Oona Gray Seppala is the 17-year-old daughter of Suits actress Sarah Rafferty and Finnish-American businessman Santtu Seppala. Born October 22, 2007, she maintains a private life focused on education and family values.
Who Is Oona Gray Seppala
Oona Gray Seppala is the eldest daughter of American actress Sarah Rafferty and Finnish-American financial executive Santtu Seppala. Born on October 22, 2007, she has spent her teenage years shielded from the media attention that typically follows celebrity children. Unlike many Hollywood offspring, Oona maintains no public social media presence and rarely appears in paparazzi photographs.
At 17 years old in 2025, Oona represents a generation of celebrity children whose parents consciously choose privacy over publicity. Her mother, best known for playing Donna Paulsen on USA Network’s legal drama Suits, has consistently protected her daughters from excessive media exposure. This approach allows Oona to experience a relatively normal childhood despite her famous parentage.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Oona Gray Seppala |
| Date of Birth | October 22, 2007 |
| Age | 17 years (as of 2025) |
| Birthplace | United States |
| Parents | Sarah Rafferty (mother), Santtu Seppala (father) |
| Sibling | Iris Friday Seppala (younger sister, born 2012) |
| Heritage | American and Finnish descent |
| Known For | Daughter of Suits actress Sarah Rafferty |
Parents: Sarah Rafferty and Santtu Seppala
Understanding Oona’s upbringing requires looking at the two people who shaped her world. Her parents come from vastly different professional backgrounds but share a commitment to family values that defines their household.
Sarah Rafferty’s Acting Career
Sarah Rafferty was born on December 6, 1972, in New Canaan, Connecticut. She graduated magna cum laude from Hamilton College with a double major in English and Theatre before earning her Master of Fine Arts from Yale School of Drama. Her career spans over two decades, with appearances in shows like Law & Order, Grey’s Anatomy, and Six Feet Under.
However, Rafferty’s defining role came in 2011 when she was cast as Donna Paulsen in Suits. The show ran for nine seasons until 2019, making Rafferty a household name. She appeared in 132 of the show’s 134 episodes, playing the sharp-witted legal secretary whose on-screen chemistry with Gabriel Macht’s Harvey Specter captivated millions of viewers. More recently, she starred in Netflix’s My Life with the Walter Boys, earning a Children’s and Family Emmy Award nomination in 2024.
Despite her success, Rafferty has repeatedly emphasized that her proudest role is motherhood. In a 2023 interview with People magazine, she stated her life “revolves entirely around my children at this point in my life.” This priority influenced how she approached her career during Oona’s formative years.
Santtu Seppala’s Financial Background
Aleksanteri Olli-Pekka Seppala, known as Santtu, was born on December 6, 1974, in Illinois to Finnish parents. His father, Antti V. Seppala, worked as an independent pharmaceuticals consultant. Santtu spent his childhood moving between six countries: Finland, Sweden, Denmark, France, Germany, and the United States.
He attended Yale University from 1989 to 1993, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Ethics, Politics, and Economics. It was at Yale where he met Sarah Rafferty. After Yale, he earned his MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Seppala built a successful career in investment management spanning over two decades. He worked as an investment banker at Salomon Brothers, served as Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Kiitos Capital Management, and held the position of Portfolio Manager at Cantillon Capital Management in New York. As of 2025, he serves as Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at the Angeleno Group, a private equity firm in Los Angeles.
Financial publications estimate his net worth at approximately $10 million, though this figure remains unverified by authoritative sources.
Birth and Early Childhood Years
Oona Gray Seppala arrived on October 22, 2007, four years before her mother’s breakout role in Suits. This timing meant her earliest years unfolded outside the intense spotlight that would later define her mother’s career. Sarah and Santtu had been married for six years when Oona was born, having wed on June 23, 2001, at the Roman Catholic Church of St. Mary in Greenwich, Connecticut.
Her first name, Oona, has Irish origins meaning “lamb” or “one.” The name gained cultural prominence through Oona O’Neill, the daughter of playwright Eugene O’Neill and wife of Charlie Chaplin. Her middle name, Gray, likely honors family connections, though the Rafferty-Seppala family has not publicly discussed the naming significance.
When Suits began filming in Toronto in 2011, Oona was just four years old. The family made a collective decision to relocate to Canada during production, prioritizing togetherness over convenience. This choice set an early precedent for how the family would navigate Sarah’s demanding career while maintaining stability for their children.
Growing Up With Finnish American Heritage
Oona’s bicultural background shapes her identity in meaningful ways. Through her father, she connects to Finnish traditions, language, and values. Finland consistently ranks among the world’s happiest countries and places tremendous emphasis on education, equality, and work-life balance. These cultural values permeate the Seppala household.
The Finnish side of Oona’s family brings exposure to a language spoken by only 5.5 million people worldwide. While it remains unclear whether Oona speaks Finnish fluently, her father’s deep roots in the country provide access to this linguistic heritage. Santtu’s upbringing across multiple European countries also gives Oona a broader perspective on global cultures beyond typical American experiences.
Her American heritage, channeled through her mother’s Connecticut roots, connects her to New England traditions of education and intellectual curiosity. Sarah’s mother chaired the English department at a prestigious prep school, while her father balanced finance work with oil painting. This blend of analytical and creative thinking runs through both sides of Oona’s family tree.
The synthesis of Finnish pragmatism and American ambition creates a unique cultural foundation. Her parents celebrate both American holidays and Finnish traditions, ensuring Oona and her sister appreciate their diverse background.
Education and Personal Interests
Specific details about Oona’s schooling remain closely guarded. The Rafferty-Seppala family has never disclosed which schools their daughters attend, though given their residence patterns and financial means, private education seems likely. Both parents hold Ivy League degrees and clearly value academic excellence.
Sarah Rafferty has spoken publicly about encouraging her daughters to pursue their passions rather than follow predetermined paths. In a 2016 interview with Univision, when Oona was eight years old, Rafferty explained her parenting philosophy centers on “being true to herself and knowing she can talk to us about absolutely anything.” She continued that she hoped Oona would “feel confident because she feels deeply connected to her family.”
Based on Instagram posts from Rafferty’s account, Oona demonstrates interests in literature, visual arts, and possibly theater, though not necessarily as a career path. A 2022 birthday post for Oona’s 15th birthday included a poem by Irish poet John O’Donohue, suggesting literary appreciation runs in the family. Rafferty captioned the post: “Boundlessly, unspeakably grateful for you Oona. Happy Birthday. Love, Mamarazzi.”
As a teenager in 2025, Oona faces the typical pressures of high school while navigating the unique circumstance of having a famous parent. However, her parents’ commitment to normalcy appears to provide stability during these formative years.
Sister Bond: Oona and Iris Friday
Oona shares her childhood with younger sister Iris Friday Seppala, born on January 27, 2012. The five-year age gap places them in different developmental stages, but Sarah Rafferty frequently describes their relationship as close and supportive.
As the elder sister, Oona naturally assumes a protective role. In the 2016 Univision interview, Rafferty shared an anecdote about teaching empathy: “With my 4-year-old, we focus on empathy. When her sister was crying the other day, we literally got a tissue and wiped away her tears and kissed her. It was so lovely.” Though Rafferty was discussing Iris in this example, it illustrates the compassionate environment in which both girls were raised.
The sisters grew up visiting the Suits set in Toronto, where they enjoyed craft services, hair and makeup trailers, and wardrobe fittings. Cast members Gabriel Macht and Patrick J. Adams became familiar faces in their lives. Interestingly, neither Oona nor Iris has watched Suits, despite their mother’s prominent role. In a 2024 interview with New Beauty magazine, Rafferty revealed her daughters weren’t familiar with the show, though they were “calling ‘action’ and ‘cut’ sometimes and they’re incredibly close to the cast and their families.”
Instagram posts from Rafferty’s account show the sisters enjoying family activities, travel, and celebrations together. Their relationship appears to follow a natural sibling dynamic, balancing individual personalities with shared experiences.
Privacy vs Public Life Balance
The Rafferty-Seppala family’s approach to privacy stands out in an era when many celebrities monetize their children’s images on social media. Sarah Rafferty maintains an active Instagram presence with over 3 million followers but carefully curates what she shares about her daughters. Photos appear occasionally but never include identifying information like school names, addresses, or detailed personal activities.
This protective stance reflects both parents’ values. Santtu Seppala maintains virtually no public profile beyond his LinkedIn and rare red carpet appearances with his wife. He does not have Instagram or other social media accounts, modeling a life focused on substance over visibility.
The decision to keep Oona and Iris private serves multiple purposes. First, it allows the girls to develop identities independent of their mother’s fame. Second, it protects them from unwanted attention, online harassment, or exploitation. Third, it demonstrates respect for their autonomy as they mature into young adults capable of making their own decisions about public exposure.
When Rafferty attended the 2018 royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, her former Suits co-star, she left her daughters at home. This choice, while practical given the event’s formality, also reflected her boundary between professional relationships and family privacy.
As Oona approaches adulthood, she will eventually decide how much public presence she wants. For now, her parents’ protective approach gives her the freedom to make that choice on her own terms.
Family Values and Upbringing Principles
Three core values define the Rafferty-Seppala household: education as empowerment, empathy as a guiding principle, and resilience as a way to face challenges.
Education as Empowerment: Both parents earned degrees from elite institutions and continue valuing intellectual curiosity. Sarah studied at Hamilton College and Yale Drama School. Santtu attended Yale University and The Wharton School. They view education not merely as career preparation but as a tool for critical thinking and self-discovery.
Empathy as a Guiding Principle: Sarah Rafferty repeatedly emphasizes teaching her daughters to consider others’ feelings. This extends beyond immediate family to broader social awareness. Rafferty supports causes like the Alzheimer’s Association and The Brain Project, modeling charitable engagement for her children.
Resilience as a Way to Face Challenges: The entertainment industry demands resilience, a quality Sarah developed throughout her career of auditions, rejections, and eventual success. She and Santtu teach their daughters that setbacks are growth opportunities, not failures. This mindset prepares Oona and Iris for whatever paths they choose.
The family also prioritizes quality time together. During Suits filming in Toronto, the entire family relocated rather than maintaining a long-distance arrangement. Sarah has described their ideal Sunday as enjoying Santtu’s Finnish pancakes together, a simple tradition that reinforces family bonds.
Travel forms another key component of the family’s values. Rafferty’s Instagram documents trips to Turkey, Bhutan, Dubai, and various European destinations. These experiences expose Oona and Iris to different cultures, expanding their worldview beyond American borders.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Oona Gray Seppala?
Oona Gray Seppala is the 17-year-old daughter of actress Sarah Rafferty and businessman Santtu Seppala, born October 22, 2007.
How old is Oona Gray Seppala in 2025?
Oona is 17 years old as of 2025, having been born in October 2007.
Who are Oona Gray Seppala’s parents?
Her parents are Sarah Rafferty, known for Suits, and Aleksanteri Olli-Pekka Santtu Seppala, a Finnish-American financial executive.
Does Oona Gray Seppala have siblings?
Yes, she has one younger sister named Iris Friday Seppala, born in January 2012.
Is Oona Gray Seppala in the entertainment industry?
No, Oona is not currently in entertainment and her parents keep her life private to focus on education.
What is Oona Gray Seppala’s heritage?
She has American heritage through her mother and Finnish heritage through her father’s family background.
Oona Gray Seppala’s story reflects a thoughtful approach to growing up with famous parents. Sarah Rafferty and Santtu Seppala have created an environment where their daughters can develop away from constant media scrutiny while still benefiting from their parents’ success and values. As Oona enters her final teenage years, the foundation her parents built will serve her regardless of which path she ultimately chooses. Whether she follows her mother into entertainment, her father into business, or charts an entirely different course, she does so equipped with education, empathy, resilience, and the security of a close family unit.
For more compelling stories about celebrity family dynamics, navigating bicultural identities, the psychology of privacy in famous families, and the delicate balance between inherited privilege and personal authenticity, explore Earlymagazine—where untold family stories meet thoughtful analysis of modern parenting, and every profile offers insights into building grounded lives beyond the weight of famous surnames in entertainment history.
