Her first big break was at the age of four, when she acted alongside her mother in theTV-playDen längsta dagen(The Longest Day). She attended theAdolf Fredrik's Music Schooland was also part of the Saltsjöbaden theatre. In the face of stiff competition she got the title role in the musicalAnnieatFolkanin Stockholm. After a small role inLilla prinsen(The Little Prince) at Saltsjöbaden's theatre and an equally small part inIngmar Bergman's filmFanny and Alexander. In 1982 she joined the cast of the Swedish production ofThe Sound of Music, in which she played the daughter Louise. At Folkan she also had parts inKarlsson på taket,Mio, min Mio,Snövit(Snow White) andRingens hemlighet. After having played Annika in the musical version ofPippi Longstockingat Folket in Stockholm, in 1983 she received good reviews when she replacedSiw Malmkvistin the role of Pippi for the two final performances, and appeared in an episode ofNygammaltin 1983, and an episode ofRazzelin October 1984, where she performed her debut single,Nu har det tänt. She has also acted in film and TV productions such asBo Widerberg's 1986 production ofOrmens väg på hällebergetin 1986, andSnokenin 1995. Pernilla has also performed in a number of comedies at various private theatres in Stockholm, such asParneviks cirkusparty,Spanska fluganandBubbel trubbel. She has twice been nominated for the theatre-awardGuldmasken—first for her role inCharleys tantat theIntimantheatre, and secondly for her part in "Kärlek & lavemang" at Fredriksdalsteatern inHelsingborg. She has had even more musical roles inAnnie Get Your Gun,Grease,The Wizard of Oz,CatsandNils Karlsson Pyssling.[citation needed]She has portrayed Pippi Longstocking several times, also as an adult. On 29 September 2007,The Sound of Musicpremièred at theGöta Lejontheatre in Stockholm, where Pernilla played alongside a cast includingTommy Nilsson. It ran for nine months, including a month-long tour acrossSweden. The last performance ran inÖrebroon 16 May 2008.