Helle Meri
{{Short description|Estonian actress (1949–2024)}}
{{Sources|date=November 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
Helle Meri (née Pihlak; 14 March 1949 – 8 November 2024) was an Estonian actress who also served as the First Lady of Estonia{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XDhOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JEsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5431,1445578&dq=helle-meri&hl=en|title=First lady spreads goodwill abroad|date=9 July 1996|work=The Victoria Advocate |agency=Associated Press |page=9B |access-date=30 June 2011}} from 1992 to 2001 as the wife of Lennart Meri.
Life and career
Meri was born in the small town of Rapla where she also went to school. In her spare time she actively participated in different sports and played basketball.
After secondary school, Meri went on to study at the Stage School of Tallinn Conservatory. Before serving as the First Lady, she played in the Estonian Drama Theatre from 1972 up until 1992 when Lennart Meri became the Estonian Ambassador to Finland prior to his nine years of presidency. The couple married in 1992 when her acting career came to an end.
In theatre, Meri had roles in numerous classical pieces to a good critical acclaim, including the pieces by Estonian playwrights like August Kitzberg, A. H. Tammsaare, Jaan Kross and Jaan Kruusvall among many. She had roles also in musicals, in children's plays and in film.
Prior to her marriage, Meri was in relationships with actor Jaak Tamleht and composer Eino Tamberg. Meri has one daughter, Tuule (born 1985).
Meri was patron of the Estonian SOS Children's Village in Keila. She died on 8 November 2024, at the age of 75.[https://www.err.ee/1609516333/suri-helle-meri Suri Helle Meri] {{in lang|et}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{succession box | before=Alice Mark | title=First Lady of Estonia | years=1992–2001 | after=Ingrid Rüütel}}
{{s-end}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Meri, Helle}}
Category:20th-century Estonian actresses
Category:Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre alumni
Category:Estonian film actresses
Category:Estonian stage actresses
Category:Spouses of presidents of Estonia
{{Estonia-actor-stub}}