The Best Living German Actors
by Anautix | created - 23 Apr 2013 | updated - 26 Jun 2013 | PublicDie besten noch lebenden deutschen männlichen Schauspieler.
1. Jürgen Prochnow
Actor | Dune
Jürgen Prochnow is the son of a telecommunications engineer. He has an older brother, Dieter Prochnow, who is also in the acting profession. Jürgen's parents encouraged him initially to study the banking trade. However, their son had other ideas and began working on the side as an extra and a ...
2. Götz George
Actor | Der Totmacher
Götz George, born in Berlin in 1938, is the son of the famous actor Heinrich George and his wife, the actress Berta Drews. After first appearances on the stage of Berlin's Hebbel Theater during his childhood, Götz George was trained as an actor by the recognized teacher Else Bongers. At the age of ...
3. Armin Mueller-Stahl
Actor | Eastern Promises
Armin Mueller-Stahl is a German actor with a relatively long film career. He was once nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, for his role as an abusive father in the biographical drama "Shine" (1996).
In 1930, Mueller-Stahl was born in Tilsit, East Prussia. The town developed ...
4. Christian Berkel
Actor | The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Christian Berkel was born on October 28, 1957 in West Berlin, West Germany. He is an actor, known for The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015), Valkyrie (2008) and Downfall (2004). He has been married to Andrea Sawatzki since December 17, 2011. They have two children.
5. Sebastian Koch
Actor | Das Leben der Anderen
Sebastian Koch is one of the most internationally sought-after German actors of his generation. After stage engagements in Berlin, Bochum and Darmstadt, the Karlsruhe native was twice awarded the "Grimme Prize" in 2002 for the title role in Peter Keglevic's "Der Tanz mit dem Teufel - Die Entführung...
6. Hardy Krüger
Actor | A Bridge Too Far
Hardy Kruger was born Eberhard August Franz Ewald Krüger in Wedding, Berlin, thee son of Auguste (Meier) and Max Krüger. At thirteen years, he became a member of the "Hitler Jugend" (Hitler Youth), as did all 13-year-old boys in Germany then. The purpose of the organization was to prepare the boys ...
7. Thomas Kretschmann
Actor | King Kong
Thomas Kretschmann was born in East Germany. Before becoming an actor, he was a swimmer. He has acted in several popular American movies, such as Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004), The Pianist (2002), U-571 (2000), In Enemy Hands (2004), etc. He has three children, Nicolas, Stella and Sascha with ...
8. Mario Adorf
Actor | Die Blechtrommel
Mario Adorf, a tell-tale name indeed. Mario calls to mind the actor's Italian roots (his father was a Calabrian surgeon) whereas Adorf reveals his German origins (his mother was a radiologist from the German region Eifel). As for the full name Mario Adorf it echoes to perfection the international ...
He is of half German (his mother), half Italian (his father) ancestry. He was raised by his mother in Germany.
9. Jan Josef Liefers
Actor | Tatort
Jan Josef Liefers was born on August 8, 1964 in Dresden, East Germany [now Saxony, Federal Republic of Germany]. He is an actor and director, known for Tatort (1970), The Baader Meinhof Complex (2008) and The Tower (2012). He has been married to Anna Loos since August 5, 2004. They have two ...
10. Udo Kier
Actor | Hunters
Beginning his life with the same flair for the dramatic that would come to define his career, Udo Kier was born in Köln, Germany near the end of the 2nd world war. The hospital was bombed and buried Kier and his mother in the rubble. Both survived, and Kier would later move to London as a young ...
11. Daniel Brühl
Actor | Rush
Daniel Brühl was born in Barcelona, Spain. His father was German TV director Hanno Brühl (1937-2010), who was born in São Paulo, Brazil. His Spanish mother was a teacher. He also has a brother and a sister, Oliver and Miriam. Shortly after his birth, his family moved to Cologne, Germany, where he ...
12. Armin Rohde
Actor | Lola rennt
After school, he completed his training at the Folkwang School in Essen from 1980 to 1984 and clown training with Pierre Byland. Rohde then worked at various theaters in Bielefeld and Bochum and played in the ensemble of the Schauspielhaus Bochum from 1987 to 1995. His brother Uwe Rohde, who was ...
13. Wotan Wilke Möhring
Actor | Pandorum
Wotan Wilke Möhring was born on May 23, 1967 in Detmold, Germany. He is an actor, known for Pandorum (2009), Winnetou & Old Shatterhand (2016) and Antibodies (2005).
14. Misel Maticevic
Actor | Im Angesicht des Verbrechens
Misel Maticevic was born on July 28, 1970 in West-Berlin, Germany. He is an actor, known for In the Face of Crime (2010), Exile (2020) and The Vow (2007).
born in Berlin, German actor of Croatian descent
15. Rolf Hoppe
Actor | Sardsch
Rolf Hoppe was born on December 6, 1930 in Ellrich, Thuringia, Germany. He was an actor, known for Sardsch (1997), La piovra (1984) and Mephisto (1981). He was married to Friederike. He died on November 14, 2018 in Dresden, Saxony, Germany.
DDR-Schauspieler
16. Ulrich Tukur
Actor | Das Leben der Anderen
He spent his childhood and youth in Hesse, Westphalia and Lower Saxony. As a teenager he lived in the Wedemark region of Lower Saxony near Hanover. He spent his school years there, completing his high school diploma as an exchange student for the American Field Service AFS in Boston (USA). In 1977 ...
17. Heino Ferch
Actor | Der Untergang
During his school years he was enthusiastic about artistry and gymnastics. His athletic skills helped him land a role in the musical "Can Can" in 1978, which also sparked his interest in acting. After finishing school, Heino Ferch devoted himself to his acting training at the Salzburg Mozarteum. In...
18. Axel Prahl
Actor | Tatort
His stepfather was a chief petty officer in the Navy. He spent his childhood and youth in Neustadt, Holstein. After secondary school, he attended secondary school, switched to vocational school and then to technical high school, where he completed his technical high school diploma. He then studied ...
19. Richy Müller
Actor | xXx
Richy Müller was born on September 26, 1955 in Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, West Germany. He is an actor, known for xXx (2002), Tatort (1970) and The Poll Diaries (2010).
20. Moritz Bleibtreu
Actor | Knockin' on Heaven's Door
Moritz Bleibtreu is a German actor born on August 13, 1971 in Munich growing up in Hamburg. He first appears in children's television series Neues aus Uhlenbusch (1977) at the age of six. His breakthrough was the role called "Abdul" in the movie Knockin' on Heaven's Door (1997). He also became ...
21. Ronald Zehrfeld
Actor | Barbara
Ronald Zehrfeld was born on January 15, 1977 in East Berlin, East Germany. He is an actor, known for Barbara (2012), The People Vs. Fritz Bauer (2015) and In the Face of Crime (2010).
22. Til Schweiger
Actor | Inglourious Basterds
Actor, producer, writer, and director Til Schweiger is Germany's best-known actor and also the country's most successful director. With more than 51 Million admissions no other German filmmaker drew more people to cinemas. He runs his own production company Barefoot Films based in Berlin, Germany.
...
23. Ken Duken
Actor | Max Manus
Ken Duken was born on the 17th of April 1979 as a son of an actress and a doctor in Heidelberg / Germany. He started to learn acting from his stage actress mother Christina Loeb. Later he took courses by James Reynolds and Bruce McDonald but he never attended drama school.
Before starting his career...
24. August Diehl
Actor | Inglourious Basterds
August Diehl was born on January 4, 1976 in Berlin, Germany. He is an actor and writer, known for Inglourious Basterds (2009), A Hidden Life (2019) and The King's Man (2021). He has been married to Julia Malik since 1999. They have two children.
25. Vinzenz Kiefer
Actor | Der Baader Meinhof Komplex
Vinzenz was born in 1979 in Weilburg/Lahn. He grew up in a small village between two farms. He loved chasing chickens as well as building cabins in the woods and playing with fire. His parents' video collection was also an early passion of his (later on he took care of it completely and since then,...
26. Hannes Jaenicke
Actor | Sardsch
The actor is one of the most successful German actors. Hannes Jaenicke became popular in the role of the tough guy. He spent part of his childhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In Regensburg he attended the Albertus-Magnus-Gymnasium and the Albrecht-Altdorfer-Gymnasium. Here he completed his high ...
27. Hans Werner Meyer
Actor | Der Baader Meinhof Komplex
Hans Werner Meyer was born on April 14, 1964 in Hamburg, Germany. He is an actor, known for The Baader Meinhof Complex (2008), Die Cleveren (1998) and Adieu Paris (2013). He is married to Jacqueline Macaulay. They have three children.
28. Heiner Lauterbach
Actor | Männer
Heiner Lauterbach was born on April 10, 1953 in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, West Germany. He is an actor and producer, known for Men... (1985), Eurocops (1988) and Rossini (1997). He has been married to Viktoria Lauterbach since September 8, 2001. They have two children. He was previously ...
29. Götz Otto
Actor | Iron Sky
Götz Otto was born on October 15, 1967 in Dietzenbach, Hesse, Germany. He is an actor and writer, known for Iron Sky (2012), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) and Cloud Atlas (2012). He is married to Sabine. They have four children.
30. Matthias Schweighöfer
Actor | Army of the Dead
Grimme-Preis award winner, Matthias Schweighöfer, is one of Germany's most successful actors and is quickly becoming an international phenomenon.
Schweighöfer was most recently seen in Christopher Nolan's film, "Oppenheimer," Netflix's "Heart of Stone" opposite Gal Gadot and Jamie Dornan and "The ...
31. Alexander Fehling
Actor | Inglourious Basterds
Alexander Fehling was born on March 29, 1981 in Berlin, Germany. He is an actor and director, known for Inglourious Basterds (2009), Labyrinth of Lies (2014) and Homeland (2011).
32. Ludwig Trepte
Actor | Unsere Mütter, unsere Väter
Ludwig Trepte played his first leading part in "Kombat Sechzehn" (2005). He then played parts in films such as "Guten Morgen, Herr Grothe" (2008) and "Ihr könnt euch niemals sicher sein" (2009), for each of which he was awarded a Grimme-Preis and for the latter also the special award for best ...
33. Stephan Luca
Actor | Eva - ganz mein Fall
Stephan Luca was born on July 3, 1974 in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. He is an actor, known for Eva - ganz mein Fall (2002), Held der Gladiatoren (2003) and Zorn (2014). He has been married to Julia Jüngling since September 12, 2006.
34. Kostja Ullmann
Actor | Sommersturm
Kostja Ullmann was born on May 30, 1984 in Hamburg, West Germany. He is an actor, known for Summer Storm (2004), A Most Wanted Man (2014) and Verfolgt (2006).
35. Volker Bruch
Actor | Der Baader Meinhof Komplex
Volker Bruch was born on March 9, 1980 in Munich, Germany. He is an actor, known for The Baader Meinhof Complex (2008), The Reader (2008) and Babylon Berlin (2017).
36. Ulrich Noethen
Actor | Der Untergang
Ulrich Noethen was born on November 18, 1959 in Munich, Germany. He is an actor, known for Downfall (2004), Das Sams (2001) and Das fliegende Klassenzimmer (2003). He was previously married to Friederike Wagner.
37. Max Riemelt
Actor | Napola - Elite für den Führer
Max Riemelt was born on January 7, 1984 in Berlin, Germany. He is an actor, known for Before the Fall (2004), Free Fall (2013) and Berlin Syndrome (2017).
38. Tom Schilling
Actor | Oh Boy
Tom Schilling was born on February 10, 1982 in Berlin, Germany. He is an actor and producer, known for A Coffee in Berlin (2012), Before the Fall (2004) and Who Am I (2014).
39. David Kross
Actor | The Reader
David Kross was born on July 4, 1990 in Bargteheide, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany next to Hamburg. He attended Eckhorst High School in Bargteheide till 2007. In this period, he first appears in the German movie Verzauberte Emma oder Hilfe, ich bin ein Junge... ! (2002). He also receives his first ...
40. Christoph Maria Herbst
Actor | Stromberg
The German actor became one of the most popular actors on comedic television alongside Anke Engelke in the comedy series "Ladykracher". Christoph Maria Herbst was initially seen at the Bremerhaven City Theater from 1992 to 1996, until he switched to television in 1998 with participation in series ...
41. Manfred Krug
Actor | Liebling Kreuzberg
In 1950, Krug moved to East Germany where he worked in heavy industry before he started his career as an actor and, later on, as a singer and entertainer in the communist GDR. In 1968, he got the national prize and was only at the beginning of his career. He starred in many successful East German ...
42. Heinz Hoenig
Actor | Das Boot
Heinz Hoenig was born on September 24, 1951 in Landsberg am Lech, Bavaria, Germany. He is an actor, known for Das Boot (1981), Der Schattenmann (1996) and Der König von St. Pauli (1998). He has been married to Annika Kärsten-Hoenig since March 30, 2019. They have two children. He was ...
43. Dominique Horwitz
Actor | Stalingrad
Dominique Horwitz was born on April 23, 1957 in Paris, France. He is an actor and director, known for Stalingrad (1993), Anne Frank: The Whole Story (2001) and Trickser (1997). He has been married to Anna Wittig since 2007. He was previously married to Patricia Horwitz.
einer der Darsteller in "Stalingrad" (der mit den Segelohren)
44. Robert Atzorn
Actor | Oh Gott, Herr Pfarrer
Robert Atzorn was born on February 2, 1945 in Bad Polzin, Pomerania, Germany [now Polczyn-Zdrój, Zachodniopomorskie, Poland]. He is an actor, known for Oh Gott, Herr Pfarrer (1988), From the Life of the Marionettes (1980) and Der Fall Jakob von Metzler (2012). He has been married to Angelika Hartung...
45. Uwe Ochsenknecht
Actor | Transporter: The Series
He grew up in Mannheim. As a ten-year-old, Uwe Ochsenknecht sang in the opera choir and later became interested in the theater. His school performance suffered because of his interests and Ochsenknecht had to leave high school shortly before graduating from high school. At the age of 17 he passed ...
46. Herbert Köfer
Actor | Das große Abenteuer des Kaspar Schmeck
Herbert Köfer was born on February 17, 1921 in Berlin, Germany. He was an actor, known for Das große Abenteuer des Kaspar Schmeck (1981), Krupp und Krause (1969) and Hans Beimler, Kamerad (1969). He was married to Heike Köfer, ??? and Ute Boeden. He died on July 24, 2021 in Berlin, Germany.
DDR-Schauspieler
47. Ben Becker
Actor | Polizeiruf 110
Ben Becker spent his childhood and youth with his sister Meret Becker in Berlin with his mother and her partner, the actor Otto Sander. As a child, Becker was already involved in radio plays, for example in "The 3 Question Marks and the Car Marten". He later found a strong role model in Otto Sander...
48. Jürgen Vogel
Actor | Die Welle
Jürgen Vogel was born on April 29, 1968 in Hamburg, West Germany. He is an actor and producer, known for The Wave (2008), Der freie Wille (2006) and Life is All You Get (1997).
49. Sky du Mont
Actor | Eyes Wide Shut
Sky du Mont's parents left Germany and moved to Argentina. Sky Du Mont attended school in Great Britain. He completed his high school diploma in Switzerland. From 1969 he trained as an actor in Munich, which he completed in 1971 with the examination before the State Theater Cooperative. Afterwards,...
50. Gedeon Burkhard
Actor | Inglourious Basterds
Born in Munich in 1969, Gedeon was raised bilingual (English & German). He was sent to boarding school in England at the age of 8 and transferred to American high school at the age of 12. Gedeon starred in his first movie (Aunt Maria) when he was 10, his second lead role followed one year later in ...
51. André Hennicke
Actor | Sophie Scholl - Die letzten Tage
André Hennicke was born on September 21, 1958 in Steinheidel-Erlabrunn, German Democratic Republic. He is an actor and writer, known for Sophie Scholl: The Final Days (2005), Pandorum (2009) and Youth Without Youth (2007).
52. Matthias Koeberlin
Actor | Tornado - Der Zorn des Himmels
Matthias Koeberlin was born on March 28, 1974 in Mainz, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. He is an actor, known for Tornado (2006), Fugitives (2011) and Lutter (2007). He is married to Diana Koeberlin. They have one child.
53. Frederick Lau
Actor | Victoria
Frederick Lau is a German actor. He was born and raised in Steglitz, Berlin, Germany, and still lives there. He played in over 50 roles since 2000. In 2008 he won the Deutscher Filmpreis award (Lola) for best male role for being Tim Stoltefuss in "Die Welle". He is also known for portraying ...
54. Alexander Beyer
Actor | Dalíland
Alexander Beyer was born in Erfurt, German Democratic Republic on June 24th, 1973 and is a German actor known for his roles in Deutschland83 (2015), Die Libelle (2018), München (2005), Sonnenallee (2000), The Legend of Rita (1999) and Good Bye Lenin! (2003). Beyer lives and works in Zurich, ...
55. Ralf Moeller
Actor | Gladiator
Ralf Rudolf Moeller (born on 12. January 1959) is a German-American actor and former Mr. Universe. He is well-known for his roles as Brick Bardo in Cyborg, Kjartan in The Viking Sagas, as hero in the TV series "Conan the Adventurer", Hagen in Gladiator, Thorak in The Scorpion King and Ulfar in ...
56. Devid Striesow
Actor | Im Westen nichts Neues
Devid Striesow was born on October 1, 1973 in Bergen auf Rügen, East Germany [now Germany]. He is an actor, known for All Quiet on the Western Front (2022), The Counterfeiters (2007) and Before the Fall (2004). He has been married to Francine since 2008. They have two children.
57. Felix Klare
Actor | Unschuldig
Felix Klare was born on October 12, 1978 in Heidelberg, Germany. He is an actor, known for Unschuldig (2018), Tatort (1970) and Weil du mir gehörst (2019). He is married to Zora Thiessen. They have four children.
58. Christian Ulmen
Actor | Herr Lehmann
Christian Ulmen was born on September 22, 1975 in Neuwied, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. He is an actor and producer, known for Berlin Blues (2003), Dr. Psycho - Die Bösen, die Bullen, meine Frau und ich (2007) and Die Discounter (2021). He has been married to Collien Ulmen-Fernandes since ...
59. Winfried Glatzeder
Actor | Vergeßt Mozart
Winfried Glatzeder was born on April 26, 1945 in Sopot, Pomorskie, Poland. He is an actor, known for Vergeßt Mozart (1985), Till Eulenspiegel (1975) and Tatort (1970). He has been married to Marion Glatzeder since 1970. They have two children.
DDR-Schauspieler
60. Charly Hübner
Actor | Polizeiruf 110
Charly Hübner was born on December 4, 1972 in Neustrelitz, East Germany [now Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany]. He is an actor and writer, known for Police Call 110 (1971), Magical Mystery or: The Return of Karl Schmidt (2017) and The Good Neighbour (2011). He is married to Lina Beckmann. They have ...
61. Thomas Heinze
Actor | Wilder Westen inclusive
Thomas Heinze was born on March 30, 1964 in Berlin, Germany. He is an actor and producer, known for Wilder Westen inclusive (1988), Marie Brand (2008) and Sources of Life (2013).
62. Simon Verhoeven
Director | Willkommen bei den Hartmanns
Simon Verhoeven is a director and screenwriter. He was born on June 20, 1972, in Munich, Germany, to actress Senta Berger and director Michael Verhoeven.
After high school, Verhoeven enrolled at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute to study acting but left the program after a couple of ...
63. Michael Herbig
Actor | Der Schuh des Manitu
Michael 'Bully' Herbig studied photography and is well known in the German comedy scene as a writer, director and producer. In addition to his morning radio show 'Langemann und die Morgencrew' from 1992 to 1995, he also made 800 episodes of the comedy radio show 'Die Bayern Cops'. He has appeared ...
64. Christian Tramitz
Actor | (T)Raumschiff Surprise - Periode 1
Christian Tramitz was born on July 13, 1955 in Munich, Bavaria, West Germany. He is an actor and writer, known for (T)Raumschiff Surprise - Periode 1 (2004), Manitou's Shoe (2001) and Hubert ohne Staller (2011). He has been married to Anette Tramitz since July 2004. They have two children. He was ...
65. Otto Waalkes
Actor | Otto - Der Film
Otto Waalkes was born on July 22, 1948 in Emden, Germany. He is an actor and writer, known for Holly - The Movie (1984), Otto - Der Liebesfilm (1992) and Help, I Shrunk My Teacher (2015). He was previously married to Eva Haßmann and Manuela Ebelt.
66. Sebastian Urzendowsky
Actor | The Way Back
Sebastian Urzendowsky was born on May 28, 1985 in Berlin, Germany. He is an actor and director, known for The Way Back (2010), Mitten in Deutschland: NSU (2016) and The Tower (2012).
67. Benno Fürmann
Actor | Speed Racer
Benno Fürmann was born on 17 January 1972 in Berlin, Germany and worked as a waiter, bouncer and drifter before attending acting lessons at the Lee Strasberg Institute in New York. After returning to Germany, he played several minor parts in movie and television projects until his breakthrough ...
68. Ulrich Matthes
Actor | Der Untergang
Ulrich Matthes was born on May 9, 1959 in West Berlin, West Germany. He is an actor, known for Downfall (2004), A Hidden Life (2019) and Feuerreiter (1998).
69. Edgar Selge
Actor | Polizeiruf 110
Edgar Selge was born on March 27, 1948 in Brilon, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. He is an actor, known for Police Call 110 (1971), The Experiment (2001) and The Poll Diaries (2010). He has been married to Franziska Walser since 1985. They have two children.
70. Mark Keller
Actor | Alarm für Cobra 11 - Die Autobahnpolizei
Mark Keller was born on May 5, 1965 in Überlingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. He is an actor and publicist, known for Alarm für Cobra 11 - Die Autobahnpolizei (1996), Der Bergdoktor (2008) and Andersrum (2005). He has been married to Tülin since 1992. They have two children.
71. Tobias Schenke
Actor | Knockin' on Heaven's Door
Tobias Schenke was born on March 27, 1981 in Rüdersdorf, Brandenburg, Germany. He is an actor, known for Knockin' on Heaven's Door (1997), More Ants in the Pants (2002) and Ants in the Pants (2000).
72. Stephan Kampwirth
Actor | Dark
Stephan Kampwirth was born on March 20, 1967 in Arnsberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. He is an actor, known for Dark (2017), Who Am I (2014) and Berlin, Berlin (2002).
73. Henning Baum
Actor | Der letzte Bulle
Henning Baum was born on September 20, 1972 in Essen, Germany. He is an actor and producer, known for Der letzte Bulle (2010), Mit Herz und Handschellen (2002) and Jim Button and Luke the Engine Driver (2018).
74. Hinnerk Schönemann
Actor | Das Leben der Anderen
Hinnerk Schönemann was born on November 30, 1974 in Rostock, German Democratic Republic. He is an actor and director, known for The Lives of Others (2006), War Horse (2011) and Nord bei Nordwest (2014). He was previously married to Anne Sarah Hartung.
75. Herbert Knaup
Actor | Lola rennt
Herbert Knaup was born on March 23, 1956 in Sonthofen, Germany. He is an actor, known for Run Lola Run (1998), The Invincibles (1994) and The Little Ghost (2013). He has been married to Christiane Knaup since 2006.
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