Jorma Tommila
Birthplace: Rauma, Finland
Jorma Tommila is a Finnish actor most closely associated with the action movies of director and brother-in-law Jalmari Helander, debuting as lead actor/co-writer/producer/assistant director of director/co-writer/producer Jari Halonen’s comic Finnish farce, Back to the USSR (1992), loosely based on Jarkko Laine’s 1971 novel. Tommila again starred with director/writer Halonen in the dystopian crime movie, Lipton Cockton in the Shadows of Sodom (1995), backed by Zentropa Entertainment and Mondo Furioso Filmproductions.
Tommila had his first commercial success—again with director/writer/producer Jari Halonen—as star/lead producer/editor of the crime comedy, The Christmas Party (1996), with Antti Reini, Rauno Juvonen, and Oiva Lohtander, and which went on to gain cult status and a Best Actor Jussi (Finnish Oscar) award for Tommila.
Tommila starred in director/writer Olli Saarela’s Finnish crime drama, Bad Luck Love (2000), co-starring Tommi Eronen and Maria Jarvenhelmi, produced by Gnufilms and released by Sandrews Metronome. Then Tommila had supporting roles in director/co-writer Tapio Piirainen’s Finnish crime movie, Raid (2003), starring Kai Lehtinen, Mari Rantasila, Oiva Lohtander, Pekka Huotari and Juha Muje, and produced by Kinoproduction, and then in the Aleksi Makela-directed Finnish crime drama, Vares: Private Eye (2004), which launched a nine-film series based on author Reijo Maki’s series, starring Juha Veijonen in the title role and released by Buena Vista International, followed by a supporting role for Tommila in the Olli Saarela Finnish drama, The Year of the Wolf (2007), co-starring Krista Kosonen and Kari Heiskanen, and premiering at the Goteborg Film Festival.
Jorma Tommila joined the cast of director/co-writer Jukka-Pekka Valkeapaa’s acclaimed Finnish/Estonian/German/British drama, The Visitor (2008), with Vitali Bobrov, Emilia Ikaheimo, and Pavel Liska, premiering in the Venice Days section of the Venice Film Festival and nominated for six Jussi (Finnish Oscar) awards, winning two. Tommila began a new phase of his big-screen career as a co-star in his first movie with director/writer Jalmari Helander, the fantasy action horror comedy, Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010), co-starring his son Onni, with Per Christian Ellefsen and Tommi Korpela, co-produced by Cinet/Pomor Film/Davaj Film/Love Streams Agnes B. Productions, and premiering at Austin Fantastic Fest and the Locarno Film Festival before grossing $4 million worldwide.
Tommila’s next role was in his first non-Finnish-language movie again with director/co-writer Jalmari Helander and son and co-lead Onni in the action movie, Big Game (2014), co-starring Samuel L. Jackson, Ray Stevenson, Victor Garber, Mehmet Kurtulus, Ted Levine, Felicity Huffman, and Jim Broadbent, released in the U.S. by EuropaCorp and co-produced by companies in Finland, the U.S., the U.K., and Germany for a $7.5 million global return. Tommila landed his most colorful role to date as die-hard former soldier and gold prospector Aatami Korpi in director/writer Helander’s action-packed WWII thriller and $14-million-grossing Sisu (2022) and the sequel, Sisu: Road to Revenge (2025), released by Screen Gems/Sony Releasing outside of Finland, and featuring Stephen Lang and Richard Brake.
Personal life
Jorma Tommila was born in Rauma, Finland, and raised in Kiukainen, Finland, by his parents. Tommila has one sister, actor Kielo. Tommila was four years old when his father died of lung injuries from World War II. Tommila studied acting and theater at the Helsinki Theatre Academy but was expelled. Tommila is married to Ida Helander-Tommila; the couple has one son, actor Onni, and they live in Vaasa, Finland. Tommila’s height is 6’ ¾”.
Known For
Jorma Tommila Movies
actor
Previous (14)
- 2025 |
Sisu: Road to Revenge
asAatami Korpi
Follows an ex-soldier who finds gold in the Lapland wilderness. As he attempts to transport the treasure to the city, he encounters a ruthless SS officer and German soldiers.
- 2023 |
- 2018 |
- 2014 | Big Gameas Tapio
- 2010 | Priest of Evilas Matias Krankke
- 2010 | Rare Exportsas Rauno Kontio
- 2008 | Sisters Apartas Harri
- 2008 | The Visitoras Isä
- 2004 | Private Eye Varesas Antero Kraft
- 2001 | Rollo and the Woods Spriteas Röllien kylänvanhin
- 2000 | Bad Luck Loveas Ali
- 1996 | The Christmas Partyas Bona Merenkylä
- 1995 | Lipton Cockton in the Shadows of Sodomaas Lipton Cockton, formerly known as Launo Käkkyrä
- 1992 | Back to the USSRas Reima Elo
Facts About Jorma Tommila
All in the Family: Jorma Tommila shares family connections to his frequent filmmaking collaborator, Jalmari Helander, who regularly casts both Tommila and his son, Onni, in leading roles, while Tommila is married to Helander’s sister, Ida.
Jorma Tommila News
People Also Searched For
