Liv Ullmann

Lore & Background

Ullmann was born in Tokyo to Norwegian parents, moving to Canada and later the U.S. before returning to Norway after her father's death. She began her acting career on stage in Norway in the mid-1950s, gaining note for her portrayal of Nora Helmer in A Doll's House. Her collaboration with Ingmar Bergman brought her international acclaim, acting in ten of his films. She also acted with Laurence Olivier in A Bridge Too Far (1977) and co-starred frequently with Erland Josephson.

Reader's Guide

Ullmann's significance lies in her profound impact on European cinema, particularly through her work with Ingmar Bergman, where her performances in films like Persona and Scenes from a Marriage set a standard for emotional depth. She won a Golden Globe for The Emigrants and received two Academy Award nominations. Her later career as a director included the Palme d'Or-nominated Faithless. In 2022, she received an Honorary Academy Award for her bravery and emotional transparency. Her legacy also includes humanitarian work as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and co-founder of the Women's Refugee Commission.

Did You Know?

• Ullmann was born in Tokyo, Japan, to Norwegian parents.
• She turned down the role of Kate Miller in Brian De Palma's Dressed to Kill due to violence.
• She narrated the Oscar-winning animated short The Danish Poet (2006).
• Ullmann was made a Commander with Star of the Order of St. Olav by King Harald V of Norway in 2005.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"Loneliness beside the swimming pool and in their big new house with hardly any furniture." — Liv Ullmann "Norway" (p. 17); paraphrased: "Hollywood is loneliness beside the swimming pool." — Liv Ullmann "The best thing that can come with success is the knowledge that it is nothing to long for." — Liv Ullmann