Thea Sofie Loch Næss on the secrets of Oslo Airport

The Norwegian actress Thea Sofie Loch Næss was born in the small southern city Kristiansand but moved to the capital Oslo when she was three years old. By the time she turned 17 she had relocated with her family no less than 17 times.Today, when she travels a lot for work, this is something that makes it easy for her to feel at home anywhere..

Thea Sofie Loch Næss did her first lead role in a feature film ten years ago, and it’s not an understatement to say that she is shining more brightly than ever. Recently we saw her in the Scandinavian Netflix hit A Storm for Christmas (directed by Per-Olav Sørensen) and later this spring she will be starring in the Swedish TV series Ondskan (The Evil), based on the novel by the acclaimed Swedish author Jan Guillou. Scandinavian Traveler sat down for a chat with Thea Sofie.

A Storm for Christmas takes place at Oslo Gardermoen Airport.How was it to shoot an entire series at an airport?
It was quite funny to start every day by going through security, never being able to bring a full water bottle or hand creams bigger than 100 ml and then realize: “Oh wait, I’m actually not traveling anywhere.” The production worked out quite well even though we shot during the pandemic – the airport was almost empty.

What did you learn about airports that you didn’t know before?
That there are some secret entries and shortcuts! I felt like a child when they led me through the secret gateways or entries in this airport that I know so well. Like a new, magic world opening up for me.

How do you usually spend time at airports?
Since I travel quite frequently, I try to spend as little time as possible at the airport – without stressing too much, of course. I go through security, have a tiny peek at the Tax Free, then I buy a cup of coffee and some snacks for the trip and just like that, it’s time for departure. I always have a book at hand, if the wait is too long. And music!

Which airport in the world is your favorite?
Gardermoen. For sure. 

What’s the best part of living in Oslo?
I have been living in New York for the past few months, the most amazing city in the world, but it also really made me appreciate Oslo. Oslo is very cute, but small. It’s a city that is still trying to figure out its own identity. But cool things are happening, we have all the amazing saunas along the harbor, beautiful nature and cool restaurants and cafes are opening up one by one. I used to live in the city center, and during the summer I could bike to the beach in  minutes, and during the winter 20 minutes on the subway allows me to go snowboarding! To me, it’s a city that has it all.

Thea Sofie’s top 3 favorite spots in Oslo

Text by Agnes Regell