Merle Palmiste

Merle Palmiste (born November 1, 1970) is an Estonian stage, film and television actress.

Merle Palmiste was born in Tallinn and raised in the Tallinn subdistrict of Õismäe. Her father was an engineer and her mother was an accountant. She attended primary and secondary schools in Tallinn, graduating from Tallinn's 9th Secondary School in 1988. Following graduation, she enrolled in the Tallinn Conservatory (now, the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre), graduating in 1992. Palmiste's diploma production roles included Helena in William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream and Nina Mikhailovna Zarechnaya in Anton Chekhov's The Seagull. Among her graduating classmates were Andres Raag, Kristel Leesmend, Ivo Uukkivi, Jaanus Rohumaa, Üllar Saaremäe, Kaili Närep, Dan Põldroos, Sten Zupping, Tiina Mälberg and Garmen Tabor.

Merle Palmiste made her full-length feature film debut in the role of Evelin in the 1994 Jaan Kolberg-directed historical action-drama Jüri Rumm; based on the life of the 19th-century Estonian brigand and folk hero Rummu Jüri. This was followed by the role of Grey One in the 2001 Arvo Iho-directed romantic drama Karu süda. In 2006, she appeared as Rutt in the Jüri Sillart-directed and Hans Luik penned melodrama Kuldrannake for Taska Film.

In 2001, Palmiste had a small role as an adjutant in the Sulev Keedus-directed drama Kirjad Inglile, starring Tõnu Oja and Rain Simmul. That same year, she voiced the character Benita the Cow in the Heiki Ernits and Janno Põldma-directed animated children's film Lotte and the Moonstone Secret (Estonian: Lotte ja kuukivi saladus), which was the second full-length feature film of the popular Estonian Lotte franchise. In 2013, she appeared in the role of Karin Viisla in the René Vilbre-directed family-fantasy film Väikelinna detektiivid ja valge daami saladus, produced by Balti Video and Eesti Rahvusringhääling. In 2016, she appeared in a small role as Mari in the Triin Ruumet-directed tragicomedy Päevad, mis ajasid segadusse, about a young, disaffected man played by Hendrik Toompere Jr. Jr. on a frantic journey through midsummer Estonia in the late 1990s trying to discover purpose and meaning in his life. In 2019, she appeared in the role of Marianne Büttel in the Mart Sander directed fantasy-horror film Kõhedad muinaslood.

In 2020, she voiced several characters in the Meelis Arulepp and Karsten Kiilerich directed animated feature film Sipsik, based on the popular 1962 children's book of the same title by Eno Raud.

In addition to Estonian films, Palmiste has appeared in several foreign language films, including; the 2003 Russian language feature-length romantic drama Yantarnye krylya directed by Andrey Razenkov; the 2004 German language film short Willkommen in Tallinn directed by Oliver Frohnauer; and the 2008 Ukrainian language family feature-length film Prykolna Kazka directed by Roman Shirman. Beginning in the early 2000s, Palmiste has also appeared in a number of Estonian short films.

Merle Palmiste was formerly involved in a long-term relationship with Alex Lepajõe. Their daughter is the fashion model Elisabeth Berthel who was born in 1996. Palmiste currently resides in Tallinn.