Külliki Saldre (until 1986, Külliki Tool; born 29 December 1952) is an

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

n stage, television, radio and film actress.

Early life and education

Külliki Saldre was born in the small town of Kehtna, in

Rapla County Rapla County ( or ''Raplamaa'') is one of the fifteen counties of Estonia. It is situated in the north-western part of the country and borders Järva County to the east, Pärnu County to the south, Lääne County to the west, and Harju County to ...

in 1952, where she graduated from secondary school. Her older sister is performance artist Krista Tool and her younger brother is philosopher and translator Andrus Tool. Following graduation, she studied photography before beginning studies at the Tallinn State Conservatory, Performing Arts Department (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 ...

), graduating in 1976. Among her graduating classmates were Merle Karusoo,

Ago-Endrik Kerge Ago-Endrik Kerge (also Endrik Kerge; 8 April 1939 Tallinn – 25 April 2021) was an Estonian dancer, ballet master, director and actor. In 1959 he graduated from Tallinn Choreographic School. In 1976 he graduated from the Tallinn State Conservato ...

, Urmas Kibuspuu,

Aare Laanemets Aare Laanemets (6 February 1954 – 28 October 2000) was an Estonian actor and theatre director, who is possibly best recalled for his role as Joosep Toots in three film adaptations of novels penned by author Oskar Luts: '' Kevade'' (1969), '' S ...

, Lembit Peterson,

Jüri Krjukov Jüri Krjukov (5 September 1954 – 18 October 1997) was an Estonian actor. Early life and education Jüri Krjukov was born in Tallinn to Igor Krjukov, an engineer of Russian origin, and Maria Krjukov (née Pirson), who was Estonian. He had an ol ...

Anne Paluver Anne Paluver (born 4 November 1952 in Tallinn) is an Estonian actress known for her work in film, television, and animation. Early life and education Paluver was born in Tallinn, the daughter of mathematician Nikolai Paluver. She attended scho ...

Kalju Orro Kalju Orro (born 27 March 1952)Tallinna Linnateater
''Kalju Orro'' 2018. Retrieved ...

Priit Pedajas Priit Pedajas (born 21 January 1954) is an Estonian actor and theatre director. Biography Pedajas was born 21 January 1954 in Tallinn. In 1976, he graduated from the Tallinn State Conservatory' Performing Arts Department. From 1979 until 198 ...

Eero Spriit Eero Spriit (born 4 September 1949), is an Estonian actor, theatre producer and director, and film and television producer. Spriit's career as an actor began in the early 1970s. Early life and education Eero Spriit was born as one of two children ...

, and Peeter Volkonski.Eesti Päevaleht
''Ago-Endrik Kerge (69): enne jagasid jalad ja siis pea'' (in

Estonian Estonian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Estonia, a country in the Baltic region in northern Europe * Estonians, people from Estonia, or of Estonian descent * Estonian language * Estonian cuisine * Estonian culture See also

...

) 5 April 2008. Retrieved 30 December 2018.

Stage career

Saldre began her stage career in 1976 after joining the

Estonian Drama Theatre The Estonian Drama Theatre () 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 originally built for the ...

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 ...

. She made her stage debut as a student in the role of Eeva Marland in a 1975 production of

Eduard Vilde Eduard Vilde ( – 26 December 1933) was an Estonian writer, a pioneer of critical realism in Estonian literature, and a diplomat. He was the author of classics such as ''The War in Mahtra'' and ''The Milkman from Mäeküla''. He was one of the ...

's ''Tabamata ime''. Her stage debut as an actress formally engaged at the theatre was in a 1976 production of

Luigi Pirandello Luigi Pirandello (; ; 28 June 1867 – 10 December 1936) was an Italians, Italian dramatist, novelist, poet, and short story writer whose greatest contributions were his plays. He was awarded the 1934 Nobel Prize in Literature "for his bold and ...

's 1921 absurdist metatheatrical play ''

Six Characters in Search of an Author ''Six Characters in Search of an Author'' ( ) is an Italian play by Luigi Pirandello, written and first performed in 1921. An absurdist metatheatric play about the relationship among authors, their characters, and theatre practitioners, it p ...

''. She would remain at the Estonian Drama Theatre until 1983. Among her most notable roles at the theatre include those in stage productions of works by

Juhan Viiding Juhan Viiding (1 June 1948 – 21 February 1995), also known under the pseudonym of Jüri Üdi was an Estonian poet and actor. Personal life Juhan Viiding was born on 1 June 1948 in Tallinn to Paul Viiding, a well-known poet in Estonia who h ...

Maxim Gorky Alexei Maximovich Peshkov (; – 18 June 1936), popularly known as Maxim Gorky (; ), was a Russian and Soviet writer and proponent of socialism. He was nominated five times for the Nobel Prize in Literature. Before his success as an aut ...

and Mats Traat. After leaving the Estonian Drama Theatre, she became 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 ...

in 1984 and would remain with the theatre until 1995. Notable roles at the Ugala include those in stage productions of works by:

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 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 ...

( Cordelia in ''

King Lear ''The Tragedy of King Lear'', often shortened to ''King Lear'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is loosely based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his ...

'' and

Desdemona Desdemona () is a character in William Shakespeare's play ''Othello'' (c. 1601–1604). Shakespeare's Desdemona is a Venice, Italy, Venetian beauty who enrages and disappoints her father, a Venetian senator, when she elopes with Othello (char ...

in ''

Othello ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'', often shortened to ''Othello'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare around 1603. Set in Venice and Cyprus, the play depicts the Moorish military commander Othello as he is manipulat ...

''), Giles Cooper,

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 ...

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, and

Alexandre Dumas Alexandre Dumas (born Alexandre Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie, 24 July 1802 – 5 December 1870), also known as Alexandre Dumas , was a French novelist and playwright. His works have been translated into many languages and he is one of the mos ...

. Between 1995 and 1998, Saldre worked as a freelance actress. She joined the

Vanemuine Vanemuine () is a theatre in Tartu, Estonia. It is the first Estonian language, Estonian-language theatre. Stemming from the Vanemuine Society (1865), the theatre's first performance was Lydia Koidula's ''Saaremaa Onupoeg'' ("The cousin from S ...

theatre in

Tartu Tartu is the second largest city in Estonia after Tallinn. Tartu has a population of 97,759 (as of 2024). It is southeast of Tallinn and 245 kilometres (152 miles) northeast of Riga, Latvia. Tartu lies on the Emajõgi river, which connects the ...

1998, where she is still currently engaged. During her years at the Vanemuine, she performed in a large variety of stage productions by such international playwrights and authors as:

Émile Zola Émile Édouard Charles Antoine Zola (, ; ; 2 April 184029 September 1902) was a French novelist, journalist, playwright, the best-known practitioner of the literary school of Naturalism (literature), naturalism, and an important contributor to ...

Thorbjørn Egner Thorbjørn Egner (12 December 1912 – 24 December 1990) was a Norwegian playwright, songwriter and illustrator known principally for his books, plays and musicals for children. He is principally associated with his narratives for children includ ...

Per Olov Enquist Per Olov Enquist, also known as P. O. Enquist, (23 September 1934 – 25 April 2020) was a Swedish author. He had worked as a journalist, playwright and novelist. Biography Enquist was born and raised in Hjoggböle, a village in present ...

Leo Tolstoy Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy Tolstoy pronounced his first name as , which corresponds to the romanization ''Lyov''. () (; ,Throughout Tolstoy's whole life, his name was written as using Reforms of Russian orthography#The post-revolution re ...

Emily Brontë Emily Jane Brontë (, commonly ; 30 July 1818 – 19 December 1848) was an English writer best known for her 1847 novel, ''Wuthering Heights''. She also co-authored a book of poetry with her sisters Charlotte Brontë, Charlotte and Anne Bront� ...

Edward Albee Edward Franklin Albee III ( ; March 12, 1928 – September 16, 2016) was an American playwright known for works such as ''The Zoo Story'' (1958), ''The Sandbox (play), The Sandbox'' (1959), ''Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' (1962), ''A Delicat ...

Brian Friel Brian Patrick Friel (c. 9 January 1929 – 2 October 2015) was an Irish dramatist, short story writer and founder of the Field Day Theatre Company. He had been considered one of the greatest living English-language dramatists. (subscription requ ...

Tom Stoppard Sir Tom Stoppard (; born , 3 July 1937) is a Czech-born British playwright and screenwriter. He has written for film, radio, stage, and television, finding prominence with plays. His work covers the themes of human rights, censorship, and politi ...

Sam Shepard Samuel Shepard Rogers III (November 5, 1943 – July 27, 2017) was an American playwright, actor, director, screenwriter, and author whose career spanned half a century. He wrote 58 plays as well as several books of short stories, essays, ...

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and

Hammerstein Hammerstein is a municipality on the river Rhine in the district of Neuwied in Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany. Near the village, is the Hammerstein castle. The ancient German noble family Hammerstein, which have sponsored the Hammerstein Ball ...

Ivan Goncharov Ivan Aleksandrovich Goncharov ( , ; rus, Ива́н Алекса́ндрович Гончаро́в, r=Iván Aleksándrovich Goncharóv, p=ɪˈvan ɐlʲɪkˈsandrəvʲɪdʑ ɡənʲtɕɪˈrof; – ) was a Russian novelist best known for his n ...

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, and

Donald Margulies Donald Margulies (born September 2, 1954) is an American playwright and academic. In 2000, he won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his play '' Dinner with Friends''. Background and education Margulies attended John Dewey High School in Brookly ...

. Among her more memorable performances at the Vanemuine in roles by Estonian playwrights and authors include those of: Uku Uusberg,

Mati Unt Mati Unt (1 January 1944 in Linnamäe, Voore Parish ow Voore, Jõgeva County, Voore, Mustvee Parish Jõgeva County – 22 August 2005 in Tallinn) was an Estonian writer, essayist and theatre director. Biography His first novel, written at ...

, Urmas Lennuk, and Andra Teede.

Television career

Beginning in the late 1970s, Külliki Saldre performed in a number of stage productions that aired on Estonian television; among them are ''Kuidas kuningas kuu peale kippus'' in 1976 and ''Meie maja tsirkus'' in 1978. Both of which aired on

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). Apart from the stage, she has appeared in central roles in several television series. Among them include the role of the Chancellor of Justice in the ETV

political satire Political satire is a type of satire that specializes in gaining entertainment from politics. Political satire can also act as a tool for advancing political arguments in conditions where political speech and dissent are banned. Political satir ...

program ''Riigimehed'' beginning in 2010 and as investigator Ülle 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 ...

action-drama ''Mägede varjud'' beginning in 2013. She has also appeared in ETV's comedy series ''Hakkab jälle pihta'' in 2013, and as Maria Keersalu in the 2015

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 ...

crime drama series ''Keeris''. In 2018, she joined the cast of the ETV series ''Miks Mitte?!'' in the role of Edna.

Film career

Saldre would not make her film debut until accepting the role of a school principal in the 2012 Finnish-Estonian noir thriller ''Rat King''. This was followed by the more substantial role of Anu in the 2013

Ilmar Raag Ilmar Raag (born 21 May 1968 in Kuressaare) is an Estonian media executive, actor, screenwriter and film director, best known for his socio-critical film '' The Class''. He was CEO of Estonian Television from 2002 to 2005. He is a well known ...

directed romantic drama '' Kertu'' (English release title: ''Love is Blind''), starring

Ursula Ratasepp Ursula Ratasepp (born 17 June 1982) is an Estonian stage, film and television actress. Early life and education Ursula Ratasepp was born in Tallinn in 1982. She is the older sister of actress Katariina Ratasepp (born 1986). She studied drama at ...

and

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 M ...

for Amrion studios. Other film roles include Irina in the 2014 drama ''Nullpunkt'', as the head nurse in the 2015 Margus Paju directed family adventure film ''Supilinna Salaselts'', and a role in the 2019

Tanel Toom Tanel Toom (born 1 November 1982) is an Estonian director and screenwriter. Toom studied filmmaking at Tallinn University Tallinn University (TLU; , ''TLÜ'') is a public research university in Estonia. Located in the centre of Tallinn, the c ...

directed historical drama '' Tõde ja õigus'', which was an adaptation of the first volume of the 1926–1933 social epic pentalogy of the same name by Estonian author

A. H. Tammsaare Anton Hansen (18 (O.S.)/30 January 1878 – 1 March 1940), better known by his pseudonym A. H. Tammsaare and its variants, was an Estonian writer whose pentalogy '' Truth and Justice'' (''Tõde ja õigus''; 1926–1933) is considered one of t ...

Personal life

Külliki Saldre is married to actor and director Viljo Saldre; the couple have a son, Mattias and a daughter, Maarja.Vanemuine
''Külliki Saldre suudab iseenda üle naerda'' 4 April 2012. Retrieved 23 December 2016.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Saldre, Kulliki 1952 births Living people People from Kehtna Parish Estonian stage actresses Estonian film actresses Estonian television actresses 20th-century Estonian actresses 21st-century Estonian actresses Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre alumni