Mourning Udo Kier
Mourning Udo Kier
Legendary German Actor Dies at 81
Born in Cologne in 1944, Udo Kier was one of the most known German actors internationally.
Initially having worked as a model, he moved to London at the age of 18 where he attended an evening school for actors. He met Luchino Visconti and Rainer Werner Fassbinder, lived in an artists’ colony and recorded a music album. He also performed in a series of low-budget arthouse films, often vampire-themed.
His first Hollywood production, MY PRIVATE IDAHO by Gus van Sant (1991), lead to various film, TV and game performances in the USA. Despite several roles in Hollywood films, Udo Kier also continued working in Europe, notably with Lars von Trier.
Throughout his career, Udo Kier worked with acclaimed filmmakers such as Dario Argento, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Werner Herzog, Guy Maddin, Kleber Mendonça Filho, Paul Morrissey and Christoph Schlingensief.
He performed in more than 270 productions and in 2015, he received the Berlinale’s Special Teddy Award.
Udo Kier died on 23 November 2025. We will miss him.