Quick Facts
Biography
Udo Kier (born Udo Kierspe; 14 October 1944) is a German actor who has appeared in over 200 films.
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. In his youth he worked as an altar boyand cantor. He moved to the United Kingdom 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 (1973) led to a string of art-house, low-budget, and mainstream horror films, including a number of vampire-themed pictures Die Einsteiger (1985), Blade (1998), Modern Vampires (1998), Shadow of the Vampire (2000), Dracula 3000 and Bloodrayne (2006). He has also become notorious for his work with cult directors, including Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Walerian Borowczyk, Gus Van Zant, Christoph Schlingensief, and Dario Argento (whose classic Suspiria (1977) he was featured in). He has appeared in all of Lars von Trier's movies since 1987's Epidemic (with the exceptions of The Idiots, The Boss of it All and Antichrist).
His most famous Hollywood roles include appearances in Ace Ventura:Pet Detective (1994), Barb Wire , as a NASA flight psychologist in Armageddon, and as Ralphie in the film Johnny Mnemonic. Music video work Madonna's "Deeper and Deeper" from the album Erotica, Korn's "Make Me Bad", Eve "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 Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 and its expansion, Yuri's Revenge, playing the villainous Lorenzini in the 1996 film The Adventures of Pinocchio, and later reprising his role in the 1999 sequel The New Adventures of Pinocchio. He also voiced Professor Pericles in Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated.
A documentary on his life and career entitled ICH-UDO...der Schauspieler Udo Kier (ME-Udo...the actor Udo Kier) was filmed for ARTE, the French-German culture channel in Europe, and released in 2012. 2013 the Documentary won the New York Festival "Finalist Certificate".
Personal life
Kier moved to Palm Springs, California in 1991.
Filmography
Film
- Road to St. Tropez (1966)
- La stagione dei sensi (1969)
- Mark of the Devil (1970)
- Proklisis (1970)
- Erotomaneis (1971)
- Anilikes amartoles (1972)
- The Salzburg Connection (1972)
- Andy Warhol's Frankenstein (1973)
- Joseph Balsamo (1973, TV miniseries)
- Blood for Dracula (1974)
- The Last Word (1975)
- Histoire d'O (1975)
- Exposé (1976)
- Spermula (1976)
- Suspiria (1977)
- The Fifth Commandment (1978)
- Hungarian Rhapsody (1979)
- Nárcisz és Psziché (1980)
- Lulu (1980)
- Docteur Jekyll et les femmes (1981)
- The Island of the Bloody Plantation (1983)
- Der Unbesiegbare (1985)
- Verführung: Die grausame Frau (1985)
- Egomania – Insel ohne Hoffnung (1986)
- Epidemic (1987)
- Medea (1988)
- 100 Jahre Adolf Hitler – Die letzte Stunde im Führerbunker (1989)
- Das Deutsche Kettensägenmassaker – Die Erste Stunde Der Wiedervereinigung (1990)
- My Own Private Idaho (1991)
- Europa (1991)
- Terror 2000 – Intensivstation Deutschland (1992)
- Josh and S.A.M. (1993)
- For Love or Money (1993)
- Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)
- Rotwang muß weg! (1994)
- A Trick of Light (1995)
- Ausgestorben (1995)
- Johnny Mnemonic (1995)
- Nur über meine Leiche (1995)
- United Trash (1996)
- Barb Wire (1996)
- Breaking the Waves (1996)
- The Adventures of Pinocchio (1996)
- Betty (1997)
- Prince Valiant (1997)
- Armageddon (1998)
- Blade (1998)
- Ice (1998)
- Modern Vampires (1998)
- Killer Deal (1998)
- End of Days (1999)
- History Is Made at Night (1999)
- Besat (1999)
- The Debtors (1999)
- Unter den Palmen (1999)
- The New Adventures of Pinocchio (1999)
- Critical Mass (2000)
- Citizens of Perpetual Indulgence (2000)
- Shadow of the Vampire (2000)
- Dancer in the Dark (2000)
- Red Letters (2000)
- Just One Night (2000)
- Doomsdayer (2000)
- Double Deception (2001)
- Die Gottesanbeterin (2001)
- Invincible (2001)
- Megiddo: The Omega Code 2 (2001)
- All the Queen's Men (2001)
- Revelation (2001)
- Auf Herz und Nieren (2002)
- Broken Cookies (also directed) (2002)
- FeardotCom (2002)
- Mrs Meitlemeihr (2002)
- Pigs Will Fly (2002)
- Montewood Hollyverità (2003)
- Love Object (2003)
- Dogville (2003)
- Gate to Heaven (2003)
- Paranoia 1.0 (2004)
- Sawtooth (2004)
- Jargo (2004)
- Modigliani (2004)
- Evil Eyes (2004)
- Dracula 3000 (2004)
- Surviving Christmas (2004)
- Children of Wax (2005)
- One More Round (2005)
- Headspace (2005)
- Wit's End (2005)
- Manderlay (2005)
- John Carpenter's Cigarette Burns (2005)
- BloodRayne (2006)
- Pray for Morning (2006)
- Holly (2006)
- Crusade in Jeans (2006)
- Fall Down Dead (2007)
- Grindhouse (Segment: "Werewolf Women of the SS") (2007)
- Halloween (2007)
- The Mother of Tears (2007)
- Pars: Operation Cherry (2007)
- Tell (2007)
- Far Cry (2008)
- 1½ Knights – In Search of the Ravishing Princess Herzelinde (2008)
- Lulu and Jimi (2009)
- House of Boys (2009)
- Soul Kitchen (2009)
- Metropia (voice) (2009)
- My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done? (2010)
- Chuck (2010)
- Borgia (2011)
- Die Blutgräfin (2011)
- Keyhole (2011)
- Melancholia (2011)
- The Theatre Bizarre (2011)
- Iron Sky (2012)
- Night of the Templar (2012)
- UFO In Her Eyes (2012)
- Nymphomaniac (2013)
- Beethoven's Treasure Tail (2014)
- The Editor (2014)
- The Forbidden Room (2015)
- Iron Sky: The Coming Race (2017)
Television
- Seaquest DSV (1993) - Episode "Give me Liberté"
- The Kingdom (1994)
- Tracey Takes On... (1996) - Episode "Death"
- The Kingdom II (1997)
- Altes Geld (2015)
Animation
- Justice League (2002)
- The Batman (2004)
- Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated (2010–2013)
- Beware the Batman (2013–2014)
Video games
- Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 (2000)
- Command & Conquer: Yuri's Revenge (2001)