Per Christian Ellefsen's illustrious career in the performing arts began at the tender age of 23 when he started working at Sogn ogFjordane's Theatre. This marked the beginning of a long and illustrious journey that would take him to the esteemed Oslo Nye Teater, where he would meet his lifelong friend and colleague, Sven Nordin.
Throughout the 1980s, Nordin would go on to achieve great success in television, while Ellefsen continued to hone his craft as a respected stage actor, well-known to the theater-going public, but still relatively unknown outside of those circles.
Ellefsen's versatility as a performer was showcased in a range of comedic and musical roles, including the title character in Oslo Nye Teater's 1988 production of "Karlsson på taket", based on Astrid Lindgren's beloved children's book. His portrayal of Karlsson was met with widespread acclaim, leaving audiences of all ages in stitches.
Despite receiving rave reviews for his stage work, Ellefsen's breakthrough on the big screen did not come until 1999, when he stole the show with a scene-stealing supporting role as a hapless hairdresser in one of that year's most popular Norwegian films, "Absolutt blåmandag".
Ellefsen's success on the small screen followed in 2000, as he played the lovable but slightly dim-witted character 'Trosten' in the popular drama-series "Soria Moria". Later that year, he co-starred with his old friend Sven Nordin in the stage production "Brødre i blodet" (Brothers in Blood),playing the mentally handicapped Elling opposite Nordin's somewhat dim-witted oaf Kjell Bjarne. The show was based on a successful series of books by Ingvar Ambjørnsen, and its huge stage success led to widespread calls for a film adaptation.
The movie version, titled "Elling", premiered in 2001, with Ellefsen and Nordin re-creating their roles for the big screen. The film went on to become a massive phenomenon, seen by over 800,000 Norwegian moviegoers and becoming the most successful Norwegian film in neighboring Sweden and Denmark.
As if this weren't enough, the charming audience-pleaser "Elling" received an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film in 2002, sending Ellefsen, co-star Sven Nordin, director Petter Næss, and producer Dag Alveberg on a highly publicized trip to Hollywood to celebrate the film's success. Per Christian Ellefsen had finally reached the pinnacle of success, not only becoming a household name in Norway but also one of its most recognizable and beloved actors.
