Career
She is famous for the Finnish soap opera Salatut elämät, where she played Maarit Salin from 1999 to 2004, 2007 to 2008 and 2015. Foreign 25 years, Saarinen was involved with the Kotka City Theatre from 1981 to 2006. She took part in the very first Thilia Thalia competition in 1983 and came third.
In autumn 2007, Saarinen lost a vote for chair of the Finnish Actors" Union to actor Mikko Hänninen of the Tampere Theatre.