Anna Easteden was born in Finland and raised on her parents’ dairy farm. Anna Easteden enjoys a career rich in experience and wide in range as an international model, TV, stage and screen actress, and humanitarian activist. Easteden is known for her performance as Bee Sting on “Who Wants to Be a Superhero?” as well as notable co-starring roles on “Bones,” “Days Of Our Lives” and “Passions.” She also played Nicole Brown Simpson in a Japanese TV movie and took on a lead role in the short film “Harmless,” winner of 2 prestigious film festival awards. Personally recruited by multi-award winning director Mika Kaurismaki (who’s directed the likes of Johnny Depp, Julie Delpy and Henry Thomas), Easteden is slated to star in his upcoming feature film “The House of Branching Love” (“Haarautuvan Rakkauden Talo”, International premiere at the Toronto Film Festival) set for release in her native Finland in Fall 2009. Easteden will also work alongside Oscar nominee Rinko Kikuchi (“Babel”) in the Japanese remake of the Oscar-winning American phenomenon “Sideways” – currently in post-production for a 2009 release.
Easteden currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband. In addition to her modeling and acting, Easteden enjoys traveling, cooking, writing, and lending a humanitarian hand to a number of her favorite non-profit organizations.
Bijan Tehrani: Tell me about your start and what initially interested you in the arts?
Anna Easteden: I was born in the countryside in Finland, really in the middle of nowhere. There weren’t many resources available, especially in terms of becoming an actress, but I had a huge passion to become an actress or a model. When I was twelve years old, I convinced my parents to take me to a local modeling school. After being there for a while, I booked my first modeling job in Helsinki which was quite far away from where we lived. From there, it just started. Eventually I got my first big booking with a company in Tokyo and ended up staying in Asia for three years. I eventually came to the states, first starting out in Miami and then eventually ending up in LA.
BT: Can you tell us about your first feature film experience?
AE: My first feature film experience was a very small production that I did in Chicago. When the film was finally released, my scenes were edited out; this was quite disappointing because I was so excited to see the film and 
so excited to be apart of the project and when it was released I realized that I wasn’t in it. But then later on I ended up doing some hand doubling for bigger stars and these smaller ventures eventually led to the world of bigger films.
BT: Tell us about your acting experiences overseas?
AE: The most recent film I did is a Japanese remake of the American film Sideways, the film stars Rinku Kikuchi who was nominated for an Oscar for her role in Babel. We shot the film in Napa Valley, California and it was a great experience; especially working with the Japanese crew because everyone was so professional and polite. The demeanor of the crew made the experience very quiet as opposed to here in the states where film production is a very loud experience.
BT: Certain directors encourage artistic freedom from the actors while other directors like actors to follow their specific plan. Which of these directors do you prefer?
AE: I always thought that I preferred to work with director’s who gave me more freedom, but after working on a film in Finland with a director who was very linear in his approach, I realized that I might prefer a director who is giving constant direction. I believe that there are benefits to both of these styles of direction. Therefore I guess working with a director who has a good balance in giving the actors freedom and when necessary constant direction is ideal
BT: Do you have any American feature films planned?
AE: Well I have been auditioning for quite a few American Films, but quite recently I decided that I wanted to make my own film. So I have begun writing a script and I am now trying to get the film financed.
BT: I have read that you were involved in an independent film this past summer. Could you tell us about it?
AE: I did a film in LA which was called A Voice in the Dark. It was directed by Damian Perkins, who has done a lot of work on Broadway. I read the script and absolutely fell in love with the story. I feel that I lucked out with the film because one of my scenes, I believe, is one of the most intense in the picture. I had a great experience working with a very talented cast and a very professional crew.
BT: What are some of your favorite films and who are some actors and actresses that you admire?
AE: Although this is kind of embarrassing to admit, one of my favorite films is Pretty Woman with Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. I am also a huge fan of Clint Eastwood and would do anything to be allowed to work with him one day. I really admire Meryl Streep, Patricia Clarkson and Chris Cooper and would absolutely love to get an opportunity to work with them one day as well.
BT: What are your plans for the future?
AE: I would love to continue acting and eventually delve into directing. To get and opportunity to work with actors, actresses and directors that I have admired all of my life would be great.
BT: Thank you for your time and good luck in the future!