Ville Virtanen Biography: Wife, Age, Movies, Height, Parents, Ethnicity, Awards, Net Worth

Ville Virtanen is a highly respected Finnish actor known for his commanding presence, deep voice and remarkable versatility across film, television and theatre.

With a career spanning four decades, he has become one of Finland’s most recognizable leading men, equally at home playing brooding detectives, ruthless villains or warm-hearted family men.

Profile

• Full Name: Ville Virtanen
• Stage Name: Ville Virtanen
• Born: 19, August 1961
• Age: 64 years old
• Birthplace: Espoo, Finland
• Nationality: Finnish
• Occupation: Actor
• Height: 1.92 m
• Parents: Jukka Virtanen and Liisa Virtanen
• Siblings: Riikka Virtanen
• Spouse: Birthe Wingren (m. 2004)
• Children: Daniel Virtanen, Valdemar Virtanen, Sinna Virtanen
• Relationship: Married
• Net Worth: $4 million to $6 million

Early Life and Education

Ville Virtanen was born on August 19, 1961, in Espoo, Finland, to documentary filmmaker and television personality Jukka Virtanen and actress Liisa Virtanen (née Tuomi).

He grew up in a creative household in Tapiola alongside his younger sister Riikka. From an early age he was surrounded by the arts and spent much of his childhood on film sets and at the theatre.

He graduated from the Theatre Academy Helsinki (Teatterikorkeakoulu) in 1987 and immediately began working professionally on stage and screen. He is of Finnish ethnicity and has not publicly identified as non-religious.

Career

Ville Virtanen began his career in the late 1980s at the Helsinki City Theatre, where he quickly rose to leading roles in both classical and contemporary plays.

His film debut came in 1988, and throughout the 1990s and early 2000s he built a solid reputation in Finnish cinema with memorable supporting and leading parts in films such as The Winter War (1989), Bad Luck Love (2000) and Frozen Land (2005).

His imposing height and gravitas made him a natural choice for authority figures, military officers and complex anti-heroes.

International recognition arrived with the title role in Bordertown (Sorjonen, 2016–2020), the dark, atmospheric crime series created by Miikko Oikkonen.

Virtanen’s portrayal of the brilliant but socially awkward detective Kari Sorjonen turned the show into one of Netflix’s most-watched non-English series at the time and earned him widespread praise across Europe.

The success of Bordertown opened doors to Swedish, Norwegian and Danish productions, including leading roles in Arctic Circle, Rig 45, and the British-Swedish series Before We Die (2021).

Ville Virtanen continues to work extensively in theatre, film and television in Finland and abroad. Recent projects include the historical drama Stormskärs Maja (2024) and the Swedish crime series Jana – Marked for Life (2024).

He remains a fixture at the Espoo City Theatre and is regarded as one of the most dependable and charismatic character actors in Nordic entertainment, with a body of work that bridges mainstream popularity and critical respect.

Social Media

• Instagram Handle: @villevirtanen_official
• Facebook Handle: Ville Virtanen

Personal Life

Ville Virtanen has been married to Finnish-Swedish actress and director Birthe Wingren since 2004. The couple have three children together: sons Daniel and Valdemar and daughter Sinna.

Virtanen is known for being private and family-oriented, splitting his time between Helsinki and the archipelago outside the city.

He is an avid sailor, enjoys literature and classical music, and has occasionally spoken about the challenges of balancing a demanding acting career with fatherhood.

Filmography

• The Winter War (1989)
• Bad Luck Love (2000)
• Frozen Land (2005)
• The House of Branching Love (2009)
• Purge (2012)
• The Midwife (2015)
• Laugh or Die (2018)
• Ladies of Steel (2020)
• Stormskärs Maja (2024)

Television (major series)

• Bordertown (Sorjonen) (2016–2020)
• Rebecka Martinsson (2017–2020)
• Rig 45 (2018–2020)
• Arctic Circle (2018–2022)
• Before We Die (2021)
• Jana – Marked for Life (2024)

Net Worth

Ville Virtanen has an estimated net worth of $4 million to $6 million. His wealth comes primarily from long-running theatre salaries, leading roles in Finnish and international television series, film fees, and voice-over work. Residuals from Netflix distribution of Bordertown and other Scandinavian co-productions continue to provide significant income.