Olaf Johannessen (actor)


Olaf Heine Johannessen is a Faroese stage and film actor. He finished his education as an actor from the Odense Teater skuespillerskole in 1986. He works as an actor on stage in Denmark and Germany and as a film actor in Danish TV-series and films.
After finishing his education Johannessen was employed at the Aarhus Teater, where he played the main role in the drama Lykke-Peer and the title role in Hamlet and the title role in Roberto Zucco. In 1994 he started working at the Royal Danish Theatre, where he worked until he in 2002 started working as a freelance actor in various theatres in Denmark and Germany. He has played in Danish TV-series like playing the role as the prime minister Kristian Kamper in The Killing , third series. From 2013 to 2014 he played the role as Peer Gynt in the Schauspielhaus Düsseldorf, directed by Staffan Valdemar Holm. From 2011 to 2014 he worked as a stage actor at the same theatre playing the role as Michel Houellebecq in the play Karte und Gebiet, directed by Falk Richter. In 2014 he played the role as Adolf Eichmann on the Betty Nansen Teatret in the play Samtale før døden, written by Adam Price, directed by Peter Langdal.
Olaf Johannessen is the son of theater instructor Eyðun Johannessen and brother of the actor Annika Johannessen. His father is Faroese, his mother, Tove Jacobsen, is Danish. He grew up in Tórshavn, Faroe Islands and in Denmark. His current partner is the Faroese actress and directress Marita Dalsgaard with whom he has two children. He has three other children from a previous marriage.

Theatre roles in selection

Filmography

Awards and recognition