Kersti Heinloo (born 26 September 1976) is an

Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, a ...

n stage, film and television actress who began her career in radio.

Early life and education

Born in

Tartu Tartu is the second largest city in Estonia after the Northern European country's political and financial capital, Tallinn. Tartu has a population of 91,407 (as of 2021). It is southeast of Tallinn and 245 kilometres (152 miles) northeast of ...

, Kersti Heinloo received her secondary education at the

Pärnu Pärnu () is the fourth largest city in Estonia. Situated in southwest Estonia, Pärnu is located south of the Estonian capital, Tallinn, and west of Estonia's second largest city, Tartu. The city sits off the coast of Pärnu Bay, an inlet o ...

Koidula Gymnasium, graduating in 1994. From 1995 until 1996, she studied radio direction at the Tallinn Pedagogical University (now,

Tallinn University Tallinn University (TLU; et, Tallinna Ülikool, ''TLÜ'') is a public research university in Estonia. Located in the centre of Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia, Tallinn University is one of the three largest institutions of higher education ...

) before applying and being accepted to the performing arts department of the

Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre The Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (''Eesti Muusika- ja Teatriakadeemia'') began as a mixed choir of the Estonia Society Musical Department (EMD) on the eve of World War I. The assembly of the Estonia Society created the Tallinn Higher Musi ...

Tallinn Tallinn () is the most populous and capital city of Estonia. Situated on a bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, Tallinn has a population of 437,811 (as of 2022) and administratively lies in the Harju ' ...

, where she graduated from in 2000. Among her graduating classmates were actors

Maarja Jakobson Maarja Jakobson (born 8 December 1977) is an Estonian television, stage and film actress whose career began in the late 1990s. Eraly life and education Maarja Jakobson was born in Tartu in 1977. She is distantly related to 19th-century writer and ...

Margus Prangel Margus Prangel (born on 7 July 1974 in Tallinn) is an Estonian actor. In 2000 he graduated from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre. From 2000 until 2011, he worked at the Estonian Drama Theatre. Since 2011, he has been a freelancer actor. B ...

, Eva Püssa,

Katrin Pärn Katrin Pärn (born 20 May 1977) is an Estonian stage, film and television actress and singer. Early life and education Katrin Pärn was born in Tallinn to actor, theatre founder, and director Eino Baskin (1929–2015) and actress and politician ...

Tambet Tuisk Tambet Tuisk (born 23 May 1976) is an Estonian actor. He has appeared in more than twenty films since 1999. Selected filmography References External links * 1976 births Living people Estonian male film actors {{Estonia-actor- ...

, Piret Simson and directors

Urmas Lennuk Urmas Lennuk (born 16 October 1971, in Tamsalu) is an Estonian theatre director, playwright and dramaturg. In 2000 he graduated from Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre' Stage Art Department. 2000–11 he worked at Rakvere Theatre. 2011–13 he ...

, Tiit Ojasoo and Vahur Keller. From 2005 to 2006, she took a one-year course in motion picture production at the

Brighton Brighton () is a seaside resort and one of the two main areas of the City of Brighton and Hove in the county of East Sussex, England. It is located south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze A ...

Film School in the U.K.

Stage career

In 2000, Heinloo began a five year engagement at the

Vanemuine Vanemuine () is a theatre in Tartu, Estonia. It was the first Estonian language theatre. History ''1870–1906 The Beginning of the Beginning. Koidula’s Theatre, Wiera’s Theatre.'' On June 24, 1870 was the first day in Estonian theatre ...

theatre in Tartu; she made her stage debut in a production of

Henry Fielding Henry Fielding (22 April 1707 – 8 October 1754) was an English novelist, irony writer, and dramatist known for earthy humour and satire. His comic novel '' Tom Jones'' is still widely appreciated. He and Samuel Richardson are seen as founders ...

's ''

The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling ''The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling'', often known simply as ''Tom Jones'', is a comic novel by English playwright and novelist Henry Fielding. It is a ''Bildungsroman'' and a picaresque novel. It was first published on 28 February 1749 in L ...

''. She would perform in a variety of roles in works by such international playwrights and authors as:

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

Mikhail Bulgakov Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov ( rus, links=no, Михаил Афанасьевич Булгаков, p=mʲɪxɐˈil ɐfɐˈnasʲjɪvʲɪtɕ bʊlˈɡakəf; – 10 March 1940) was a Soviet writer, medical doctor, and playwright active in the fir ...

Roberto Zucco The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...

Jerry Bock Jerrold Lewis Bock (November 23, 1928November 3, 2010) was an American musical theater composer. He received the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama with Sheldon Harnick for their 1959 musical ''Fiorello!'' and the Tony A ...

Emily Brontë Emily Jane Brontë (, commonly ; 30 July 1818 – 19 December 1848) was an English novelist and poet who is best known for her only novel, ''Wuthering Heights'', now considered a classic of English literature. She also published a book of poet ...

Anton Chekhov Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (; 29 January 1860 Old Style date 17 January. – 15 July 1904 Old Style date 2 July.) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer who is considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career ...

August Strindberg Johan August Strindberg (, ; 22 January 184914 May 1912) was a Swedish playwright, novelist, poet, essayist and painter.Lane (1998), 1040. A prolific writer who often drew directly on his personal experience, Strindberg wrote more than sixty p ...

Henrik Ibsen Henrik Johan Ibsen (; ; 20 March 1828 – 23 May 1906) was a Norwegian playwright and theatre director. As one of the founders of modernism in theatre, Ibsen is often referred to as "the father of realism" and one of the most influential playw ...

and

Willy Russell William Russell (born 23 August 1946) is an English dramatist, lyricist and composer. His best known works are ''Educating Rita'', ''Shirley Valentine'', '' Blood Brothers'' and ''Our Day Out''. Early life Russell was born in Whiston, Lancash ...

, among others. Roles in works by Estonian authors and playwrights at the Vanemuine include:

Mati Unt Mati Unt (1 January 1944 Linnamäe, Voore Parish (now Voore, Mustvee Parish), Jõgeva County, Estonia – 22 August 2005, Tallinn) was an Estonian writer, essayist and theatre director. Biography His first novel, written at the age of 18 af ...

August Gailit August Gailit (9 January 1891 – 5 November 1960) was an Estonian writer.Endel Nirk, Arthur Robert Hone, Oleg Mutt, ''Estonian Literature: Historical Survey with Biobibliographical Appendix'', Published by Perioodika, 1987, p177 Life Georg ...

Juhan Smuul Juhan Smuul (18 February 1922 – 13 April 1971) was an Estonian writer. Until 1954 he used the given name Johannes Schmuul. Career Smuul was born in Koguva village on the island of Muhu to Jüri and Ruudu Schmuul (née Tuulik). He had three ...

Johann Voldemar Jannsen Johann Voldemar Jannsen ( in Vändra, Kreis Pernau, Livonia, Russian Empire – , in Tartu) was an Estonian journalist and poet active in Livonia. He wrote the words of the patriotic song "Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm", which later became the ...

Jaan Kaplinski Jaan Kaplinski (22 January 1941 – 8 August 2021 ) was an Estonian poet, philosopher, politician, and culture critic, known for his focus on global issues and support for left-wing/liberal thinking. He was influenced by Eastern philosophical sc ...

, Urmas Vadi, Loone Ots, Ivar Põllu, Kauksi Ülle and others. For two years after leaving the Vanemuine, Heinloo was a freelance actress. In 2007, she began an engagement as an actress at the

Estonian Drama Theatre The Estonian Drama Theatre ( et, Eesti Draamateater) is a theatre in Tallinn, Estonia. It has the role of a national theatre for Estonia. The Estonia Theatre is located next door. History The building that houses the Estonian Drama Theatre was or ...

(''Eesti Draamateater'') where she made her stage debut in the role of Annikki in

Antti Tuuri Antti Elias Tuuri (born 1 October 1944, Kauhava, Southern Ostrobothnia) is a Finnish writer, known for his works dealing with Southern Ostrobothnia. The ''Äitini-suku''-series tells the stories of the Finns who emigrated to the United States. ...

's ''A River Flows Through the City''. Other prominent roles at the Estonian Drama Theatre were in works by

Lauri Lagle Lauri Lagle (born 12 February 1981) is an Estonian stage and film actor, screenwriter, stage producer, director and playwright. Early life Lauri Lagle was born in Tallinn, where he attended school. He graduated from the Estonian Academy of Music ...

, Shakespeare,

Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the thre ...

Enda Walsh Enda Walsh (born 1967) is an Irish playwright. Biography Enda Walsh was born in Kilbarrack, North Dublin on February 7, 1967. His father ran a furniture shop and his mother had been an actress. He is the second youngest of six children. Wal ...

Madis Kõiv Madis Kõiv (5 December 1929, Tartu, Estonia – 24 September 2014, Tartu, Estonia) was an Estonian writer, philosopher and physicist. Education Kõiv attended school in Tartu after the second World War, graduating in the early 1950s with a d ...

Fyodor Dostoyevsky Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky (, ; rus, Фёдор Михайлович Достоевский, Fyódor Mikháylovich Dostoyévskiy, p=ˈfʲɵdər mʲɪˈxajləvʲɪdʑ dəstɐˈjefskʲɪj, a=ru-Dostoevsky.ogg, links=yes; 11 November 18219 ...

Eugene O'Neill Eugene Gladstone O'Neill (October 16, 1888 – November 27, 1953) was an American playwright and Nobel laureate in literature. His poetically titled plays were among the first to introduce into the U.S. the drama techniques of realism, earlier ...

and

Andrus Kivirähk Andrus Kivirähk (born 17 August 1970) is an Estonian writer, a playwright, topical satirist, and screenwriter. As of 2004, 25,000 copies of his novel ''Rehepapp ehk November'' (''Old Barny or November'') had been sold, making him the most popul ...

. Heinloo has also performed onstage at the

Tallinn City Theatre Tallinn City Theatre ( et, Tallinna Linnateater) is a repertory theatre located in the medieval old town of Tallinn, Estonia. Tallinn City Theatre was established in 1965 as Estonian SSR State Youth Theatre. In 1992, after the reindependence of ...

, Tartu New Theatre, MTÜ Tuulekell and Kell Kümme theatres.

Film and television

Kersti Heinloo made her film debut in a small role in the 1998 Sulev Keedus directed drama '' Georgica''. This was followed by a starring role as Monika, opposite actor

Mait Malmsten Mait Malmsten (born 6 September 1972 in Viljandi) is an Estonian actor. Malmsten comes from a family of actors. His father is actor Rein Malmsten. His paternal grandparents were actors Franz Malmsten and Eva Meil. His great-uncle was actor Hugo ...

, in the 2002 Marko Raat directed action-adventure '' Agent Sinikael'' (English release title: ''Agent Wild Duck''). Other starring roles include that of Tuule in the Marko Raat directed 2010 drama ''Nuga'' and the 2011 TTV six-part satirical comedy television mini-series ''Teise mehe pea'', directed by

Roman Baskin Roman Baskin (25 December 1954 – 13 September 2018) was an Estonian actor and director of stage and screen. His parents were Eino Baskin and Ita Ever. Baskin's credits as an actor included ''Lotte from Gadgetville'' (2006), '' 186 Kilometres'' ( ...

and co-starring

Jan Uuspõld Jan Uuspõld (born 14 December 1973) is an Estonian stage, television, radio and film actor and musician. Early life and music career Jan Uuspõld was born in Tallinn, the eldest of three sons of Ingar and Heidi Uuspõld. His mother is an accou ...

. Heinloo is possibly best recalled by television audiences as the character Maria in the

Kanal 2 Kanal 2 is a privately owned Estonian television channel. Its literal name in English is "Channel 2". The channel was established by Ilmar Taska. The channel began broadcasting on 1 October 1993. History The channel started broadcasting on O ...

drama eries ''Pilvede all'', a role she played from 2010 until 2015. In 2016, she appeared in the

Anu Aun Anu Aun (born 14 February 1980 in Pärnu) is an Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west b ...

directed drama film ''Polaarpoiss''. In 2017, she provided the voice of Mother in the

Sulev Keedus Sulev Keedus (born 21 July 1957 in Tallinn) is an Estonian film director who studied at the Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography The Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography (russian: Всероссийский государственный и� ...

directed drama film ''Mehetapja/Süütu/Vari'' and in 2019, had a starring role in the Urmas Eero Liiv-directed horror film ''Kiirtee põrgusse''.

Personal life

Kersti Heinloo currently resides in Tallinn. She is married to actor Janek Joost and the couple have two sons.

Awards

Voldemar Panso Voldemar Panso (30 November 1920 Tomsk, Russia – 27 December 1977 Tallinn) was Estonian stage director, actor and theatrical teacher. 1941 he graduated from Tallinn Conservatory State Stage Art School and 1955 Moscow State Theatre Art Instit ...

Prize (1998) *Best Female Colleague award, Vanemuise (2000) *Väike Ants, Estonian Drama Theatre Prize (2010) * (2011) *Suur Ants, Estonian Drama Theatre Prize (2011) *Estonian Theatre Award, Best Female Leading role (Julie; ''Preili Julie'') (2014)Laureaadid 2014
Eesti Teatriliit (Estonian Theatre Association)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Heinloo, Kersti 1976 births Living people Estonian stage actresses Estonian film actresses Estonian television actresses Estonian child actresses Actresses from Tartu Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre alumni 20th-century Estonian actresses 21st-century Estonian actresses