Profile

Juha-Pekka Mikkola is a versatile Finnish actor, who has appeared in leading roles on stage, television and screen. He resides in Helsinki, Finland.

BIOGRAPHY
Juha-Pekka Mikkola started his career at the tender age of nine, acting in his hometown amateur theatre, mostly doing pantomime. While in high school he gradually moved to more demanding dramatic roles such as "Nick" in "Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf" and character parts ("Harpagon" in Moliée's "The Miser", "Mercutio" in "Romeo and Juliet"). One of his artistic turning points was the title role in Turku Student Theatre production of Büchner's "Woyzeck", playing the tormented and cuckolded military barber to rave reviews. The production was directed by Fiikka Forsman, a rising talent also, with whom Mikkola has since worked extensively. (Forsman later directed Mikkola in a contrasting barber role, Figaro, in Beaumarchais's "Barber of Sevilla".)

Mikkola graduated as M.A. from the Department of Acting of the University of Tampere in 2001, where he played a youthful version of Trigorin the writer in Chekov's "The Seagull" and Laertes in "Hamlet". He became a company member in the ensemble of the distinguished Turku City Theatre, where he has played a diverse spectrum of parts including Jose Arcadio the Stud in "One Hundred Years of Solitude", insane Sailor Jack in "Not about Nightingales" and the title role in an off-beat comedy hit "Stand up, Jesus!" His musical talent was evident in the Finnish premiere of Stephen Sondheim's "Into the Woods", where he played Jack (of the Beanstalk fame). Mikkola also spent two hours alone on stage performing his monologue "Duuni" ("Job"), portraying thirteen different working men from past to present, including a modern Grim Reaper, clad in tuxedo. "It's all about humanity. Shines like a star. Best piece of theatre in town", wrote the press.

Perhaps the foremost and most controversial theatre director in Finland, Jouko Turkka, took Mikkola in his ensemble for Erland Josephson's play "One Night of Swedish Summer". Mikkola played Viktor, an actor based on real-life Swedish thespian Sven Wollter, on this intense but hilarious drama about filming of Tarkovsky's "The Sacrifice". The production marked the come-back of Turkka: he hadn't directed anything in five years.

On summer 2004 Mikkola played the title role in the revival of the spectacle "Everyman", a part formerly played by a renowned actor of the Finnish National Theatre, Seppo Pääkkönen. The event took place in the Turku Cathedral and the role of Jeder Kauffman brought acclaim to Juha-Pekka, "he swept the audience of its' feet", one critic wrote.

On television Mikkola has appeared in "Luokkajuhla", a tale of a class reunion, where he played a successful but hollow businessman. He has appeared in bit parts on different TV-shows. His first feature film role "The Booke of Fate" (Kohtalon kirja) gave him a chance to play five incarnations of a common man in different genres. "It's an A class B-movie, but we sure had fun", Mikkola has confessed. The film received Best International Feature Film 2003 Award on New York Independent Film Festival.

When not acting, Mikkola pursues his lifelong passion for music, playing guitar and singing in various cover bands ranging from punk to soul. He wrote the song "Best Seller" for the sound track of "The Booke of Fate" which was performed by his band Sutenöörit ("The Pimps"). His latest foray "Eyeplugs" is an original project leaning into dance floor sounds.

Update 2004:Currently Mikkola is playing the role of Toad in Wind in the Willows in Turku City Theatre. "He's an energy generator, whose speed and charm carry the evening, with manic intensity," was the critique. The guitar slinging Toad was even compared to Lenny Kravitz. As well as reprising his Jesus in sold out Stand Up, Jesus!, Mikkola is also honing his musical chops in Pyhä keikka ("The Holy Gig"), a musical based on the songs of a famous Finnish singer-songwriter Hector. He's also just starting to rehearse Miller's Death of a Salesman, in the role of Bernard.

2005:
Jouko Turkka's new play "Konkurssisirkus" ("Bankcrupt Circus") closed after 9 performances due to actor's injury. The rehearsal process had already been coloured with controversy and recasting. Juha-Pekka played the role of a bad lucked suitor Jippii Caruso. In autumn 2005 Mikkola joined forces with Heikki Kujanpää, an actor, film director and theatre manager (founder of renowned Q-theatre in Helsinki) to adapt and direct "The Imaginary Invalid" by Jean-Baptiste Moliére in Turku Municipal Theatre. Kujanpää directed and acted the leading role of Argan, Mikkola worked as assistant director and played Thomas Diafoirus, half-witted groom candidate. This higly visual show was an immediate sold-out succes: "An excellent production, full of grotesque humor. Go see it for yourself!"

In November Juha-Pekka played lead in Sari Tervaniemi's short film "Excommunicated", shot in Helsinki.

2006:
Juha-Pekka reteams up with "Stand up, Jesus!" director and playwright Tuomas Parkkinen to play Valentino, the ultimate latin lover, in Parkkinen's satire about men and women, "Ruunajaiset" ("Gelding Party"), set in middle ages.

In July 2006 Mikkola will be potraying one of Finland's best-known singers of all-time, Tapio Rautavaara ("The Johnny Cash of Finland") in Hämeenlinna Summer Theatre.

2007 - 2010
Juha-Pekka moves to capitol of Finland, Helsinki. Works in various theatre productions and numerous tv shows, including a regular role as a hearthrob doctor in Finland's biggest drama series "Salatut elämät". The one-man drama "Fosforinhohtoinen lurjus" ("Phosphor Tinted Scoundrel"),  based on the life of actor Eero Kilpi, pleases the critics and spectators and is chosen for the official selection of Tampere Theatre Festival. Plays Athos of the Three Musketeers, in Turku.

2011
Juha-Pekka creates the concept and directs World's First Heavy Metal Musical: 1827 - Infernal Musical in Turku. The show opens the Cultural Capital year and is a roaring success, selling out it's 1,200 capacity venue for 15 times, to standing ovations.

Stars in Kaj Munck's melodrama "Love" as a contradicted priest with a lung disease.

Role as a Karsudan the Mage in a stadium spectacle "Battle 2012", directed by Kari Heiskanen, in Turku.

2012
Guest stars in Tom Jones musical "Delilah" in Hämeenlinna City Theatre.

A supporting role in tv-series "Helsingin herra" by Moskito Television, directed by renowned film director Aleksi Salmenperä.

Adapts and directs a hit novel "Mielensäpahoittaja" to Turku. Production turns out to be a massive hit and is chosen to a yearly theatre festival in Seinäjoki.

Plays the main role in a summer comedy "Kekkonen - from birth to immortality", as Urho Kekkonen, the foremost president of Finland. Is praised for capturing the essence and the likeness of the man at his different ages.

2013
Plays one of three characters on a bus stop, in a German-Finnish collaboration "15:15", staged in Helsinki City Theatre. Production visits Berlin in May 2013.

Studies 3 weeks in the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.

Shoots 3 tv-productions for the Finnish Broadcasting Corporation YLE, to be broadcast in 2014.

Plays minor parts in 2 succesful feature films, "21 Ways to Ruin A Marriage", "Ella & Friends 2: PateRock"

2014
Regular role on  YLE's hospital series "Syke", seasons 1-4 (continuing till 2016) and "Toisen kanssa" ("Second Chance").

2015
Directs and adapts Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Treasure Island" as an outdoor musical spectacle in Turku.  40 performances, great reviews and audience reaction.

2016
Directs a brand new two-woman comedy drama "Beige tappaa" ("Beige Kills"), starring renown actresses Eeva Litmanen and Kirsi Ylijoki.

One of four actors playing almost a hundred parts in "Linnan juhlat" ("Presidential Ball"), a brand new sketch comedy produced by Turku City Theatre.  

LINKS:
Picture gallery  |  CV (in Finnish)  |  imdb.com | Showreel