---
name: "Alexandra Maria Lara"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/alexandra-maria-lara"
fi1m_id: "alexandra-maria-lara"
imdb_id: "nm0487884"
tmdb_id: 5644
wikidata_id: "Q65106"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "12 November 1978"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 5
average_fi1m_score: 73
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 5
updated: "2026-10-01T20:25:46.973862+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Alexandra Maria Lara

## Identity

Alexandra Maria Lara

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/alexandra-maria-lara
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** alexandra-maria-lara
- **IMDb ID:** nm0487884
- **TMDB ID:** 5644
- **Wikidata ID:** Q65106
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandra_Maria_Lara, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q65106, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0487884/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/5644

Actor. Born 12 November 1978 in Bucharest, Romania.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 12 November 1978, Bucharest, Romania
- **Active:** 2004–2013
- **Also known as:** Alexandra Plătăreanu, Alexandra Maria Plătăreanu
- **Frequently works with:** [Bernd Eichinger](https://film.one/person/bernd-eichinger.md), [Bruno Ganz](https://film.one/person/bruno-ganz.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 73, as actor, over 5 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 2000s 70 (4), 2010s 82 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 73 to 69 across 5 titles
- **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 1 of 5 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 5, Action 2, History 2, Crime 1, Romance 1, Sport 1
- **Screen time:** 11 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $326m across 5 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandra_Maria_Lara, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q65106, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0487884/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/5644

## Streaming the US now

- **Tubi:** [*Downfall*](https://film.one/film/downfall.md) (81), [*Control*](https://film.one/film/control.md) (80)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*The Baader Meinhof Complex*](https://film.one/film/the-baader-meinhof-complex.md) (65), [*The Reader*](https://film.one/film/the-reader.md) (56)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Alexandra Maria Lara

> Alexandra Maria Lara gives apparent innocence an unsettling use in *Downfall*, drawing us into company we would rather avoid. We rate her openness, but want roles that ask more of her than another girlish first impression.

Alexandra Maria Lara often appears to be the least worldly person in the company. In *Downfall* (2004), that girlish openness makes her Traudl Junge a useful, disquieting point of entry into the bunker. We were unsettled by following her into such hateful company, because her presence makes it harder to keep the people around her safely at a distance. Oliver Hirschbiegel uses her within an ensemble that gives weight to the different responses to defeat, rather than leaving Bruno Ganz to carry the film alone. We recommend it for those performances, with a reservation about how many people the screenplay wants us to follow.

That reservation matters particularly to Lara: Bernd Eichinger’s screenplay is reluctant to stay with Junge, so the film keeps moving away from the person who brought us in. Corinna Harfouch and Ulrich Matthes make the wider company worth studying, but the accumulation of characters gradually weakens the effect. This is a limit imposed by the writing, not a reason to dismiss Lara’s contribution. We wanted more time within her perspective and less work keeping track of everyone else’s.

Her international recognition followed *Downfall*, after German television and films including *The Tunnel* (2001) and *Naked* (2002). Francis Ford Coppola offered her a leading role in *Youth Without Youth* (2007) after seeing Hirschbiegel’s film. She also played Annik Honoré in *Control* (2007), with further international work including *The Reader* (2008) and Ron Howard’s *Rush* (2013), in which she played Marlene Lauda. Historical dramas and portrayals of real people recur, without accounting for everything she does. German and European films and television remained part of the work, too.

Some German critics have found that the naïve, girlish look persists regardless of the role. We can see the limitation: if that first impression scarcely changes, an actor leaves us little else to discover. But *Downfall* gives that quality a purpose, and its crowded writing is a more convincing explanation for our frustrations than any failure by Lara. We would welcome more parts that give her resolve as much room as her innocence.

## Biography

Alexandra Maria Lara is a Romanian-German actress, also credited as Alexandra Plătăreanu or Alexandra Maria Plătăreanu. Born on 12 November 1978 in Bucharest, Romania, she is the daughter of actor Valentin Plătăreanu. Her family emigrated to West Germany in 1983. She studied acting at the Theaterwerkstatt Charlottenburg from 1997 to 2000.

Lara is known for her role as Traudl Junge in *Downfall* (2004). Other film credits include *Control* (2007), *The Reader* (2008), *Rush* (2013) and *Geostorm* (2017). She served as co-president of the Deutsche Filmakademie from 2022 to 2025. She is married to actor Sam Riley.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, filmportal.de.*

## On Fi1m (5)

- *Rush* (2013), Fi1m 82, as Marlene Lauda — [page](https://film.one/film/rush.md)
- *The Baader Meinhof Complex* (2008), Fi1m 65, as Petra Schelm — [page](https://film.one/film/the-baader-meinhof-complex.md)
- *The Reader* (2008), Fi1m 56, as Young Ilana Mather — [page](https://film.one/film/the-reader.md)
- *Control* (2007), Fi1m 80, as Annik Honoré — [page](https://film.one/film/control.md)
- *Downfall* (2004), Fi1m 81, as Traudl Junge — [page](https://film.one/film/downfall.md)

## Complete filmography (78)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Eat Pray Bark* (2026), as Urschi / Ursula
- *Bulk* (2026), as Aclima Benton
- *Chantal in Fairyland* (2024), as Queen
- *La Syndicaliste* (2023), as Julie Depret
- *All Those Things We Never Said* (2022), series, as Julia Saurel
- *Love Thing* (2022), as Bettina Bamberger
- *Alfons Jitterbit – Class Trip Chaos!* (2022), as Alfons Mutter
- *The King's Man* (2021), as Emily Oxford
- *Daughters* (2021), Actor
- *The Witnesses* (2021), series, as Dr. Jasmin Braun
- *Asphalt Burning* (2020), as Robyn
- *The Perfect Secret* (2019), as Katja (voice)
- *The Collini Case* (2019), as Johanna
- *Alfons Zitterbacke* (2019), as Louise Zitterbacke
- *Sealed Lips* (2018), as Antonia
- *25 km/h* (2018), as Ingrid
- *Happy New Year, Colin Burstead* (2018), as Hannah
- *Only God Can Judge Me* (2018), as Valerie
- *Geostorm* (2017), as Ute Fassbinder
- *You Are Wanted* (2017), series, as Hanna Franke
- *Four Against the Bank* (2016), as Freddie
- *Robby and Toby's Fantastic Voyager* (2016), as Sharon Schalldämpfer
- *The Most Beautiful Day* (2016), as Mona
- *Suite Française* (2015), as Leah
- *Rush* (2013), as Marlene Lauda — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/rush.md)
- *Move On* (2012), as Lena
- *Lullaby Ride* (2012), as Livia
- *Imagine* (2012), as Eva
- *Woman in Love* (2011), as Sarah Voss
- *Small World* (2010), as Simone Senn
- *A Distant Neighborhood* (2010), as Anna Verniaz née Zorn
- *City of Life* (2009), as Natalia Moldovan
- *Farewell* (2009), as Jessica Froment
- *The City of Your Final Destination* (2009), as Deirdre Rothemund
- *Hinter Kaifeck* (2009), as Juliana Lukas
- *The Reader* (2008), as Young Ilana Mather — Fi1m 56, [page](https://film.one/film/the-reader.md)
- *The Baader Meinhof Complex* (2008), as Petra Schelm — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/film/the-baader-meinhof-complex.md)
- *Miracle at St. Anna* (2008), as Axis Sally
- *Youth Without Youth* (2007), as Veronica / Laura
- *I Really Hate My Job* (2007), as Suzie
- *Control* (2007), as Annik Honoré — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/control.md)
- *The Company* (2007), series, as Lili
- *Where Is Fred?* (2006), as Denise
- *Offset* (2006), as Brîndușa Herghelegiu
- *The Fisherman and His Wife* (2005), as Ida
- *About the Looking for and the Finding of Love* (2005), as Venus Morgenstern
- *Cowgirl* (2004), as Johanna 'Paula' Jakobi
- *Downfall* (2004), as Traudl Junge — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/downfall.md)
- *Leise Krieger* (2004), Actor
- *Der Wunschbaum* (2004), series, as Camilla
- *Trenck - Zwei Herzen gegen die Krone* (2003), as Prinzessin Amelie
- *Doctor Zhivago* (2002), series, as Tonya Gromeko
- *Napoleon* (2002), series, as Comtesse Marie Walewska
- *Naked* (2002), as Annette
- *Schleudertrauma* (2002), as Doreen
- *Leo & Claire* (2002), as Käthe Katzenberger
- *If It Don't Fit, Use a Bigger Hammer* (2002), as Astrid
- *Liebe und Verrat* (2002), as Marie Irimia
- *99€ Films* (2001), Actor
- *Honolulu* (2001), as Cleonise
- *The Tunnel* (2001), as Lotte Lohmann
- *Luftpiraten - 113 Passagiere in Todesangst* (2000), as Nicolette
- *Crazy* (2000), as Melanie
- *Vertrauen ist alles* (2000), as Jennifer Blankenburg
- *Just Messing About* (2000), as Hanna
- *Südsee, eigene Insel* (1999), as Sandra
- *Die Bubi Scholz Story* (1998), as Renate - jung
- *Girl's Trap – Death Comes Online* (1998), as Silke Hartmann
- *Das Vorsprechen* (1998), as Junge Schauspielerin
- *Mensch, Pia!* (1996), series, as Pia Mangold
- *Sperling* (1996), series, Actor
- *Ich begehre dich* (1995), as Mädchen am Bahnhof
- *Stella Stellaris* (1994), series, Actor
- *Die Kommissarin* (1994), series, as Sabine Sasse
- *Faust* (1994), series, as Lara
- *Polizeiruf 110* (1971), series, as Meike
- *Scene of the Crime* (1970), series, as Kerstin
- *Safe*, Actor

## Gallery

- ![Alexandra Maria Lara](https://film.one/media/person/98475/gallery-e68b48395811.jpg) Alexandra Maria Lara — 9EkieraM1, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Sing_Alexandra_Maria_Lara_%282%29_%28cropped%29.jpg/1280px-Sing_Alexandra_Maria_Lara_%282%29_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Alexandra Maria Lara als Erinnerungswissenschaftlerin Dr. Jasmin Braun (2021)](https://film.one/media/person/98475/gallery-8fd4782e6048.jpg) Alexandra Maria Lara als Erinnerungswissenschaftlerin Dr. Jasmin Braun (2021) — Abogast, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fe/8_Zeugen_Dr._Jasmin_Braun.jpg/1280px-8_Zeugen_Dr._Jasmin_Braun.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Alexandra Maria Lara and Sam Riley at Berlinale 2020](https://film.one/media/person/98475/gallery-b01135f3b8f3.jpg) Alexandra Maria Lara and Sam Riley at Berlinale 2020 — Martin Kraft, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/de/MJK_68021_Alexandra_Maria_Lara_und_Sam_Riley_%28Berlinale_2020%29.jpg/1280px-MJK_68021_Alexandra_Maria_Lara_und_Sam_Riley_%28Berlinale_2020%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Alexandra Maria Lara at Berlinale 2020](https://film.one/media/person/98475/gallery-d2a3ca1b8361.jpg) Alexandra Maria Lara at Berlinale 2020 — Martin Kraft, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fc/MJK_68027_Alexandra_Maria_Lara_%28Berlinale_2020%29.jpg/1280px-MJK_68027_Alexandra_Maria_Lara_%28Berlinale_2020%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Alexandra Maria Lara](https://film.one/media/person/98475/gallery-59a25335fd30.jpg) Alexandra Maria Lara — Image via TMDB
- ![Alexandra Maria Lara](https://film.one/media/person/98475/gallery-5a55da5894d7.jpg) Alexandra Maria Lara — Image via TMDB
- ![Alexandra Maria Lara at Berlinale 2020](https://film.one/media/person/98475/gallery-fb5c4941e4e1.jpg) Alexandra Maria Lara at Berlinale 2020 — Martin Kraft, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/MJK_68028_Alexandra_Maria_Lara_%28Berlinale_2020%29.jpg/1280px-MJK_68028_Alexandra_Maria_Lara_%28Berlinale_2020%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Alexandra Maria Lara bei der Europa-Premiere von dem neuen Animationsfilm "SING", am 27.11.2016 im Kölner Cinedom.](https://film.one/media/person/98475/gallery-7758fdd1d21f.jpg) Alexandra Maria Lara bei der Europa-Premiere von dem neuen Animationsfilm "SING", am 27.11.2016 im Kölner Cinedom. — 9EkieraM1, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f2/Sing_Alexandra_Maria_Lara_%282%29.jpg/1280px-Sing_Alexandra_Maria_Lara_%282%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

## Awards

### Other awards — 1 won

- Osgar 2008: Osgar (won)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/alexandra-maria-lara