Renny Harlin Biography: Wife, Age, Kids, Height, Net Worth, Parents, Movies, Religion, Ethnicity

Renny Harlin is a Finnish film director, producer, and screenwriter who established himself as a prominent figure in Hollywood through high-octane action and horror cinema.

He rose to international fame by directing the 1990 blockbuster Die Hard 2, which solidified his reputation as a master of large-scale spectacles.

Before his work on major franchises, he gained recognition for directing A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master, a film that became the highest-grossing installment of the series at the time of its release.

His career is characterized by a bold visual style and a willingness to take on massive technical challenges, leading to some of the most recognizable action films of the 1990s, including Cliffhanger.

Throughout the decades, he has remained a prolific filmmaker, moving between big-budget studio productions and international projects across Europe and China.

Quick Facts

• Full Name: Lauri Mauritz Harjola
• Nickname: Renny Harlin
• Date of Birth: March 15, 1959
• Age: 67 years old
• Gender: Male
• Place of Birth: Riihimäki, Finland
• State of Origin: Kanta-Häme
• Nationality: Finnish
• Profession: Film Director and Producer
• Height: 6 feet 4 inches
• Weight: 91 kg
• Eye Color: Blue
• Hair Color: Grey
• Parents: Oiva Harjola & Liisa Koskiluoma
• Siblings: N/A
• Spouse: Johanna Harlin
• Children: Luukas Harlin, Coco Harlin, Jules Harlin
• Relationship Status: Married
• Religion: Christianity
• Ethnicity: Finnish
• Net Worth: $10,000,000

Early Life and Education

Lauri Mauritz Harjola is now at the age of 67, as he was born on March 15, 1959, in Riihimäki, Finland.

He was raised in a household where his father worked as a physician and his mother served as a nurse.

His early interest in cinema was fueled by the films of Alfred Hitchcock and Westerns, leading him to begin making short films with an 8mm camera during his teenage years.

He spent his youth in Finland developing a technical understanding of the craft before seeking professional training.

He attended the University of Art and Design Helsinki, where he studied film and television.

During his time at the university in the late 1970s and early 1980s, he focused on directing and began producing commercials and documentary shorts for Finnish television.

He completed his studies and eventually moved to the United States in the mid-1980s to seek opportunities in Hollywood, debuting with the low-budget film Born American, which was famously banned in Finland due to its political content.

Personal Life

Renny Harlin is currently married to Johanna Harlin, a fitness athlete and schoolteacher.

The couple married in a lavish ceremony in September 2021.

Together they have two children, a daughter named Coco and a son named Jules.

Harlin also has an older son, Luukas, from a previous relationship in the late 1990s.

His current family life is frequently shared on social media, showcasing their residence in various international locations including Miami and Europe.

His most famous past relationship was his marriage to actress Geena Davis, whom he married in 1993.

The pair collaborated on several film projects, including Cutthroat Island and The Long Kiss Goodnight, before their divorce was finalized in 1998.

Following this high-profile marriage, Harlin maintained a more private dating life for several years.

He is known for his love of the ocean and sailing, often incorporating maritime themes into his personal and professional life.

Career

Renny Harlin’s career began with Born American in 1986, which led to his hiring for Prison and A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master.

His massive success with Die Hard 2 in 1990 made him one of the most sought-after directors in Hollywood.

He followed this with the mountaineering hit Cliffhanger in 1993.

While the 1995 pirate epic Cutthroat Island was a significant commercial failure, he rebounded with the cult classic The Long Kiss Goodnight and the shark thriller Deep Blue Sea in 1999.

In the 2000s and 2010s, he transitioned into a variety of genres, directing Exorcist: The Beginning and the action film 12 Rounds.

He spent several years living and working in China, directing films such as Skiptrace starring Jackie Chan.

Most recently, Harlin has returned to the horror genre with the ambitious project of directing an entire trilogy of films simultaneously: The Strangers: Chapter 1 (2024), Chapter 2 (2025), and Chapter 3 (2026).

This trilogy marks a significant return to his roots in suspenseful genre filmmaking.

Awards

• Winner Best Director – Independent Spirit Awards (1989)
• Nominee Best Director – Saturn Awards (1991)
• Nominee Worst Director – Razzie Awards (1996)
• Nominee Worst Director – Razzie Awards (2015)
• Winner Career Achievement Award – Screamfest (2024)

Net Worth

Renny Harlin has an estimated net worth of $10,000,000.

This wealth has been accumulated through decades of directing major studio blockbusters, producing various film and television projects, and his international directing work in the Chinese film market.

Social Media

• Instagram: @rennyharlin
• X: @rennyharlin

Filmography

• Born American (1986)
• Prison (1987)
• A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)
• The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990)
• Die Hard 2 (1990)
• Cliffhanger (1993)
• Cutthroat Island (1995)
• The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996)
• Deep Blue Sea (1999)
• Driven (2001)
• Mindhunters (2004)
• Exorcist: The Beginning (2004)
• The Covenant (2006)
• Cleaner (2007)
• 12 Rounds (2009)
• 5 Days of War (2011)
• The Legend of Hercules (2014)
• Skiptrace (2016)
• Legend of the Ancient Sword (2018)
• Bodies at Rest (2019)
• The Misfits (2021)
• The Bricklayer (2024)
• The Strangers: Chapter 1 (2024)
• The Strangers: Chapter 2 (2025)
• Deep Water (2025)
• The Strangers: Chapter 3 (2026)