Mari Lill (born 21 December 1945) 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 whose career began onstage in the late 1960s.

Early life and education

Mari Lill was born in

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 '' ...

to Felix Lill and Asta Lill (''née'' Multer) just after the end of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

and the Soviet occupation and annexation of Estonia. Her father Felix was arrested by

Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nation ...

authorities and spent several years sentenced to forced labor in the

gulag The Gulag, an acronym for , , "chief administration of the camps". The original name given to the system of camps controlled by the GPU was the Main Administration of Corrective Labor Camps (, )., name=, group= was the government agency in ...

system in

Siberia Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive region, geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a ...

when she was still an infant. He was later able to return to the family when Mari was quite young. Lill is the middle child of three siblings; she has an older sister Kadri, and her younger brother was glass artist Ivo Lill. Lill grew up and attended schools in the district of

Nõmme Nõmme (Estonian for ''"Heath"'') is one of the 8 administrative districts ( et, linnaosa) of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. It has a population of 39,422 () and covers an area of , population density is . The district is largely a middle-clas ...

and spent time visiting her grandmother on the island of

Saaremaa Saaremaa is the largest island in Estonia, measuring . The main island of Saare County, it is located in the Baltic Sea, south of Hiiumaa island and west of Muhu island, and belongs to the West Estonian Archipelago. The capital of the isla ...

. After graduating from secondary school, Lill studied acting under the supervision of course instructor Voldemar Panso at the Tallinn State Conservatory (now, 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 ...

). Her diploma production was in the role of Helen Keller in a 1967 staging of

William Gibson William Ford Gibson (born March 17, 1948) is an American-Canadian speculative fiction writer and essayist widely credited with pioneering the science fiction subgenre known as ''cyberpunk''. Beginning his writing career in the late 1970s, hi ...

's ''

The Miracle Worker ''The Miracle Worker'' refers to a broadcast, a play and various other adaptations of Helen Keller's 1903 autobiography ''The Story of My Life''. The first of these works was a 1957 ''Playhouse 90'' broadcast written by William Gibson and sta ...

''. She graduated in 1968. Among her graduating classmates were actors

Helle-Reet Helenurm Helle-Reet Helenurm (26 January 1944 – 23 February 2003) was an Estonian actress whose career began in 1968 in theatre. She also performed as a radio, television, and film actress until her death, aged 59, of cancer. Early life and education ...

Ago Roo Ago Roo (born 11 May 1946) is an Estonian stage, television, voice, and film actor who began his career in theatre in 1968. Roo has been employed at several notable theatres in Estonian during his career and has appeared in film and television. H ...

Katrin Karisma Katrin Karisma (also Katrin Karisma-Krumm; born on 21 August 1947) is an Estonian actress, singer and politician. She was a member of XI Riigikogu. Karisma born in Tallinn. She was married first to actor Peeter Jakobi Peeter Jakobi (15 October 1 ...

Raivo Trass Raivo Trass (12 March 1946 – 7 June 2022) was an Estonian actor, director and theatrical pedagogue. Career Trass graduated from the Tallinn State Conservatory's Performing Arts Department in 1968. From 1968 until 1977, he was an actor at Estoni ...

Enn Klooren Enn Klooren (21 June 1940 – 26 March 2011) was an Estonian actor. Klooren was born in Tallinn and grew up in Türi. After graduating the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre in 1968 Klooren worked in the Estonian Drama Theatre. Since 1989 he ...

Jaan Tooming Jaan Tooming (born 28 March 1946 in Tallinn) is an Estonian actor, theatre and film director and writer. In 1968 he graduated from the Tallinn State Conservatory (now, the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre). From 1969 to 2009 he was an actor a ...

Peeter Jakobi Peeter Jakobi (15 October 1940 — 21 September 2014) was an Estonian actor. Jakobi was born in Tallinn. In 1968 he graduated from the Tallinn State Conservatory's Performing Arts Department. From 1973 until 2008, he was an actor at the Rakvere Th ...

, and

Kalju Komissarov Kalju Komissarov (8 March 1946 Võru – 6 March 2017) was an Estonian actor, theatre and film director, and theatre pedagogue. In 1968 he graduated from Tallinn State Conservatory. 1968-1974 he worked as a film director at Tallinnfilm. 1974-198 ...

Stage career

In 1968, following her graduation from the Tallinn State Conservatory, she joined the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic National Youth Theatre in Tallinn (now, 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 ...

). Her first significant role at the Youth Theatre was in the role of Hedvig in a production of Henrik Ibsen's 1884 play ''

The Wild Duck ''The Wild Duck'' (original Norwegian title: ''Vildanden'') is an 1884 play by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It is considered the first modern masterpiece in the genre of tragicomedy. ''The Wild Duck'' and ''Rosmersholm'' are "often ...

''. Lill remained with the Youth Theatre for nine years, leaving in 1977. Prominent roles during her time at the Youth Theatre include those in works by such playwrights and authors as:

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 natio ...

, A. H. Tammsaare, Henrik Ibsen,

N. Richard Nash Nathan Richard Nusbaum (June 8, 1913 – December 11, 2000), known as N. Richard Nash, was an American writer and dramatist best known for writing Broadway shows, including '' The Rainmaker''. Early life Nash was born Nathan Richard Nusbau ...

, Andrus Kivirähk, and Anton Chekhov, among others. In 1977, Mari Lill began performing 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 ...

in Tallinn, where she is still currently engaged as an actress. Lill's stage career with the Estonian Drama Theatre has been prolific; performing in over seventy theatre roles. Some of her more memorable roles have been in productions of works by such varied international authors and playwrights as: Shakespeare, Ibsen,

Molière Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (, ; 15 January 1622 (baptised) – 17 February 1673), known by his stage name Molière (, , ), was a French playwright, actor, and poet, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the French language and worl ...

Valentin Rasputin Valentin Grigoriyevich Rasputin (; russian: Валентин Григорьевич Распутин; 15 March 193714 March 2015) was a Russian writer. He was born and lived much of his life in the Irkutsk Oblast in Eastern Siberia. Rasputin's w ...

J. M. Barrie Sir James Matthew Barrie, 1st Baronet, (; 9 May 1860 19 June 1937) was a Scottish novelist and playwright, best remembered as the creator of Peter Pan. He was born and educated in Scotland and then moved to London, where he wrote several succ ...

, Edward Bond,

Leonid Andreyev Leonid Nikolaievich Andreyev (russian: Леони́д Никола́евич Андре́ев, – 12 September 1919) was a Russian playwright, novelist and short-story writer, who is considered to be a father of Expressionism in Russian liter ...

Leo Tolstoy Count Lev Nikolayevich TolstoyTolstoy pronounced his first name as , which corresponds to the romanization ''Lyov''. () (; russian: link=no, Лев Николаевич Толстой,In Tolstoy's day, his name was written as in pre-refor ...

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

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Isaac Babel Isaac Emmanuilovich Babel (russian: Исаак Эммануилович Бабель, p=ˈbabʲɪlʲ; – 27 January 1940) was a Russian writer, journalist, playwright, and literary translator. He is best known as the author of ''Red Cavalry'' ...

, Marsha Norman,

Françoise Sagan Françoise Sagan (born Françoise Delphine Quoirez; 21 June 1935 – 24 September 2004) was a French playwright, novelist, and screenwriter. Sagan was known for works with strong romantic themes involving wealthy and disillusioned bourgeois chara ...

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Yukio Mishima , born , was a Japanese author, poet, playwright, actor, model, Shintoist, nationalist, and founder of the , an unarmed civilian militia. Mishima is considered one of the most important Japanese authors of the 20th century. He was considered fo ...

Ray Cooney Raymond George Alfred Cooney, OBE (born 30 May 1932) is an English playwright, actor, and director. His biggest success, '' Run for Your Wife'' (1983), ran for nine years in London's West End and is its longest-running comedy. He has had 17 ...

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, Astrid Lindgren, Frank Marcus,

Tankred Dorst Tankred Dorst (19 December 1925 – 1 June 2017) was a German playwright and storyteller. Dorst lived and worked in Munich. His farces, parables, one-act-plays and adaptations were inspired by the theatre of the absurd and the works of Ionesc ...

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Terry Pratchett Sir Terence David John Pratchett (28 April 1948 – 12 March 2015) was an English humourist, satirist, and author of fantasy novels, especially comical works. He is best known for his '' Discworld'' series of 41 novels. Pratchett's first no ...

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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. ...

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, and

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, among many others. Memorable roles in works by Estonian authors and playwrights include those of: Madis Kõiv, A. H. Tammsaare,

Vaino Vahing Vaino Vahing (15 February 1940 – 23 March 2008), was an Estonian writer, prosaist, psychiatrist and playwright. Starting from 1973, he was a member of the Estonian Writers Union. Early life Vlahing was born in Aravu, Põlva County. In 1963 ...

Mart Kivastik Mart Kivastik (born 4 March 1963 in Tartu) is an Estonian film director, screenwriter, playwright and novelist. 1981-1991 he worked as an editor in Tallinnfilm Tallinnfilm is the oldest surviving film studio in Estonia. It was founded as E ...

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 ...

, Andrus Kivirähk,

Oskar Luts Oskar Luts ( – 23 March 1953) was an Estonian writer and playwright. Biography Oskar Luts was born into a middle-class family in Järvepera, central Estonia, at that time in the governorate of Livonia (Russian Empire). His younger brother was ...

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Mats Traat Mats Traat (23 November 1936 – 27 June 2022) was an Estonian poet, poetry translator, and author. Career Traat was born in Arula, Otepää Parish. He debuted in 1962 with a collection of poetry. He published over 20 anthologies of poetry. ...

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, and

Jaan Kross Jaan Kross (19 February 1920 – 27 December 2007) was an Estonian writer. He won the 1995 International Nonino Prize in Italy. Early life Born in Tallinn, Estonia, son of a skilled metal-worker, Jaan Kross studied at Jakob Westholm Gymnasium ...

, among several others.

Television career

In 1990, Mari Lill appeared in the Sulev Keedus directed feature-length television drama ''Ainus pühapäev''. This was followed the next year by the role of Maile in the Tõnis Kask directed television melodrama film ''Vana mees tahab koju'', based on the 1983 novel of the same name by

Raimond Kaugver Raimond Kaugver (25 February 1926 Rakvere – 24 January 1992 Tallinn) was an Estonian writer. In 1943, he escaped to Finland and joined there with Finnish Infantry Regiment 200. In 1944, he returned to Estonia. From 1945 to 1950, he spent in a p ...

. In 1995, she played the role of Mrs. Laasik in the

ETV ETV may stand for: Television * e.tv, a South African terrestrial television channel * Educational Television (Hong Kong), a television series * Educational television, the use of television in education * Enhanced TV, an interactive television ap ...

drama mini-series '' Wikmani poised'', which was based on the 1988 novel of the same name by

. Lill has also made appearances in a number of roles on Estonian television series, including; the popular, long-running ETV drama series ''

Õnne 13 Õnne 13 is an Estonian dramatic TV series that airs on ETV ETV may stand for: Television * e.tv, a South African terrestrial television channel * Educational Television (Hong Kong), a television series * Educational television, the use of ...

'' in 1995; the ETV crime drama ''Ohtlik lend'' in 2006; 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 ...

mystery-horror serial ''Süvahavva'' in 2012; the ETV political satire series ''Riigimehed'' in 2013; the Kanal 2 crime drama ''Viimane võmm''; the TV3 serial ''Üheotsapilet'' in 2016; and several episodes of the popular TV3 comedy-crime series ''

Kättemaksukontor ''Kättemaksukontor'' (English: ''Revenge Office'') is an Estonian comedy-crime television series. In the series, a group of women have the organization called "Kättemaksukontor". This organization helps to solve murder cases for the police. The ...

'' in 2016.

Film career

In 1977, Lill made her feature film debut in the

Kaljo Kiisk Kaljo Kiisk (3 December 1925 – 20 September 2007) was a Soviet and Estonian actor, film director, screenwriter and politician. He was best known for his roles as Kristjan Lible from ''Spring'' ( et, Kevade), ''Summer'' (''Suvi'') and ''Autu ...

directed drama ''Surma hinda küsi surnutelt'' for

Tallinnfilm Tallinnfilm is the oldest surviving film studio in Estonia. It was founded as Estonian Culture Film in 1931, and was nationalized in 1940 after Estonia was forced into the Soviet Union. During the first year of Soviet Occupation (1940–1941) ...

. Following this role, she returned to the stage and did not make another film appearance until the role of Robi's mother in the 1985 Leida Laius and

Arvo Iho Arvo Iho (born 21 June 1949) is an Estonian film director, cinematographer, actor and photographer, who has worked in the areas of documentary and drama.Rollberg, Peter (2016) ''Historical Dictionary of Russian and Soviet Cinema'', Rowman & Lit ...

directed drama '' Naerata ometi'', which chronicles the turbulent life of a teenage girl in a

orphanage. The film was based on the 1963 Silvia Rannamaa penned novel ''Kasuema''. In 1989, she would appear in two film roles: as Asta in the

Leida Laius Leida Laius (26 March 1923 – 6 April 1996, in Tallinn) was an Estonian film director. In 1950 she graduated from . In 1962 she graduated from All-Union State Institute of Cinematography. Since 1960 she worked at Tallinnfilm. Filmography * ''� ...

directed drama '' Varastatud kohtumine'', as well as in the

Jaan Kolberg Jaan Kolberg (born 21 November 1958) is an Estonian film director and producer. Jaan Kolberg was born in Pärnu, where he attended primary and secondary schools. In 1976, he enrolled at Tartu State University, majoring in English. While at unive ...

directed short ''Mardipäev'', both for Tallinnfilm. In 1990, she made an appearance in Uzbek director Khadzhi Akhmar's Russian language Soviet

science-fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...

film ''Sputnik planety Uran'' for Uzbekfilm, which featured a multi-ethnic cast of

Russian Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: *Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...

, Uzbek, Estonian, Kazakh,

Georgian Georgian may refer to: Common meanings * Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country) ** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group ** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians **Georgian scripts, three scrip ...

and

Ukrainian Ukrainian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Ukraine * Something relating to Ukrainians, an East Slavic people from Eastern Europe * Something relating to demographics of Ukraine in terms of demography and population of Ukraine * So ...

actors. In 1992, Lill appeared in a small role in the Aare Tilk directed family drama ''Tule tagasi, Lumumba'', based on the Toomas Raudam story ''Lugu Reinust''. In 1994, she appeared in the Jaan Kolberg directed adventure period piece ''Jüri Rumm'', based on the real-life exploits of the 19th-century Estonian

folk hero A folk hero or national hero is a type of hero – real, fictional or mythological – with their name, personality and deeds embedded in the popular consciousness of a people, mentioned frequently in folk songs, folk tales and other folklore; a ...

, thief and outlaw

Rummu Jüri Rummu Jüri (born Jüri Rummo; in Kehtna Parish – unknown) was an Estonian itinerant, thief and robber. He has become the archetypical Estonian folk hero, an outlaw who stole from the rich to give to the poor. Although most noted for his ma ...

. Mari Lill would spend much of the late 1990s and early 2000s in the theatre. She would resume her film career in 2007, with a small role in the Veiko Õunpuu

black comedy Black comedy, also known as dark comedy, morbid humor, or gallows humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally considered serious or painful to discu ...

'' Sügisball''. In 2012, she would lend her voice to the Priit Tender animated film short ''Ussinuumaja'' produced by Eesti Joonisfilm. In 2016, she appeared in the

René Vilbre René Vilbre (born 17 May 1970 in Rakvere) is an Estonian film director René Vilbre has received the Children's Film Prize of the Nordic Film Institutes at the Lübeck Nordic Film Days in 2005 and the Don Quixote Award - Special Mention at th ...

directed

Taska Film Taska Film sometimes credited as Taska Productions (owned by Kristian Taska) is an Estonian film production company responsible for producing the number 1 Estonian box office hit during the last decade: '' Names in Marble''. ''Candles in the Dar ...

comedy ''Klassikokkutulek'' and the following year in the Sulev Keedus directed drama ''Mehetapja/Süütu /Vari''. In 2020, he had a starring role as Grandmother in the Rasmus Merivoo directed dark comedy-fantasy film ''Kratt''. Throughout her film career, Lill would also appear in a number of short films and student films.

Personal life

In 1968, Mari Lill married actor Tõnu Tamm. The couple have two daughters, pediatrician Katariina Rebane (b. 1974), and actress

Elisabet Reinsalu Elisabet Reinsalu (until 2012, Elisabet Tamm; born 21 April 1976) is an Estonian stage, television, voice, and film actress. Early life and education Elisabet Reinsalu was born Elisabet Tamm in Tallinn to Tõnu Tamm and Mari Lill, both actors. S ...

(b. 1976). They currently live in the small village of

Andineeme Andineeme is a village in Kuusalu Parish, Harju County in northern 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 Fi ...

Kuusalu Parish Kuusalu Parish ( et, Kuusalu vald) is a rural municipality in northern Estonia, the largest in Harju County. After joining with the adjacent Loksa Parish in 2005, the municipality has now a population of 6,863 (as of 1 January 2009) and covers an ...

Harju County Harju County ( et, Harju maakond or ''Harjumaa''), is one of the fifteen counties of Estonia. It is situated in Northern Estonia, on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland, and borders Lääne-Viru County to the east, Järva County to the so ...

.uudised.tv3.ee
''Mari Lill meenutab: Lennart Merele ütlesin, et enam ma sind sülle võtta ei saa, sest ema ei luba'' 27 February 2016. Retrieved 19 January 2017.

Acknowledgements

* Order of the White Star, V Class (2002) * Merited Artist of the Estonian SSR (1975)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lill, Mari 1945 births Living people Estonian stage actresses Estonian film actresses Estonian television actresses Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre alumni 20th-century Estonian actresses 21st-century Estonian actresses Actresses from Tallinn Recipients of the Order of the White Star, 5th Class