Anne Louise Hassing was born in Horsens, Denmark, on 17 September 1967. Hassing's acting career is known in Denmark for its remarkable start.[1] In 1992, Hassing made her film debut in the lead role of Nils Malmros' Pain of Love (Danish: Kærlighedens Smerte). Malmros auditioned 362 actresses before choosing Hassing to play the role of an extremely emotional character named Kirsten, a manic-depressive student having an affair with her teacher.[1] The role earned Hassing both the Robert and the Bodil awards for Best Actress.
I recognized much of myself in the film's Kirsten. Her qualities are very much my own: cheerfulness, the variety of emotions, vulnerability, but also the many mood swings, which for me never developed into actual depression. I was also in love with a teacher in high school.
— Anne Louise Hassing, translated from Jyllands-Posten interview, 1992[1]
Afterwards, Hassing worked for a short time as a bartender in Aarhus, Denmark.[2] She was accepted into the Danish National School of Theater, which she attended from 1993 to 1997. Despite suffering from extreme stage fright, Hassing continued to pursue theater work.[2] Her next notable role came five years later, after she graduated from the National School of Theater. In 1997, Hassing played the tender, uncomplicated character of Susanne in Lars Von Trier's Dogme film, The Idiots (Danish:Idioterne). Again, Hassing won a Bodil Award for her role, earning Best Supporting Actress of 1997.[3] In an interview, Hassing spoke about working with Trier:
Everyone worked hard because Lars is incredibly demanding. He wants it real. No one can cheat. Everything must come from the heart. It is very inspiring, but one needs three-month of vacation afterward...
— Anne Louise Hassing, translated from Ekstra Bladet interview, 1998[1]
Hassing has performed in the film adaptations of the Jane Aamund's novels Klinkevals and Juliane as well as the Danish TV series Strisser på Samsø (A Cop on Samsø) and De pokkers forældre.[4] Hassing again received critical acclaim for her featured role as Ida in the popular Danish television drama Krøniken (English title: Better Times), for which she was awarded the Best Actress award in 2004, 2005, and 2006 at the annual Danish television awards, TvFestival.[5]
In 2013, She appeared in the Academy Award - nominated film The Hunt for which she was nominated a third time for the Bodil Award for Best Supporting Actress.[6] From 2013 to 2024, Hassing was featured in the role of Therese Madsen in the hit television series Seaside Hotel.[7]
Hassing published Balance midt i livet in 2024 which was a humorous memoir and personal advice book about her experiences with menopause.[8]
Personal life
Hassing married the Danish musician Peter Hellemann in 2006 after they had been a couple since 2001 and had a son in 2005. They divorced in 2017.[9]
Hassing lives in Amager, Copenhagen. She practices Nichiren Buddhism with the Buddhist association Soka Gakkai International and credits the practice for relaxing her and relieving anxieties about her career and life.[10][1]
^"Bedste skuespiller (Best Actors)". Bodil Prisen (The Bodil Award). Filmarbejderforeningen (National Union of Danish Film Critics). Archived from the original on 13 March 2008. Retrieved 25 May 2008.
