Lo Kauppi


Lo Marianne Kauppi is a Swedish film and theater actress, director, and television presenter. She suffered from drug addictions and an eating disorder in her early 20s but after undergoing treatment recovered and went on to forge a successful career in theater, including performances at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm. Kauppi has also had several acting roles in Swedish films.

Early life

Kauppi was born on 19 April 1970 in Skärholmen, a suburb of Stockholm, Sweden. In her early 20s—during her studies to become a hairdresser in London—she became addicted to drugs. She also suffered from an eating disorder.

Career

After treatment for her addictions, she attended the Swedish National Academy of Mime and Acting in Stockholm to study theater between 1999 and 2003. Since 1997, Kauppi has performed in several theater, television and movie productions. She has played at Sweden's national Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm in such plays as Jösses flickor – Återkomsten in 2006 and in Hamlet in 2007 as Ophelia.
In 2009, she toured in the stand-up show Undercover with dancer Anna Vnuk. In 2003–05, she toured with the biographical solo show Bergsprängardottern som exploderade, which was later published as a book. In 2010, she debuted as a director in the play Bergsprängardöttrar at Riksteatern. She wrote the script for the play, based on conversations with interns and caregivers, at the correctional facilities in Hinseberg and Ystad. The same year she participated in the Sveriges Radio program På jakt efter kvinnan, a show about female orgasm and sex. In 2011 she acted in the film False Trail, opposite Peter Stormare and Rolf Lassgård, playing the character Johanna Lager, a gun expert.
In 2005, Kuppi was a presenter for the radio show Flipper broadcast on Sveriges Radio. Kauppi is the co-writer of the book Hemlös and the anthology Tala om klas. In 2012, she co-presented and was the focus of the SVT show Dom kallar oss skådisar. In 2015, she acted in the play Vita kränkta män. In March 2015 the documentary film Ta plats – en film om Lo Kauppi had its premiere at Tempofestivalen in Stockholm. The documentary charts Kauppi's life and achievements.
Kauppi was the singer and guitarist of the feminist punk band Vagina Grande until they disbanded. Other band members included film director Mia Engberg and Left Party politician Josefin Brink.

Family

Kauppi is married to actor Figge Norling and the couple have a son, Lorens, born in 2009.

Awards

In 2004, she was named "Educator of the Year" by the magazine Window / ABF. She received the 2010 scholarship from the Helena Bering Memorial Fund and that same year was awarded the Jan Fridegård Prize.

Theater roles