Most celebrity kids can’t escape the cameras. Their birthdays trend on social media, and their first day of school makes headlines. But Oona Gray Seppala? She’s different. Born into Hollywood royalty as Sarah Rafferty’s eldest daughter, this 17-year-old has mastered something rare in today’s world—staying private while her mom’s face is known to millions of Suits fans worldwide.
Who Is Oona Gray Seppala?
Oona Gray Seppala came into the world on October 22, 2007, in Los Angeles. She’s the first-born child of actress Sarah Rafferty and Finnish businessman Santtu Seppälä. While her mother played the sharp-tongued Donna Paulsen on Suits for nine seasons, Oona’s been living a life that looks nothing like what you’d expect from a Hollywood kid. There aren’t paparazzi photos of her shopping on Rodeo Drive or Instagram posts from exclusive parties. Instead, she’s built a life around school, sports, and staying out of the public eye.
What makes her story worth knowing isn’t just who her parents are. It’s how they’ve raised her to be her own person first, and a celebrity’s daughter second.
Oona Gray Seppala’s Early Life and Family Background
Growing up in the Seppala household meant blending two very different worlds. On one side, there’s Sarah’s American acting career, with long hours on set and red carpet events. On the other, there’s Santtu’s Finnish heritage and his career in finance, far removed from entertainment industry chaos.
From day one, Sarah and Santtu made a choice that’s uncommon in Hollywood. They decided their daughters wouldn’t be props for publicity. No magazine spreads about nursery designs. No branded baby gear sponsorships. Just normal childhood moments—first steps, scraped knees, birthday cakes—kept within the family circle.
The family split their time between Los Angeles and Toronto while Suits was filming. This meant Oona spent her early years experiencing two cities, two routines, and two very different environments. Toronto became a second home during those years, giving her perspective that most kids growing up in LA don’t get.
Sarah Rafferty: The Actress Behind the Mom
Sarah Rafferty spent nine years playing Donna Paulsen, the unforgettable legal secretary who could run circles around most lawyers. The show made her famous, brought her Emmy buzz, and connected her to Meghan Markle long before the royal wedding happened. But ask Sarah what matters most, and she’ll tell you it’s being a mom.
In interviews, she’s talked about the balancing act. Long filming days meant missing bedtime stories sometimes. But she made sure that when she was home, she was fully present. No phone calls with agents during dinner. No script readings during family movie night. Her girls knew they came first, even when Hollywood demanded her attention.
Sarah’s approach to parenting centers on authenticity. She wants Oona and her sister to know who they are, separate from their mom’s fame. That means honest conversations, space to make mistakes, and the freedom to figure out their own paths.
Santtu Seppälä: Oona’s Father and Family Anchor
While Sarah’s the recognizable face, Santtu Seppälä provides the steady ground the family stands on. He works in finance, specifically in equity research and strategic analysis. His career couldn’t be more different from his wife’s—no red carpets, no autographs, just spreadsheets and market projections.
Santtu’s Finnish background adds another layer to Oona’s upbringing. The surname Seppala comes from the Finnish word for blacksmith, connecting the family to centuries of Nordic tradition. This heritage means Oona isn’t just growing up American. She’s part of a cultural story that spans continents, with roots in a country known for valuing privacy, education, and quiet strength.
His influence shows in how the family operates. They camp. They spend time outdoors. They don’t chase fame or validation from strangers online. Santtu’s kept his own life private too, rarely appearing at Hollywood events unless it’s genuinely important.
Growing Up with a Younger Sister: The Bond Between Oona and Iris
Five years after Oona was born, her sister Iris Friday Seppälä arrived on January 27, 2012. Sarah’s described watching her daughters’ relationship develop as one of her greatest joys. Oona stepped naturally into the older sister role, protective but not bossy, guiding without controlling.
The age gap means they’re in different life stages, but they’ve stayed close. Sarah’s mentioned in interviews how they show empathy toward each other, even during typical sibling disagreements. Oona seems to understand that being the eldest means setting an example, not just in behavior but in kindness.
The sisters share the same unusual childhood experience—having a famous mom while living a decidedly unfamous life themselves. That shared reality creates a bond most siblings don’t have. They’re each other’s witness to a very specific kind of growing up.
Education and Personal Interests
Oona attends school in Los Angeles, though the family’s kept the specific institution private. What we do know paints a picture of a well-rounded teenager who’s figured out what interests her. She writes for her school newspaper, The Oracle, showing an interest in journalism and storytelling. That’s not surprising given her mom’s career involves interpreting scripts and understanding narratives.
She’s also a varsity tennis player, which takes dedication. Tennis isn’t a team sport where you can hide in the background. You’re out there alone, making every decision, handling every mistake. It builds character and self-reliance.
Music matters to her too. She sings in an a cappella group, which means learning harmonies, collaborating with peers, and performing without instrumental backup. Plus, she founded something called Rhythms for Residents, a service organization that brings music to people who need it. That tells you she’s not just collecting activities for college applications. She cares about using her talents to help others.
The Name Behind the Person: What “Oona Gray Seppala” Means
Names carry weight, and Oona’s is no exception. “Oona” comes from Irish origins, derived from “Una,” which can mean lamb or unity depending on interpretation. It’s a name with history, not something picked from a trendy baby name website.
“Gray” as a middle name keeps things simple and classic. It balances the more unusual first name with something straightforward. Then there’s “Seppala,” that Finnish surname meaning blacksmith or smith. It connects her to her father’s heritage and to generations of Finnish families who worked with their hands and built things that lasted.
Together, the name tells a story: Irish roots, American middle ground, Finnish foundation. It’s fitting for someone navigating multiple cultural identities while figuring out who she wants to become.
Privacy in the Digital Age: How the Seppala Family Protects Their Daughters
Sarah and Santtu made a decision most celebrity parents struggle with. They’d share selective moments but never exploit their daughters for likes or follows. Sarah’s Instagram occasionally features photos of the girls, but always on their terms, never in ways that expose them unnecessarily.
The family doesn’t do reality TV. They don’t sell exclusives to tabloids. When Oona and Iris appear in public, it’s for genuinely important reasons, not publicity stunts. This approach means Oona can walk through her high school without classmates treating her like a celebrity by association.
In an era where kids start Instagram accounts before they can spell, the Seppala approach stands out. They’ve taught their daughters that privacy isn’t something to give away for attention. It’s valuable, protective, and once lost, nearly impossible to reclaim.
Memorable Family Moments: From Royal Weddings to Everyday Life
In May 2018, something extraordinary happened. Oona attended Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal wedding at Windsor Castle. She was just 10 years old, watching her mom’s former co-star marry into the British royal family. That’s the kind of memory most people only dream about.
But here’s the thing—Sarah’s been clear that moments like that aren’t typical for their family. The everyday matters more. They go camping. They cook together. They spend time outside away from screens and schedules. The royal wedding was special, but so is Saturday morning pancakes and family movie nights.
This balance between extraordinary access and ordinary life seems to be the sweet spot they’ve found. Yes, Oona’s seen behind-the-scenes Hollywood magic and attended a literal royal wedding. But she also knows how to pitch a tent, do her homework without reminders, and be kind to people whether cameras are watching or not.
What Makes Oona Different from Other Celebrity Kids
Scroll through social media and you’ll find countless celebrity offspring building their own brands before they can legally vote. They have millions of followers, sponsorship deals, and carefully curated personas. Oona Gray Seppala has none of that, and it seems completely intentional.
She’s chosen academics over influencer culture. Sports over selfies. Journalism over TikTok trends. While other teens with famous parents are launching makeup lines or starring in reality shows, she’s playing varsity tennis and writing for her school paper.
This isn’t judgment on other celebrity kids who choose different paths. It’s recognition that Oona’s parents gave her the space to choose authenticity over easy fame, and she’s taken that opportunity seriously.
Where Is Oona Gray Seppala Now?
As of 2025, Oona is 17 years old and likely in her final year of high school. College applications and major life decisions are probably on her mind. What comes next for her remains private, exactly how she and her family prefer it.
Will she follow her mom into acting? Pursue journalism? Take her tennis skills to the collegiate level? Whatever path she chooses, she’ll do it with the solid foundation her parents built—strong values, cultural awareness, and the confidence that comes from knowing you’re valued for who you are, not who your parents are.
The Seppala family has proven something important in an age of oversharing and constant connectivity. You can live adjacent to fame without letting it define you. You can be the daughter of a TV star and still just be yourself—a teenager figuring out life, one tennis match and newspaper article at a time.
