Kari Väänänen

{{short description|Finnish actor and director (born 1953)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Kari Väänänen

| image =

| birth_name = Kari Kyösti Väänänen

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1953|9|17|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Ivalo, Finland

| death_date =

| death_place =

| occupation =Actor, director, writer

| yearsactive = 1978−present

}}

Kari Kyösti Väänänen (born 17 September 1953 in Ivalo){{Elonet name|104504|Kari Väänänen}} is a Finnish actor and director. Domestically he is a member of the Ryhmäteatteri group of actors. He was introduced to international audiences by Aki Kaurismäki, and belongs to the list of his "trusted" stable of actors.

Väänänen has acted in more than 60 movies.{{Cite web |url=https://seura.fi/viihde/julkkikset/kari-vaananen-siirtyy-rovaniemelle-teatterinjohtajaksi-ja-nayttelee-rosvolat-elokuvassa/ |title=Kari Väänänen siirtyy Rovaniemelle teatterinjohtajaksi ja näyttelee Me Rosvolat -elokuvassa |last=Toivonen |first=Hannu |date=5 February 2015 |website=Seura.fi |language=fi |access-date=21 April 2020}} He has received two Jussi awards, for best male actor in Jon (1983) and for best supporting male actor in Trench Road (2004).

His performance as the monster Gollum in Yle's 1993 television series Hobitit was praised in Helsingin Sanomat.{{cite news |last=Kajava |first=Jukka |author-link=Jukka Kajava |title=Tolkienin taruista on tehty tv-sarja: Hobitien ilme syntyi jo Ryhmäteatterin Suomenlinnan tulkinnassa |language=fi |trans-title=Tolkien's fables have been turned into a TV series: Hobitit{{'}}s look was created by the Suomenlinna Group Theatre |url=https://www.hs.fi/radiotelevisio/art-2000003223096.html |work=Helsingin Sanomat |date=29 March 1993}}

In 1992–1998 Väänänen was a professor at the Helsinki Theatre Academy.