Seela Sella, Tampere-born theatre and film icon, dies at 89

Seela Sella, whose career spanned more than six decades on stage, film and television, has died at 89. Her death was confirmed to news agency STT by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency, Aamulehti reports.

Born in Tampere on 30 December 1936, she graduated from the Finnish Theatre School in 1959. She worked at institutions including the National Theatre and received honours such as the Pro Finlandia medal and the State Prize for Stage Art.

Last spring, Sella was diagnosed with throat cancer, but returned to the stage in early August in the Tampere Theatre Festival production Love Letters. Tamperelainen adds that her most recent stage work also included the play Rakkauskirjeitä, performed with Esko Roine at this year’s Tampere Theatre Festival, and that later performances were taken over by Sinikka Sokka after she had to cancel.

The newspaper also presents theatre critic Katariina Fleming’s personal recollections of the actress. Fleming said she saw Sella “shine” despite coughing and using an inhaler, and that when Fleming phoned her recently, Sella sounded optimistic and calm. Tamperelainen further notes Fleming’s remark that Sella did not talk about fear of death, pointing to her work washing and dressing the deceased in the Jewish community. Fleming also described Sella as “a genuine Pispala girl, right down to her dialect”.

Sella was readmitted to hospital at the end of August.

A photograph taken on 23 April 2025 shows her at home in Munkkiniemi.