Jaana Saarinen

Jaana Esikko Saarinen (born 22 June 1955) is a Finnish actress. She is famous for the Finnish soap opera "Salatut elämät", where she played Maarit Salin from 1999 to 2004. After a three year hiatus, she returned to "Salatut elämät" on 26 February 2007. For 25 years, Saarinen was involved with the Kotka City Theatre from 1981 to 2006. She took part in the very first Thilia Thalia competition in 1983 and came third. Hannu Salminen and Tuija Piepponen, representatives of the Kotka City Theatre, won the competition that year.

In autumn 2007, Saarinen was up for chair of the Finnish Actors' Union, however she lost the vote to actor Mikko Hänninen of the Tampere Theatre.

Saarinen won a Venla award for best actress on 12 January 2007 for her role of Auli Mantila in the 3-part miniseries "Hopeanuolet" ("Silver Arrows").