Most people recognize Sarah Rafferty from her role as Donna Paulsen on the hit legal drama Suits. But behind the scenes, she’s built a life focused on family, especially her two daughters. Oona Gray Seppala, born October 22, 2007, is Rafferty’s eldest child and has grown up watching her mother balance Hollywood with home life. While the teenager maintains a private profile, fans remain curious about the girl who grew up on set and between two cities.
Who is Oona Gray Seppala?
Oona Gray Seppälä is the eldest daughter of actress Sarah Rafferty and her husband, Santtu Seppälä. She was born in October 2007 and spent much of her childhood splitting time between Los Angeles and Toronto while her mother filmed Suits. Unlike many celebrity children who pursue social media fame or entertainment careers early on, Oona has stayed largely out of the public eye.
Her connection to the entertainment world comes through her mother’s success on television, but the family has worked hard to maintain normal routines and privacy. When Oona does appear in public, it’s usually through carefully chosen family photos her mother shares or rare appearances at industry events. The approach reflects her parents’ commitment to letting their daughters grow up without constant media attention.
Quick facts at a glance
Oona turned 17 in October 2024. She shares her home with her younger sister, Iris Friday Seppälä, who was born in January 2012. The girls grew up in a household that blends American and Finnish influences—their father brings Finnish heritage to the family, while their mother’s career kept them connected to the entertainment industry.
The family’s bicoastal lifestyle during Oona’s early years meant she experienced both California sunshine and Canadian seasons. School, friends, and family dinners happened in two different cities, depending on the filming schedule. This upbringing gave Oona a unique perspective on what “normal” childhood looks like when one parent works in television.
Early life and family background
Sarah Rafferty met Santtu Seppälä years before Suits made her a household name. Santtu works in the pharmaceutical and healthcare investment sector, bringing a completely different professional world into the family dynamic. His Finnish roots add cultural depth to the household, and the couple has raised their daughters with appreciation for both sides of their heritage.
Oona’s mother has spoken openly about trying to balance career demands with being present for school pickups, homework help, and family dinners. The actress built her schedule around maintaining stability for her daughters, even when that meant complicated logistics during Suits‘ nine-season run. Her father’s work outside the entertainment industry provided another grounding influence, showing Oona that success comes in many forms.
The family’s approach to raising children in Hollywood centers on maintaining routines and keeping life as normal as possible. That meant regular school attendance, limited public exposure, and prioritizing family time over red-carpet events. These choices shaped Oona’s childhood in fundamental ways.
Childhood between LA and Toronto
From 2011 to 2019, Sarah Rafferty spent significant time in Toronto filming Suits. The show’s production schedule meant months away from Los Angeles each year. Rather than maintaining completely separate households, the family often traveled together, allowing Oona to grow up experiencing two cities as home.
Toronto offered a different pace than Los Angeles. While LA meant sunshine and the entertainment industry’s constant buzz, Toronto provided a city where the Rafferty-Seppälä family could move around with less attention. Oona attended school in both locations at different times, learning to adapt to new classmates and teachers as part of her routine.
This bicoastal upbringing taught adaptability early. Making friends in two cities, adjusting to different schools, and understanding why mom’s work required such flexibility became normal parts of Oona’s childhood. Many children of working parents experience similar disruptions, but few navigate them across international borders and time zones.
The experience also gave Oona front-row access to television production. She visited sets, saw her mother transform into Donna Paulsen, and understood the long hours that go into creating a show. That exposure didn’t push her toward entertainment—instead, it showed her the reality behind the glamour.
Public profile and presence
Oona maintains minimal public presence. She doesn’t run public social media accounts that fans can follow, and her appearances online come almost exclusively through her mother’s carefully curated posts. Sarah Rafferty occasionally shares photos celebrating birthdays, family vacations, or special moments, but these posts prioritize her daughters’ privacy.
Social media & public photos
The teenager doesn’t have Instagram, TikTok, or other social platforms under her real name that the public can access. This decision—whether made by Oona herself or guided by her parents—protects her from the scrutiny many celebrity children face online. When photos do appear, they’re typically on Sarah Rafferty’s verified accounts, where the actress controls the narrative and context.
Fans have learned to respect these boundaries. Comments on family photos tend to be supportive rather than invasive, and the Rafferty-Seppälä family has successfully maintained privacy despite public interest. This approach gives Oona freedom to develop her identity without thousands of strangers weighing in on her choices.
Public appearances & images
Oona has attended some industry events with her mother, particularly premieres and award shows where families are invited. These appearances remain rare and are carefully chosen. The photos that exist show a teenager who looks comfortable but not eager for the spotlight—someone attending to support her mother rather than build her own public profile.
When media outlets use images of Oona, they typically source them from these official events or from Sarah Rafferty’s social media. The limited availability of photos has actually increased interest, but the family hasn’t responded by increasing exposure. They’ve stuck with their privacy-first approach regardless of public curiosity.
Interests, schooling, and what’s known
Details about Oona’s specific interests, hobbies, or academic pursuits remain largely private. Her mother hasn’t shared whether she plays sports, studies particular subjects with passion, or has developed specific talents. This lack of information isn’t an oversight—it’s intentional protection of a teenager’s right to explore interests without public commentary.
What’s clear is that Oona attends school and maintains friendships outside the entertainment industry. The family’s approach suggests they want her to have experiences that aren’t defined by her mother’s fame. Whether she’ll eventually pursue acting, follow her father into business, or choose a completely different path remains her decision to make without pressure.
Speculation about her future career serves no purpose. She’s still a teenager, figuring out what she wants from life. The best information we have is that her parents support whatever direction she chooses.
How the family frames privacy and normalcy
Sarah Rafferty has discussed her parenting approach in interviews, emphasizing that she and Santtu prioritize their daughters’ well-being over public relations opportunities. The actress has turned down chances to feature her children in magazine spreads or reality-style content that would increase her own visibility.
This philosophy reflects a broader understanding that childhood should be protected. Celebrity children don’t choose their parents’ careers, and they deserve space to grow without constant media attention. The Rafferty-Seppälä household operates on the principle that family comes first, even when publicity might benefit Sarah’s career.
Oona benefits from having one parent outside the entertainment industry. Her father’s work in healthcare investment provides a counterbalance to Hollywood’s influence. The family can discuss careers, success, and fulfillment from multiple perspectives rather than viewing everything through an entertainment lens.
What people usually ask
Fans want to know Oona’s exact age—she turned 17 in October 2024. They ask whether she’s on social media—she isn’t publicly. They wonder if she’ll become an actress like her mother—that remains unknown and purely her choice to make. People ask about her relationship with her younger sister Iris—the family appears close based on occasional photos, but specific dynamics stay private.
The most common question is simply “What’s she like?” That question can’t be answered by outsiders. The limited information available comes through a parent’s lens, not from Oona herself. She’s a teenager growing up with more privilege than most, but also with complications most people never face.
Why Oona Gray Seppala matters to readers today
Interest in Oona reflects broader curiosity about how celebrity children navigate their unique circumstances. She represents a generation of kids born to famous parents who can choose whether to embrace or reject public life. Her family’s approach offers a model for protecting children’s privacy while one parent maintains a public career.
Oona’s story also reminds us that children of public figures are individuals deserving respect and space. The limited information available isn’t a failure—it’s a success. It means a teenager gets to grow up making mistakes, discovering interests, and forming her identity without millions of people watching and commenting.
As she moves toward adulthood, Oona will decide how public or private she wants her life to be. Until then, respecting the boundaries her family has set shows recognition that curiosity shouldn’t override a young person’s right to privacy. That respect matters more than satisfying our interest in celebrity families.