström directed and helped produce a TV show in 2024. It's a thriller series called The Darkness. His wife, Lena Olin, who has worked with him before, stars in the show.

Awards and Recognition

Lasse Hallström's films have received many awards and nominations over the years.

• In 1985, he was nominated for an Academy Award for his work as a screenwriter and director for My Life as a Dog.
• His 1993 film What's Eating Gilbert Grape earned several nominations. Leonardo DiCaprio won an award for his acting in it.
• In 1999, Hallström was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director for The Cider House Rules. This movie also received six other Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. Michael Caine won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the film.
• His 2000 movie Chocolat was nominated for many awards. These included the Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Academy Awards for Best Picture.
• In 2001, The Shipping News won the Golden Bear award at the Berlin International Film Festival.
• His 2011 film Salmon Fishing in the Yemen was nominated for three Golden Globe Awards. These included Best Motion Picture, Best Actor for Ewan McGregor, and Best Actress for Emily Blunt.
• In 2012, his film The Hypnotist was chosen to represent Sweden for the Best Foreign Language Oscar at the 85th Academy Awards.

Personal Life

Hallström married media personality and actress Malou Hallström [sv] in 1974. They later divorced in 1981.

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

Lasse Hallström became a vegan in 2014, meaning he stopped eating all animal products.

Videography

(This is a complete list of all the ABBA music videos that Lasse Hallström directed.)

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Lasse Hallström para niños

• ABBA discography