Kaili Närep (born 16 August 1970) is an Estonian stage, television and film actress whose career began in 1991. She has been engaged at the

Ugala Ugala is a theatre in Viljandi, Estonia. The theatre was founded in 1920 opening on January 10 of that year. The first production was Oscar Wilde's "Salome (play), Salome". Ugala's Artistic Directors *1925 - 1926: Andres Särev *1926 – 1928 ...

theatre in

Viljandi Viljandi (, , , , ) is a Populated places in Estonia, town and Municipalities of Estonia, municipality in southern Estonia with a population of 17,255 in 2024. It is the capital of Viljandi County and is geographically located between two major ...

and the

Endla Theatre Endla () is a professional theatre in city of Pärnu, Estonia. The roots of the theatre came from Endla Society. The theatre opened in 1911. The first performance was ''Libahunt'' (The Werewolf) by the Estonian writer August Kitzberg. The Es ...

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 of ...

, where she also worked as a makeup artist. Närep has appeared in several motion pictures and has had recurring roles on several Estonian television series.

Early life and education

Kaili Närep was born and raised in Pärnu. She studied violin at the Pärnu Children's Music School in the field of violin, graduating in 1985. She is a 1988 graduate of Pärnu 4th Secondary School. Afterward, she moved to

Tallinn Tallinn is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Estonia, most populous city of Estonia. Situated on a Tallinn Bay, bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, it has a population of (as of 2025) and ...

to study at the Tallinn Conservatory's Department of Performing Arts (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 ...

) under the supervision of actor and instructor

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. From 1968-1974, he worked as a film director at Tallinnfilm. F ...

, graduating in 1992. Among her graduating classmates were actors Jaanus Rohumaa,

Üllar Saaremäe Üllar Saaremäe (born November 23, 1969) is an Estonian actor, director, politician, and punk band singer. Biography Üllar Saaremäe was born 23 November 1969 in Kohtla-Nõmme. He has two children from his relationship with actress Tiina Mäl ...

, Sten Zupping,

Tiina Mälberg Tiina Mälberg (born 16 March 1970) is an Estonian actress. Tiina Mälberg was born and raised in Tallinn. She graduated from Saku Secondary School in 1988, then enrolled at the Tallinn State Conservatory, studying under instruction of theatre and ...

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Ivo Uukkivi Ivo Uukkivi (born 11 October 1965) is an Estonian stage, film, radio, and television actor, television producer and, under the nickname Munk, founder of and singer with the punk band Velikije Luki. Early life and education Ivo Uukkivi was born i ...

Merle Palmiste Merle Palmiste (born 1 November 1970) is an Estonian stage, film and television actress. Early life and education Merle Palmiste was born in Tallinn and raised in the Tallinn subdistrict of Õismäe.

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Andres Raag Andres Raag (born 24 June 1970) is an Estonian stage, film, radio and television actor and singer with the band L'Dorado since 1993. Early life and education Andres Raag was born and attended schools in Tallinn. His mother is actress Kersti Kr ...

, and

Dan Põldroos Dan Põldroos (6 March 1970 – 5 May 2007) was an Estonian stage, television and film actor who began performing on stage at age fifteen. Although mostly known for comedic roles, he was also an accomplished dramatic actor. Põldroos' career ende ...

Career

Theatre

Following her graduation from the Tallinn Conservatory, Närep began an engagement as an actress at the Ugala theatre in Viljandi where she appeared in roles in productions of works by

Henrik Ibsen Henrik Johan Ibsen (; ; 20 March 1828 – 23 May 1906) was a Norwegian playwright, poet and actor. Ibsen is considered the world's pre-eminent dramatist of the 19th century and is often referred to as "the father of modern drama." He pioneered ...

Victor Hugo Victor-Marie Hugo, vicomte Hugo (; 26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885) was a French Romanticism, Romantic author, poet, essayist, playwright, journalist, human rights activist and politician. His most famous works are the novels ''The Hunchbac ...

Ernest Lehman Ernest Paul Lehman (December 8, 1915 – July 2, 2005) was an American screenwriter and film producer. He was nominated six times for Academy Awards for his screenplays during his career, but did not win. At the 73rd Academy Awards in 2001 ...

Walter Kollo Walter Kollo (28 January 1878 – 30 September 1940) was a German composer of operettas, Possen mit Gesang, and Singspiele as well as popular songs. He was also a conductor and a music publisher. Kollo was born in Neidenburg, East Prussia ...

, and

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 ...

. Afterwards, she left for an engagement the Endla Theatre in her hometown of Pärnu, where she was employed as an actress from 2003 until 2009, when she was made redundant. During her time at the Endla, she also worked as one of the theatre's makeup artists. Following her dismissal from the Endla Theatre, Närep became a freelance actress.

Film

Kaili Närep's first film role was that of Evi in the 1989

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 integrated into the Soviet Union. During the first year of Soviet occcupation (1940 ...

drama ''Perekonnapildid'' while she was still a student at the Tallinn Conservatory. The film was directed by Valentin Kuik and based on the 1987 short story ''Valem'', penned by Kuik. She has had small roles in the 2003 Rando Pettai directed and Peep Pedmanson penned comedy ''Vanad ja kobedad saavad jalad alla'', the 2008 Asko Kase directed historical drama ''

December Heat ''December Heat'' () is a 2008 historic action drama film about the 1924 Estonian coup d'état attempt directed by Asko Kase and starring Sergo Vares and Liisi Koikson. Plot "December 1924. It's only a matter of minutes whether Estonian young i ...

'', and the 2015

Klaus Härö Klaus Härö (; born 31 March 1971 in Porvoo, Finland) is a Finnish film director. In 2004, he won Finland's State Prize for Art. Härö grew up in a Swedish-speaking Finnish family. He studied directing and attended screen writing seminars at ...

directed biopic ''

Vehkleja ''The Fencer'' (, is a 2015 biographical drama film about the life of Endel Nelis, an accomplished Estonian fencer and coach. It was directed by Klaus Härö and written by Anna Heinämaa. Filming began in Estonia in late February 2014. The ...

'', about Estonian fencer Endel Nelis.

Television

Närep has also appeared in several Estonian television series, most notably as the character Berit in the

Kanal 2 Kanal 2 is a privately owned Estonian television channel. Its literal name in English is "Channel 2". History The channel was established by Ilmar Taska. The channel started broadcasting on 1 October 1993, the first program seen on the new ...

drama series ''Pilvede all'' from 2012 until 2013, and as Vaike, one of the main characters on the

TV3 Channel 3 or TV 3 may refer to: Television *Canal 3 (Burkina Faso), a commercial television channel in Burkina Faso * Canal 3 Niger, a commercial television channel in Niger * Canal 3 (Guatemala), a commercial television channel in Guatemala * Can ...

comedy series ''Papad mammad'' from 2016 until 2018. In 2012, she had a prominent role as Reet Sool in the

Andres Maimik Andres Maimik (born 8 February 1970) is an Estonian film director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer and actor. Selected filmography * 2002 ''Agent Wild Duck ''Agent Wild Duck'' Rain Tolk Rain Tolk (born 9 June 1977 in Tallinn) is an Estonian actor, screenwriter and film director. Since 2002 he has been the director, screenwriter and producer in the company Kuukulgur Film. Selected film roles and directed films * 2006 ''Tühiran ...

directed and penned television comedy film ''Umbkotid'', which also premiered as a feature film in Estonian theatres. Närep has also made appearances in such other television series as the TV3 comedy series ''Doktor Silva'', the

Eesti Televisioon Eesti Televisioon (ETV) () is an Estonian free-to-air television channel owned and operated by Estonian Public Broadcasting. It made its first broadcast on 19 July 1955. History Eesti Televisioon (''Estonian Television'') was launched on ...

(ETV) crime series ''Ohtlik lend'', the Kanal 2 crime series ''Kelgukoerad'', and the TV3 comedy-crime series ''

Kättemaksukontor ''Kättemaksukontor'' or in English ''The Vengeance Bureau'' and even ''Revenge Office'' is an Estonian comedy-crime television series. In the series, a group of women have a organization called "Kättemaksukontor". This organization helps to solv ...

''.

Personal life

Kaili Närep has two children and lives in Pärnu. She has worked as a care worker in a homeless shelter and trained to become a hairdresser – a profession she is still employed as at a salon in Pärnu – as well continuing to pursue her acting career.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Narep, Kaili 1970 births Living people Estonian stage actresses Estonian film actresses Estonian television actresses Actresses from Pärnu 21st-century Estonian actresses