Udo Kier

Cast · Writer · Director

Born

October 14, 1944 · Cologne, Germany

Birth name

Udo Kierspe

Udo Kier was a German actor whose career spanned more than six decades across European and American cinema. Trained in acting after moving from Germany to the United Kingdom, and developed a practice rooted in performance, voice work, and close collaboration with auteurs from both art-house and genre traditions. His work moved fluidly between independent film, studio productions, television, and voice acting. Within this trajectory, his work was acknowledged through an Independent Spirit Award nomination, a Special Teddy Award at the Berlin International Film Festival for contributions to queer cinema, and later membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Kier died on 23 November 2025, at the age of 81.