Noomi Rapace stands as one of Scandinavia’s most acclaimed actresses, having captivated international audiences with her transformative performances across multiple languages and genres. Moreover, her breakthrough portrayal of the complex and troubled Lisbeth Salander in the Millennium trilogy (2009) earned her worldwide recognition and numerous prestigious awards. Furthermore, she has since demonstrated remarkable range in major Hollywood productions including Ridley Scott’s Prometheus (2012) and Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011), establishing herself as a serious international talent.

Who is Noomi Rapace?

Noomi Rapace is a Swedish actress best known for her iconic performance as Lisbeth Salander in the Swedish film adaptations of Stieg Larsson’s Millennium crime trilogy. Her portrayal earned her critical acclaim, including wins of the prestigious Guldbagge Award, two Nymphe d’Ors awards, and a Satellite Award for Best Actress. Additionally, she received nominations for a BAFTA Award and an International Emmy Award.​

Beyond the Millennium films, Rapace has proven her versatility through diverse roles including Elizabeth Shaw in Ridley Scott’s Prometheus franchise, Madame Simza Heron in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, and the lead in Brian De Palma’s psychological thriller Rupture (2016). More recently, she has demonstrated her commitment to bold, unconventional roles by playing a young Mother Teresa in the provocative 2025 film Mother, directed by Teona Strugar Mitevska.​​

Noomi Rapace Age – How Old is She?

Noomi Rapace was born on December 28, 1979, in Hudiksvall, Gävleborgs län, Sweden. Consequently, she is 46 years old as of January 2026. Her zodiac sign is Capricorn. Her birth name is Noomi Norén, which she changed to Rapace (meaning “bird of prey” in French and Italian) following her marriage to Swedish actor Ola Rapace.​

Height & Appearance

Noomi possesses a striking and distinctive appearance that has defined her on-screen presence throughout her career.​

• Height: 5’5″ (1.63 meters)​
• Weight: Approximately 53 kg (117 lbs)​
• Figure Measurements: 34-25-34 inches​
• Hair Color: Dark brown​
• Eye Color: Brown​
• Skin Tone: Fair complexion​
• Body Type: Hourglass figure​
• Other Details: She wears a US shoe size 7 and dress size 4​

Her physical appearance combined with her intense acting presence has made her ideal for playing psychologically complex characters.​

Noomi Rapace Biography / Wiki

Early Life and Background

Noomi was born in Hudiksvall, Sweden, to actress Nina Norén and Spanish Flamenco singer Rogelio Durán (also known as Rogelio de Badajoz). Her parents did not maintain a stable relationship, and Noomi’s childhood became marked by geographic transitions and cultural diversity.​

At age five, Noomi relocated to Flúðir, Iceland, with her mother and stepfather, Hrafnkell Karlsson, where she spent three formative years. This Icelandic period proved pivotal to her artistic development. At age seven, she was cast in a small non-speaking role in the Icelandic Viking film Í skugga hrafnsins (In the Shadow of the Raven) directed by Hrafn Gunnlaugsson. This early experience sparked an immediate passion for acting that would define her life’s trajectory.​

During her childhood, Noomi saw her father only occasionally before his death on November 4, 2006. She has stated that he “was not around” during her early years, creating emotional distance that would later inform her understanding of complex family dynamics in her roles. Her mother, meanwhile, remained connected to performance through drama teaching and work with alternative theater groups, particularly during the Icelandic years.​

Notably, Noomi has a sister, Særún Norén, who works as a professional photographer. The sisters maintain close ties despite their different career paths.​

Noomi Rapace Education

Noomi Rapace pursued her passion for acting through formal theatrical training despite her unconventional childhood path.​

At age 15, she made the courageous decision to leave her family in Iceland and return to Sweden alone to pursue her dream of becoming an actress. She enrolled in the prestigious Stockholm Theatre School, one of Sweden’s foremost performing arts institutions.​

Additionally, she studied drama at Södra Latin Upper Secondary School in Stockholm, balancing secondary education with her expanding acting ambitions. She also trained at Skara Skolscen Acting School, further refining her craft in a rigorous theatrical environment.​

Rather than pursuing traditional university studies, Noomi gained her education through immersive professional theater work. She made her professional stage debut at Teater Plaza in Stockholm, performing as Bertha in Thorsten Flinck’s production of “The Father”. This hands-on approach to learning proved remarkably effective. As Rapace later reflected, “I got my first job when I was 20 at the Royal Dramatic Theatre, a very fancy, posh theater in Stockholm. People were very upset that I was hired without education, but I started acting anyway. I did plays for almost ten years. That was my school—just working and working”.​

Noomi Rapace Profession

Noomi Rapace works as a professional actress across multiple mediums:

Film Actress: She performs in Swedish, English, and international co-productions.​

Stage Actress: She maintains a deep commitment to theatrical performance, having spent nearly a decade building her craft in Swedish theater.​

Television Actress: She has appeared in numerous television series across Swedish, Scandinavian, and international productions.​

Her multidisciplinary approach to acting allows her to explore diverse character types and storytelling styles.​

Noomi Rapace Career Journey

Early Career & Stage Foundation (1988–1996)

Noomi’s professional career began unusually early. Her first film appearance came at age seven in the Icelandic production Í skugga hrafnsins (1988), a small role that nonetheless sparked her love of acting. Throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, she appeared in various Icelandic productions while attending ballet school and the Stockholm Waldorf School.​

After relocating to Sweden permanently at age 15, she focused on theatrical training and stage work. Her motion picture debut came in the 1997 Swedish film Sanning Eller Konsekvens. That same year, she secured a recurring television role as Lucinda Gonzales in the long-running Swedish soap opera Tre Kronor (Three Crowns), where she appeared in episodes between 1996 and 1997.​

Her professional stage debut at Teater Plaza marked the beginning of her theatrical reputation. For nearly a decade, she performed extensively in Swedish theater, an experience she credits as her true education. This theatrical foundation proved invaluable, allowing her to develop the emotional depth and character understanding that would later distinguish her film performances.​

Breakthrough in Scandinavian Cinema (2007–2009)

Noomi’s career trajectory accelerated significantly in 2007 with her acclaimed performance in the Danish film Daisy Diamond, directed by Gabriel Axel. In this drama, she portrayed Anna, a troubled young mother navigating poverty and social marginalization. The performance earned her critical recognition, winning both the prestigious Danish Bodil Award and the Robert Prize for Best Actress.​

Her international breakthrough came in 2009 with the Swedish film adaptations of Stieg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy. It is worth noting that the three films—The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest—were filmed back-to-back and released simultaneously in 2009, all based on Swedish productions, according to official film records.​

Her portrayal of Lisbeth Salander, the enigmatic and traumatized computer hacker central to Larsson’s crime novels, became instantly iconic. The role demanded extraordinary emotional range, requiring Rapace to embody a character who maintains a deliberately opaque facade while harboring deep psychological wounds. Her success in expressing Salander’s inner life earned her widespread critical acclaim and numerous awards.​

The Millennium trilogy success generated multiple prestigious award nominations and wins. She received nominations for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, the International Emmy Award, and the European Film Award. Among her wins were the Guldbagge Award, two Nymphe d’Or awards (Danish Film Academy’s highest honors), and the Satellite Award for Best Actress.​

International Expansion (2011–2012)

Following the success of the Millennium trilogy, Noomi made her major English-language film debut in Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011), playing Madame Simza Heron alongside Robert Downey Jr.. This role demonstrated her ability to work in high-budget Hollywood productions while maintaining character authenticity.​

Her biggest Hollywood project came in 2012 when she was cast as Elizabeth Shaw in Ridley Scott’s Prometheus. This science-fiction thriller required her to anchor a major studio production while portraying a complex character grappling with existential questions. The role generated significant acclaim and positioned her as a serious international talent capable of carrying major productions.​

Artistic Evolution (2013–2016)

Following Prometheus, Noomi took on increasingly unconventional roles. She appeared in dead Man Down (2013) as Beatrice, delivering a strong performance in this crime drama. Subsequently, she was cast in The Drop (2014) as Nadia, working alongside Tom Hardy in this crime thriller.​

In 2015, she appeared in Child 44, a historical crime drama set in Stalinist Russia, where she portrayed Raisa Demidova. The following year brought her work in Brian De Palma’s Rupture (2016), a psychological thriller that required intensive emotional performance.​

Multiple Characters & Science Fiction (2017–2020)

Demonstrating her range and commitment to challenging material, Noomi took on seven lead roles in the dystopian science-fiction drama What Happened to Monday (2017) on Netflix. This ambitious project showcased her ability to create distinct characters within a single narrative.​

She reprised her role as Elizabeth Shaw in Ridley Scott’s Alien: Covenant (2017), continuing her collaboration with the legendary director. She also appeared in Bright (2017) alongside Will Smith, Stockholm (2018), Close (2019), and Angel of Mine (2019).​

Recent Work & Latest Projects (2021–Present)

Noomi has continued pursuing artistically interesting projects. Her performance in the Icelandic folk horror film Lamb (2021), directed by Valdímár Jóhannsson, showcased her commitment to international cinema and unconventional storytelling. She subsequently appeared in The Trip (2021) and You Won’t Be Alone (2022), a Bulgarian-American folk horror co-production.​

In 2022, she starred in Black Crab, a Swedish action thriller where she played Caroline Edh. More recently, she appeared in the science-fiction series Constellation (2024) for Apple TV+ as Jo Ericsson.​

Most notably, in 2025, she took on the role of a young Mother Teresa in the provocative film Mother, directed by Teona Strugar Mitevska. Rather than a reverential biopic, this film presents what reviewers describe as a “punk rock” portrait of the saint, exploring her spiritual doubts and internal conflicts.​

Noomi Rapace Movies

Millennium Trilogy (Swedish Crime Films)

Year	Title	Role	Awards/Recognition
2009	The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo	Lisbeth Salander	Guldbagge Award, Nymphe d’Or ​
2009	The Girl Who Played with Fire	Lisbeth Salander	BAFTA nomination ​
2009	The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest	Lisbeth Salander	International Emmy nomination ​

Hollywood & International Films

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2007	Daisy Diamond	Anna	Bodil & Robert Awards ​
2010	Beyond (Svinalängorna)	Leena	Co-starred with ex-husband Ola Rapace ​
2011	Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows	Madame Simza Heron	English-language debut ​
2011	The Monitor	Anna	Swedish film ​
2012	Prometheus	Elizabeth Shaw	Ridley Scott sci-fi thriller ​
2013	Dead Man Down	Beatrice	Crime drama ​
2014	The Drop	Nadia	Crime thriller ​
2015	Child 44	Raisa Demidova	Stalinist Russia crime drama ​
2016	Rupture	Renée	Brian De Palma psychological thriller ​
2017	What Happened to Monday	Seven lead roles	Netflix sci-fi drama ​
2017	Alien: Covenant	Elizabeth Shaw	Ridley Scott continuation ​
2017	Bright	Leila	Will Smith sci-fi film ​
2018	Stockholm	Bianca Lind	American crime film ​
2019	Close	Sam Carlson	Thriller ​
2019	Angel of Mine	Lizzie	Drama ​
2021	Lamb	Maria	Icelandic folk horror ​
2021	The Trip	Lisa	Thriller ​
2022	You Won’t Be Alone	Bosilka	Folk horror ​
2022	Black Crab	Caroline Edh	Swedish action thriller ​
2025	Mother	Mother Teresa	Provocative biopic ​

Television Series

Tre Kronor (1996-1997) – Swedish soap opera, recurring role​

Jack Ryan (2019) – Amazon Prime series, Harriet Bauman​

Constellation (2024) – Apple TV+, Jo Ericsson​

Noomi Rapace Family

Relationship	Details
Father	Rogelio Durán (Flamenco singer, Spanish, 1953-2006) ​
Mother	Nina Norén (Swedish actress, born 1954) ​
Sister	Særún Norén (Photographer) ​
Ex-Husband	Ola Rapace (Swedish actor, married 2001, divorced 2011) ​
Son	Lev Rapace (born 2003) ​
Current Relationship Status	Single ​
Past Relationship	Sanny Dahlbeck (dated February–August 2015, separated after six months) ​

Marriage & Family Life

It is worth noting that Noomi married Swedish actor Ola Rapace (born Pär Ola Norell) in 2001 at age 26, according to official records. The couple first met through mutual contacts in Gothenburg and subsequently adopted the surname Rapace, which means “bird of prey” in both French and Italian, as their professional surname.​

During their marriage, Noomi gave birth to their son Lev Rapace in 2003. The couple later appeared together in the 2010 Swedish film Svinalängorna (Beyond), where they portrayed characters sharing traumatic family history. However, marital difficulties led them to file for divorce in September 2010, with the separation finalized in 2011.​

Following her divorce, Noomi was seen at red carpet events in February 2015 with boyfriend Sanny Dahlbeck. However, the relationship was short-lived, as the couple separated after just six months. As of 2026, Noomi maintains single status while focusing on her artistic career and motherhood.​

Cultural Heritage & Languages

Noomi has expressed interest in her possible Roma heritage through her father’s background, stating, “He may have been of partly Roma descent, and though I’m not sure if it is true, I’ve always been interested in the culture”. This multicultural background has enriched her understanding of diverse characters and narratives.​

Her childhood mobility across Sweden, Iceland, and her connection to Spanish Flamenco through her father gave her linguistic fluency. She speaks Swedish, Icelandic, Danish, Norwegian, and English fluently, enabling her to work across multiple film industries.​

Noomi Rapace Net Worth

As of 2026, Noomi Rapace’s net worth is estimated at approximately $20 million.​

Income Sources

Film Salaries: Her roles in major Hollywood productions like Prometheus, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, and Alien: Covenant generated substantial compensation.​

Television Work: Her appearances in prestige television series including Jack Ryan and Constellation contribute to ongoing income.​

International Productions: Her work across Swedish, Danish, Icelandic, and other European film industries has diversified her earnings.​

Awards & Prestige: Her critically acclaimed performances have enabled her to command higher rates for subsequent projects.​

Her wealth reflects not only her financial success but also her status as one of the most respected actresses in Nordic and international cinema.​