Birgit Minichmayr

Birgit Minichmayr (born 3 April 1977) is an Austrian actress born in Linz, Austria. She studied drama at the Max-Reinhardt-Seminar in Vienna.

Minichmayr had her first break with the Burgtheater in Vienna, where she appeared in numerous plays, including Der Reigen by Arthur Schnitzler (staged by Sven-Eric Bechtolf), Troilus and Cressida by William Shakespeare (staging by Declan Donnellan) and Der Färber und sein Zwillingsbruder by Johann Nestroy (staged by Karlheinz Hackl). She made her cinema debut in 2000 as Barbara Brecht in Jan Schütte's Abschied, playing alongside Sepp Bierbichler and Monika Bleibtreu. In 2000, Minichmayr appeared in Peter Sämann's television thriller (in the Tatort series), "Böses Blut". She was awarded the Austrian Nestroy Prize for "Best Young Talent" in 2000. In 2006 she played Mizzi Kasper, one of the lovers from Crownprince Rudolf in the movie Kronprinz Rudolfs letzte Liebe (de). A year later, Minichmayr played the fool in Luc Bondy's acclaimed staging of Shakespeare's King Lear, always at the Burgtheater.

Minichmayr currently lives in Munich and Vienna. She speaks English and has acted in several international and English language productions. Among the directors she worked with were István Szabó, Götz Spielmann, Tom Tykwer, Oliver Hirschbiegel, Robert Dornhelm, and Doris Dörrie. She is also an accomplished vocalist, and has been recorded several times, though she has always made acting her primary focus.

At the 59th Berlin International Film Festival 2009 Minichmayr was awarded the Silver Bear for Best Actress for her performance in Maren Ade's Alle Anderen.

2000: Nestroy Prize for Best Young Talent

2009: 59th Berlin International Film Festival, Best Actress for Everyone Else

2010: German Film Awards, Nomination Best Actress for Everyone Else