Actress Oona Airola will be seen in the lead role in Kaija Koo's life and career in the film Happy Sassy Beautiful, which will premiere on 18.2.2026. Filming is currently underway in the Helsinki region. The film is directed by Selma Vilhunen.

Tuulten viemää album and its huge success part of the film
The newly released photos of Oona Airola as Kaija Koo are from the time of the film's breakthrough album Tuulten viemää. The album was released in 1993 and included the smash hits Kuka keksi rakkauden, Niin kaunis on hiljaisuus, Hanat aukeaa, Tule lähemmäs beibi and Kylmä ilman sua. The album has sold over 175 000 copies and is the seventh best-selling domestic album of all time (Source: Musiikkituottajat). The album propelled Kaija Koo's career to a huge upswing and made the artist one of the biggest Finnish pop icons of all time. One period of the film deals with the making and success of the album, Kaija's personal life and her struggles with various challenges.

Other roles revealed
In Happy Sassy Beautiful, Kaija Koo's husband and colleague Markku Impiö is played by Jari Virman. Taneli Mäkelä will play the role of Kaija's father and Maija Paunio as her mother. Manager Katja Ståhl is played by Saara Kotkaniemi, producer Jukka Immonen by Aku Sipola, record company boss Ville Tiihonen and dancer Teresa by Katariina Havukainen. Other notable roles include Ella Lahdenmäki as Kaija's close friend and Daniel Virtanen as her friend and producer. Tatu Sinisalo and Teppo Manner, who played the roles of Toni Wirtanen and Sipe Santapukki in Teit meistä kauniin film, return to the same roles in Happy Sassy Beautiful.

"When I first read Ilona Ahti's script, I immediately thought of Oona Airola as Kaija. Oona is an incredible multi-talented and uncompromising artist who demands a lot from herself – just like Kaija Koo. Both Oona Airola and Jari Virman bring sensitivity, sincerity and depth to their roles, as well as charming humour and laughter. The whole cast is full of great professionals, and I feel very lucky to be able to immerse myself in the music and world of Kaija Koo with them," says director Selma Vilhunen.

Crew
Happy Sassy Beautiful is written by TV and film screenwriter and author Ilona Ahti. Dramaturg Paula Vesala is a singer, songwriter, producer, actress and screenwriter. The film is produced by Solar Films' Rimbo Salomaa, Anna Nuru, Markus Selin and Jukka Helle and distributed by Nordisk Film.