Udo Kier


Udo Kier is a German actor and voice actor. Known primarily as a character actor, Kier has appeared in over 200 films in both leading and supporting roles throughout Europe and North America. He has collaborated with acclaimed filmmakers like Lars von Trier, Gus van Sant, Werner Herzog, Walerian Borowczyk, Kleber Mendonça Filho, Dario Argento, Charles Matton, and Paul Morrissey.

Early life

Kier was born in Cologne, near the end of World War II. The hospital where he was born was bombed moments after his birth, and he and his mother had to be dug out of the rubble. He grew up without a father. In his youth, he was an altar boy and cantor. He moved to the United Kingdom at the age of 18 to learn the English language.

Career

In 1966, Kier was cast in the lead role for the film Road to St. Tropez. An early starring role in Andy Warhol's Frankenstein led to a string of art-house, low-budget, and mainstream horror films, including a number of vampire-themed pictures Die Einsteiger, Blade, Modern Vampires, Shadow of the Vampire, Dracula 3000 and Bloodrayne. He has also become famous for his work with cult directors, including Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Walerian Borowczyk, Gus Van Sant, Christoph Schlingensief, and Dario Argento. He has appeared in almost all of Lars von Trier's movies since 1987's Epidemic.
His most famous Hollywood roles include his appearance as Ron Camp in , Curly in Barb Wire, as a NASA flight psychologist in Armageddon, as the villainous Lorenzini in The Adventures of Pinocchio and 1999 sequel The New Adventures of Pinocchio, and as Ralfi in the film Johnny Mnemonic. His music video work includes Madonna's "Deeper and Deeper" from the album Erotica, Korn's "Make Me Bad", Eve's "Let Me Blow Ya Mind", and "Die Schöne und das Biest" by defunct German band Rauhfaser.
He has also worked extensively as a voice actor, starring as the psychic Yuri in and its expansion, . He also voiced Professor Pericles in Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated.
A documentary on his life and career entitled ICH-UDO...der Schauspieler Udo Kier was filmed for ARTE, the French-German culture channel in Europe, and released in 2012. In 2013, the documentary won the New York Festival "Finalist Certificate".

Personal life

Kier is openly gay. Kier and German director Rainer Werner Fassbinder were teenage lovers and street hustlers in Frankfurt's gay scene during the 1960s.
He moved to Palm Springs, California in 1991.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games