“Fanny Paananen is known for her calm professionalism, excellent collaborative skills, and unexpected artistic choices, Fanny brings a blend of artistry commitment, intuition and technical expertise to every project. Driven by a passion for forging deep connections with audiences, she constantly pushes creative boundaries to inspire, captivate, and engage.”
Education and Training
A graduate of the Copenhagen International School of Performing Arts (2022), Fanny’s training reflects a mind-body approach to acting. She has honed her skills in techniques such as the Rudolf Laban & Yat Malmgren Movement Psychology method, Stanislavsky’s principles, and C.G. Jung’s archetypal studies. Her expertise also includes Ivana Chubbuck’s film acting methods, and Gaga Movement Language. This diverse foundation ensures she is a dynamic and versatile artist capable of excelling in cross-cultural and multidisciplinary contexts.
Artistic Philosophy
Fanny’s artistry thrives at the intersection of physicality, authenticity, humour and empathy. She is passionate about crafting performances that explore life’s peculiarities and evoke deep emotional connections, inspiring audiences to laugh, feel, and connect profoundly. Her belief in art’s power to combat loneliness and foster well-being fuels her commitment to her craft.
Career Highlights
Theatre: Nina in The Seagull by Anton Chekhov, touring Denmark, Romania, and Finland from 2022 to 2023. She also produced and performed in Chekhov’s farce The Proposal, which toured Denmark and Finland in 2024.
Current Projects: Fanny is currently working on a modern theatre project inspired by research she and her collaborator Patrick conducted in Sardinia in November 2024. The research, centered on the longevity, health, and happiness of Sardinian people, has also inspired workshops on these themes.
Other Work: Beyond theatre, Fanny has appeared in commercials, narrated audiobooks, and conducted voice work classes. Her creative versatility extends to building soundscapes and fostering innovative artistic collaborations. In the spring 2025, Fanny will conduct 4 voice workshops around Finland.
Film and media: In 2022, Fanny co-founded Am I Too Much, a two-person home film group dedicated to breaking societal norms and celebrating vulnerability and individuality. Their films, including Ex and Bacon, can be found on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@amitoomuchfilms
Personal Background
Raised in Jyväskylä, Fanny’s early experiences playing football on a national level and studying piano instilled a lifelong passion for physicality and music. Fluent in Finnish, English, and French, she also has the ability to communicate in Danish. On her free time, Fanny loves to bake, cook and move her body.
Vision and Drive
As an actress, Fanny is driven by the magic of the moment, embracing the unpredictable flow of shared experiences with co-actors and audiences. Through her dedication, skill, and boundless enthusiasm, she continues to inspire meaningful connections and redefine artistic expression.
Her work is rooted in physicality, intuition, and deep emotional expression. She is drawn to performances that challenge, provoke, and awaken something within us. Whether on stage, in front of the camera, or behind a microphone, Fanny seeks to create art that inspires, heals, and unites people—always with a feminist perspective and a deep trust in intuition and the power of storytelling.
