Mikkel Gaup is a Norwegian Sami actor and musician. He is internationally known for his debut leading role as Aigin in the 1987 film *Pathfinder* (*Ofelaš*), directed by Nils Gaup. The film, based on an ancient Sami legend, received an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film, bringing the actor to worldwide attention and becoming a seminal work for indigenous cinema. His subsequent career includes roles in notable films such as Lars von Trier's *Breaking the Waves* (1996) and *The Kautokeino Rebellion* (2008), consolidating his status as a prominent interpreter of Sami culture. In addition to acting, Gaup is an acclaimed performer of joik, the traditional Sami form of song. He founded the music group Ára, with which he has released several albums, actively contributing to the preservation and dissemination of his cultural heritage through various art forms.