--- name: "Udo Kier" canonical: "https://film.one/person/udo-kier" fi1m_id: "udo-kier" imdb_id: "nm0001424" tmdb_id: 1646 wikidata_id: "Q77035" roles: ["Actor"] born: "14 October 1944" died: "23 November 2025" reviewed_on_fi1m: 12 average_fi1m_score: 70 average_as: "actor" average_over: 11 updated: "2026-10-05T01:41:52.381709+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." --- # Udo Kier ## Identity Udo Kier - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/udo-kier - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** udo-kier - **IMDb ID:** nm0001424 - **TMDB ID:** 1646 - **Wikidata ID:** Q77035 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Udo_Kier, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q77035, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001424/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1646 Actor. Born 14 October 1944 in Cologne, Germany. Died 23 November 2025. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 14 October 1944, Cologne, Germany - **Died:** 23 November 2025 - **Active:** 1977–2025 - **Also known as:** Udo Kierspe, 乌多·基尔, ウド・キア, У́до Кир, Ούντο Κιρ, Ούντο Κίερ, يودو كيير, 우도 키어 - **Titles on Fi1m:** 12: 11 acting, 1 other - **Average Fi1m score:** 70, as actor, over 11 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 66 (6), 2000s 72 (2), 2010s 70 (2), 2020s 82 (2) - **Fi1m against the critics:** 70 to 60 across 11 titles - **Score spread:** 4 at 80+, 5 at 60–79, 2 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 0 of 9 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Drama 7, Crime 4, Action 3, Science Fiction 3, Comedy 2, Horror 2 - **Screen time:** 25 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $1,180m across 11 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Udo_Kier, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q77035, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001424/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1646 ## Streaming the US now - **Apple TV:** [*Dancer in the Dark*](https://film.one/film/dancer-in-the-dark.md) (71), [*Downsizing*](https://film.one/film/downsizing.md) (60) - **Disney+:** [*The Secret Agent*](https://film.one/film/the-secret-agent.md) (84) - **MUBI:** [*Breaking the Waves*](https://film.one/film/breaking-the-waves.md) (82) - **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Melancholia*](https://film.one/film/melancholia.md) (80) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Udo Kier > Udo Kier could make a courteous supporting character more worrying than an openly hostile one. His small parts are often worth seeking out, though his presence is no guarantee that the film will deserve the attention. In *The Secret Agent* (2025), Udo Kier's Hans has found a courteous way of not answering questions. He is an old German who has spent long enough in Brazil to have made evasion a habit. We felt uneasy watching him because the politeness gave us less reassurance than outright rudeness would have done. Kleber Mendonça Filho makes good use of an actor who can draw attention without needing the central role. Hans makes us listen for what he is declining to say. That quiet courtesy sits some distance from the camp and exaggeration Kier was willing to embrace. He gained notice with the leads in Paul Morrissey's *Flesh for Frankenstein* (1973) and *Blood for Dracula* (1974). Work with Rainer Werner Fassbinder and the beginning of his long association with Lars von Trier followed in the 1980s. Gus Van Sant's *My Own Private Idaho* (1991) then helped open an American career spanning art-house films and Hollywood productions. In *Breaking the Waves* (1996), Kier plays the Sadistic Sailor, a reminder that his unsettling qualities were not always there for our amusement. The film's painful emotional force comes chiefly from Emily Watson. We recommend it with a firm warning about the suffering von Trier asks us to accept. Familiarity with an actor's camp performances is no reason to expect comfort from every appearance, and this is not a film to approach simply for the pleasure of recognising him. The difficulty of following Kier from film to film is having to sit through the lesser work he also accepted. He could make a small part memorable; that did not make every film a good one. *Swan Song* (2021), with Kier as Pat Pitsenbarger, provided a rare later lead, though leading roles are not the only measure of what an actor can do. Start with *The Secret Agent* for the restraint, and for a director who knows how to use it. Allow for its length: the present-day scenes are where the patience is tested. ## Biography Udo Kier (born Udo Kierspe) was a German actor. He was born on 14 October 1944 in Cologne, Germany, and died on 23 November 2025 in Rancho Mirage, California, United States. Kier appeared in more than 200 films across Europe and the Americas from the 1960s onwards. He is credited on *The Secret Agent* (2025) as Hans, his final film role. Among his other credits are *Suspiria* (1977), *Ace Ventura: Pet Detective* (1994), *Armageddon* (1998), *Blade* (1998), *Dogville* (2003), *Melancholia* (2011) and *Downsizing* (2017). He worked with directors including Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Lars von Trier, Gus Van Sant and Kleber Mendonça Filho. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, apnews.com.* ## On Fi1m (12) ### Performed in (11) — the average rests on these - *The Secret Agent* (2025), Fi1m 84, as Hans — [page](https://film.one/film/the-secret-agent.md) - *Downsizing* (2017), Fi1m 60, as Konrad — [page](https://film.one/film/downsizing.md) - *Melancholia* (2011), Fi1m 80, as Wedding Planner — [page](https://film.one/film/melancholia.md) - *Dogville* (2003), Fi1m 74, as The Man in the Coat — [page](https://film.one/film/dogville.md) - *Dancer in the Dark* (2000), Fi1m 71, as Dr. Porkorny — [page](https://film.one/film/dancer-in-the-dark.md) - *End of Days* (1999), Fi1m 48, as Head Priest — [page](https://film.one/film/end-of-days.md) - *Armageddon* (1998), Fi1m 64, as Psychologist — [page](https://film.one/film/armageddon.md) - *Blade* (1998), Fi1m 76, as Dragonetti — [page](https://film.one/film/blade.md) - *Breaking the Waves* (1996), Fi1m 82, as Sadistic Sailor — [page](https://film.one/film/breaking-the-waves.md) - *Ace Ventura: Pet Detective* (1994), Fi1m 44, as Camp — [page](https://film.one/film/ace-ventura-pet-detective.md) - *My Own Private Idaho* (1991), Fi1m 82, as Hans — [page](https://film.one/film/my-own-private-idaho.md) ### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited - *Dark Winds* (2022), Fi1m 79, In Memory Of — [page](https://film.one/tv/dark-winds.md) ## Complete filmography (248) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Return from Tomorrow* (2026), as Tim Senior - *By Design* (2026), as Aldo Fabbri - *The Secret Agent* (2025), as Hans — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/the-secret-agent.md) - *Bad Painter* (2025), as Ö - *Schindler Space Architect* (2024), as R.M. Schindler (voice) - *Skeletons in the Closet* (2024), as Luc - *Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin* (2022), series, as Klaus - *My Neighbor Adolf* (2022), as Herman Herzog - *Dark Winds* (2022), series, as Gunthar Vaggan · In Memory Of — Fi1m 79, [page](https://film.one/tv/dark-winds.md) - *Staging Death* (2022), Actor - *A Kilo of Blue (The Music)* (2022), Actor - *A E I O U – A Quick Alphabet of Love* (2022), as Michel - *The Blazing World* (2021), as Lained - *Chompy & the Girls* (2021), as Chompy (voice) - *Swan Song* (2021), as Pat Pitsenbarger - *Haymaker* (2021), as David - *Last Moment of Clarity* (2020), as Ivan Demisovski - *The Barefoot Emperor* (2020), as Dr. Otto Kroll - *Hunters* (2020), series, as Adolf Hitler - *Skin Walker* (2019), as Claus - *The Painted Bird* (2019), as Miller - *Bacurau* (2019), as Michael - *Holy Beasts* (2019), as Henry - *The Mountain* (2019), as Frederick - *American Exit* (2019), as Anton - *Dragged Across Concrete* (2019), as Friedrich - *M - A City Hunts a Murderer* (2019), series, as Fuchspelzmann - *Iron Sky: The Coming Race* (2019), as Wolfgang Kortzfleisch / Adolf Hitler - *The House That Jack Built* (2018), Thanks - *Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich* (2018), as Andre Toulon - *Ulysses: A Dark Odyssey* (2018), as Alcyde - *American Animals* (2018), as Mr. Van Der Hoek - *Zero* (2018), as The lord of the world - *Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot* (2018), as Hans - *Daughter of Mine* (2018), as Bruno - *Downsizing* (2017), as Konrad — Fi1m 60, [page](https://film.one/film/downsizing.md) - *Instant Dreams* (2017), as The Docter (Cameo) - *Brawl in Cell Block 99* (2017), as The Placid Man - *Courier X* (2016), as Nathan Vogel - *Brother* (2016), as Frank Solek - *The Forbidden Room* (2015), as Count Yugh / Butler / Dead Father / Guard / Pharmacist - *The 1000 Eyes of Dr Maddin* (2015), Actor - *Coconut Hero* (2015), as Mr. Morrow - *Johnny Walker* (2015), as Fyodor (voice) - *Phantasmagoria of the Interior* (2015), as Dr. Henry Jekyll (archive footage) - *Major Lazer* (2015), series, as Head Vampire Vampire (voice) - *Fifty Shades of Erotica* (2015), as (archive footage) - *Old Money* (2015), series, as Rolf Rauchensteiner - *Lines of the Hand* (2015), Actor - *Beethoven's Treasure Tail* (2014), as The Real Fritz Bruchschnauser - *The Editor* (2014), as Dr Casini - *Nymphomaniac: Vol. II* (2013), as The Waiter - *The Girl Behind the White Picket Fence* (2013), as The Magic Doctor / The Shaman - *Beware the Batman* (2013), series, as Mister Toad (voice) - *The Lords of Salem* (2013), as Witchhunter (uncredited) - *Night of the Templar* (2012), as Father Paul - *Iron Sky* (2012), as Wolfgang Kortzfleisch - *My Own Private River* (2012), as Hans (archive footage) - *Görünmeyen* (2011), as Bartok - *The Berlin Project* (2011), as Guru - *UFO in Her Eyes* (2011), as Steve Frost - *Keyhole* (2011), as Dr. Lemke - *The Theatre Bizarre* (2011), as Peg Poett - *The Sky Has Four Corners* (2011), as Graf Karpatovicz - *Melancholia* (2011), as Wedding Planner — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/melancholia.md) - *Life Is Too Long* (2010), as Tabatabai - *Dimension* (2010), Actor - *Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated* (2010), series, as Professor Pericles (voice) - *My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done* (2010), as Lee Meyers - *House of Boys* (2009), as Madame - *Memories of a Young Pianist* (2009), as Count Dracula (archive footage) - *Metropia* (2009), as Ivan Bahn (voice) - *Soul Kitchen* (2009), as Herr Jung - *Lulu and Jimi* (2009), as Schultz - *1½ Ritter - Auf der Suche nach der hinreißenden Herzelinde* (2008), as Luipold Trumpf - *La deuxième femme* (2008), as Udo Kier - *Far Cry* (2008), as Dr. Krieger - *Tell* (2007), as Gessler - *The Mother of Tears* (2007), as Father Johannes - *Chuck* (2007), series, as Otto Van Vogel — Fi1m 73, [page](https://film.one/tv/chuck.md) - *Halloween* (2007), as Morgan Walker - *Fall Down Dead* (2007), as Picasso Killer / Aaron Garvey · Associate Producer - *The Killing Grounds* (2007), as P. - *Pars: Operation Cherry* (2007), as Klaus Kayman - *Grindhouse* (2007), as Franz Hess (segment "Werewolf Women of the SS") - *Unser Reigen* (2006), Actor - *13 Graves* (2006), as Debro - *Crusade in Jeans* (2006), as Dr. Lawerence - *Holly* (2006), as Klaus - *Pray for Morning* (2006), as Edouard Leopold Edu - *BloodRayne* (2006), as Regal Monk - *Cigarette Burns* (2005), as Bellinger - *Masters of Horror* (2005), series, as Bellinger - *Headspace* (2005), as Rev. Karl Hartman - *Anecdotes from 'Epidemic'* (2005), as Interviewee-Actor - *Manderlay* (2005), as Mr. Kirspe - *4 Against Z* (2005), series, as Zanrelot - *Fear and Loathing in Materndorf* (2004), Actor - *Surviving Christmas* (2004), as Heinrich - *The Batman* (2004), series, as Bert (voice) - *Dracula 3000* (2004), as Capt. Varna - *Evil Eyes* (2004), as George - *Modigliani* (2004), as Max Jacob - *30 Days Until I'm Famous* (2004), as Barry Davis - *One Point O* (2004), as Derrick - *Love Object* (2004), as Radley - *Jargo* (2004), as Jargos Vater - *Gate to Heaven* (2003), as Joachim Nowak - *Dogville* (2003), as The Man in the Coat — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/dogville.md) - *Betty - Schön wie der Tod* (2003), as Georg Wassenberg - *Pigs Will Fly* (2003), as Onkel Max - *He Sees You When You're Sleeping* (2002), as Hans Kramer - *Mrs. Meitlemeihr* (2002), as Hitler / Mrs. Meitlemeihr - *The Last Minute* (2002), as Nazi Fashion Shooter - *FearDotCom* (2002), as Polidori - *Korn: Deuce* (2002), as Commander - *Invincible* (2001), as Count Helldorf - *Justice League* (2001), series, as The Music Master (voice) - *Auf Herz und Nieren* (2001), as Doc - *All the Queen's Men* (2001), as General Landssdorf - *Megiddo: The Omega Code 2* (2001), as The Guardian - *Critical Mass* (2001), as Samson - *Revelation* (2001), as The Grand Master - *The Praying Mantis* (2001), as Julius Quellenreich - *Doomsdayer* (2001), as Max Gast - *Just One Night* (2000), as Walter Lert - *Dancer in the Dark* (2000), as Dr. Porkorny — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/film/dancer-in-the-dark.md) - *Shadow of the Vampire* (2000), as Albin Grau - *Red Letters* (2000), as George Kessler - *Double Deception* (2000), as Vincent - *Miss Diamond* (1999), as Bühler - *End of Days* (1999), as Head Priest — Fi1m 48, [page](https://film.one/film/end-of-days.md) - *The New Adventures of Pinocchio* (1999), as Madame Flambeau/Lorenzini - *Final Run* (1999), as Reddick - *Under the Palms* (1999), as Ludwig - *The Debtors* (1999), Actor - *Spy Games* (1999), as Ivan Bliniak - *Possessed* (1999), as Vincent - *Killer Deal* (1999), as Dr. Roland Parker - *Stingers* (1998), as Mr. Scholnick / The Boss - *Modern Vampires* (1998), as Vincent - *There's No Fish Food in Heaven* (1998), as Rocky - *V.I.P.* (1998), series, as Viktor Balek - *Blade* (1998), as Dragonetti — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/blade.md) - *Ice* (1998), as Dr. Norman Kistler - *The Kingdom II* (1998), as Lillebror / Age Krüger - *Armageddon* (1998), as Psychologist — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/armageddon.md) - *The End of Violence* (1997), as Zoltan - *Prince Valiant* (1997), as Sligon - *Die Gang* (1997), series, as Kapitän Schmidt - *Betty* (1997), as Vincent Lord - *Lea* (1996), as Block - *The Adventures of Pinocchio* (1996), as Lorenzini - *Breaking the Waves* (1996), as Sadistic Sailor — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/breaking-the-waves.md) - *Duke of Groove* (1996), as Earl - *Barb Wire* (1996), as Curly - *Nash Bridges* (1996), series, as Wolfgang Herzog - *The Sentinel* (1996), series, as Klaus Zeller - *United Trash* (1996), as UNO-General Werner Brenner - *A Trick of the Light* (1995), as Max Skladanowsky - *Unter Druck* (1995), Actor - *Extinct* (1995), as York Cortex - *Nur über meine Leiche* (1995), as Killer - *Johnny Mnemonic* (1995), as Ralfi - *Paradise Framed* (1995), Actor - *The Kingdom* (1994), as Age Krüger / Lillebror - *The Kingdom* (1994), series, as Age Krüger / Storebror / Lillebror, Åge Krüger / Little Brother / Frederik / Big Brothe - *Rosa Roth* (1994), series, as Ommer - *Rotwang Must Go!* (1994), as Arthur Eigenrauch - *Doppelter Einsatz* (1994), series, as König - *Death of a World Star* (1994), as Udo Kier - *Even Cowgirls Get the Blues* (1994), as Commercial Director - *Ace Ventura: Pet Detective* (1994), as Camp — Fi1m 44, [page](https://film.one/film/ace-ventura-pet-detective.md) - *Viper* (1994), series, as Erich Geiger - *Josh & S.A.M.* (1993), as Salon Manager - *Jack Reed: Badge of Honor* (1993), as Giles Marquette - *For Love or Money* (1993), as Mr. Himmelman - *seaQuest DSV* (1993), series, as Dr. Guy Peche - *Three Shake-a-Leg Steps to Heaven* (1993), as Edouard Müllendorf - *Terror 2000* (1993), as Jablo - *Plötzlich und unerwartet - eine Déjà-Revue* (1993), as Egon Hettemann - *Red Shoe Diaries* (1992), series, as Fashion Designer - *Europa* (1991), as Lawrence Hartmann - *My Own Private Idaho* (1991), as Hans — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/my-own-private-idaho.md) - *The German Chainsaw Massacre* (1990), as Jonny · Assistant Director - *Medea* (1989), as Jason - *100 Years of Adolf Hitler – The Last Hour in the Führerbunker* (1989), as Adolf Hitler - *Mother's Mask* (1988), as Herr Seiler - *Die Männer vom K3* (1988), series, as Heini Wohlers - *Another Way: D-Kikan-Joho* (1988), as Friedrich Hansman - *Epidemic* (1987), as Udo Kier - *Egomania: Island Without Hope* (1987), as Baron Tante Teufel - *Kir Royal* (1986), series, as Holger - *Am nächsten Morgen kehrte der Minister nicht an seinen Arbeitsplatz zurück* (1986), as Minister / Kali - *Seduction: The Cruel Woman* (1986), as Gregor - *Idiots' Battle* (1986), Actor - *The Beginner* (1985), as Graf Frackstein - *Der Unbesiegbare* (1985), as Argon - *Gespenstergeschichten* (1985), series, Actor - *The Last Trip to Harrisburg* (1984), as Man and Woman in Train · Writer, Director, Producer - *Der Fahnder* (1984), series, as Uli Weber - *Hur und Heilig* (1984), Actor - *Pankow ’95* (1983), as Johann Wolfgang Amadeus Zart - *The Roaring Fifties* (1983), as Fromm - *The Island of the Bloody Plantation* (1983), as Hermano - *Sportliche Schatten – Kunst in Krisenzeiten* (1982), as Man - *Siblings* (1982), Actor - *Lola* (1981), as Waiter (uncredited) · Production Design - *The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Miss Osbourne* (1981), as Dr. Henry Jekyll - *Lili Marleen* (1981), as Drewitz - *Narcissus and Psyche* (1980), as Nárcisz - *Deutschland privat* (1980), Actor - *Berlin Alexanderplatz* (1980), series, as Junger Mann an der Bar - *Lulu* (1980), as Jack the Ripper - *Hungarian Rhapsody* (1979), as Poór - *The Third Generation* (1979), as Edgar Gast - *Victor* (1979), as Popstar - *The Fifth Commandment* (1978), as Peter Dümmel - *És így s eképp tovább* (1978), Actor - *Bel Canto or May a Hooker Sob?* (1977), as Poulailler - *The Stationmaster’s Wife* (1977), as Schafftaler - *Suspiria* (1977), as Dr. Frank Mandel - *Spermula* (1976), as Werner - *Gold Flakes* (1976), as Franzl - *Exposé* (1976), as Paul Martin - *The Story of O* (1975), as René - *The Last Word* (1975), as Raimund - *Dr. med. Mark Wedmann - Detektiv inbegriffen* (1974), series, as Roberto Agostino - *Blood for Dracula* (1974), as Count Dracula - *Flesh for Frankenstein* (1973), as Baron Frankenstein - *Pan* (1973), as Pilgrim of Death - *Joseph Balsamo* (1973), series, as Gilbert - *Olifant* (1973), as Olifant / Edwin - *Sonderdezernat K1* (1972), series, as Harry Gätjens - *The Salzburg Connection* (1972), as Anton - *Conflict of Emotions* (1971), as Tonis Theodorou - *Polizeiruf 110* (1971), series, as Zermahlen - *Provocation* (1971), as Angelos - *Scene of the Crime* (1970), series, as Hans-Rudi Dreher, Beethoven - *Mark of the Devil* (1970), as Count Christian von Meruh - *Season of the Senses* (1969), as Luca - *Gestern gelesen* (1969), series, as Ingo Rippel - *Shameless* (1968), as Alexander Pohlmann - *Road to St. Tropez* (1966), as Boy - *Theirs*, Actor - *The Ark: An Iron Sky Story*, as Grand Master - *Intangents*, as Bin bag Man - *Citizens*, as Hans ## Gallery - ![Udo Kier](https://film.one/media/person/7086/gallery-002aae6b1180.jpg) Udo Kier — Martin Kraft, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/MJK_10214_Udo_Kier_%28Figlia_Mia%2C_Berlinale_2018%29.jpg/1280px-MJK_10214_Udo_Kier_%28Figlia_Mia%2C_Berlinale_2018%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Udo Kier](https://film.one/media/person/7086/gallery-a4ce4ca01633.jpg) Udo Kier — Image via TMDB - ![Udo Kier](https://film.one/media/person/7086/gallery-8466c91b58c3.jpg) Udo Kier — Image via TMDB - ![Udo Kier](https://film.one/media/person/7086/gallery-9512c1d09b9f.jpg) Udo Kier — Image via TMDB - ![Udo Kier](https://film.one/media/person/7086/gallery-f0461fcae3ec.jpg) Udo Kier — Image via TMDB - ![Udo Kier](https://film.one/media/person/7086/gallery-7f085433cb31.jpg) Udo Kier — Image via TMDB - ![Udo Kier](https://film.one/media/person/7086/gallery-a3fb01b45224.jpg) Udo Kier — Image via TMDB --- © 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/udo-kier