Mona Fastvold

Mona Fastvold (born 7 March 1981 in Oslo, Norway) is a Norwegian filmmaker and actress whose career spans more than two decades, beginning in 1997 when she first appeared in minor screen roles before transitioning behind the camera. The Sleepwalker (2014) marked her feature‑directorial debut, a moody drama that earned critical praise for its atmospheric storytelling and earned Fastvold recognition as a distinct voice in contemporary Scandinavian cinema. She followed this success with The World to Come (2020), a lush, period piece that explored themes of isolation, desire and the relentless passage of time, further cementing her reputation for visual poetics and nuanced character work. In 2025 she directed The Testament of Ann Lee, a biographical drama that blended historical research with lyrical imagination, showcasing her growing ambition and command of larger‑scale productions. In addition to directing, Fastvold has contributed as a screenwriter, co‑writing The Childhood of a Leader (2015) and Vox Lux (2018) with partner Brady Corbet, and most recently earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay for The Brutalist (2024), a stark exploration of artistic obsession. Her early acting credits include a minor role in The Other Woman (2009) and appearances in several short films and television projects, demonstrating a versatile range that informs her directorial perspective. Fastvold has also directed music videos for a variety of musicians, most notably for her former husband, Norwegian singer‑songwriter Sondre Lerche, blending her cinematic eye with the rhythm of popular music. Throughout her career she has balanced demanding creative pursuits with motherhood, raising her daughter Ada (born 2014) while continuing to produce work that pushes the boundaries of narrative cinema. Her partnership with Corbet, both personal and professional, remains a cornerstone of her artistic output, as they collaborate on scripts, share production duties and support each other's evolving visions.