Rea Lest-Liik, born on May 14, 1990, is a renowned Estonian stage and film actress who gained prominence in the 2010s with leading roles in several Estonian films, including November and Manslayer/Virgin/Shadow. Her impressive career has been marked by numerous awards for her stage and film performances.
Born and raised in Tallinn, Estonia, Lest-Liik's interest in the performing arts led her to enroll in the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre's drama department, where she studied acting under the guidance of instructor Tiit Ojasoo. During her studies, she won the Voldemar Panso Young Actor Award in 2012 and graduated in 2014 alongside her future husband, Jörgen Liik.
After graduating, Lest-Liik began her professional career at the Theatre NO99, a non-profit repertory theatre in Tallinn, where she was engaged from 2014 to 2018. She made her film debut in the 2014 student film comedy short Lõputu suvi (Endless Summer),directed by Jaan Penjam.
Lest-Liik's breakthrough role came in 2016 when she was cast as Riin in the darkly comic crime mystery Ema (Mother),directed by Kadri Kõusaar. The film was selected as Estonia's entry for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film category at the 2017 89th Academy Awards.
In 2017, Lest-Liik appeared in the lead role of Liina in the gothic fantasy thriller November, directed by Rainer Sarnet, based on Andrus Kivirähk's 2000 novel Rehepapp ehk November. The film received positive reviews and was selected as the Estonian entry for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 90th Academy Awards.
The same year, Lest-Liik portrayed three different protagonists in the Sulev Keedus directed drama Mehetapja/Süütu/Vari (The Man Slayer/The Virgin/The Shadow),which told the story of three historical triptychs of women in Estonia struggling to decide their own destiny.
In 2019, Lest-Liik appeared in a leading role opposite Reimo Sagor in the Martti Helde directed psychological thriller Skandinaavia vaikus (Scandinavian Silence),which won both the critics and the audience award at the 2019 Riga Film Festival. Throughout her career, Lest-Liik has consistently demonstrated her versatility and talent as an actress, earning her numerous awards and accolades.
