German Arthouse Trailblazer Dies at Age 81

Udo Kier, one of Germany’s most distinctive and influential arthouse actors, has passed away at 81. His partner, artist Delbert McBride, shared the news with Variety, saying the actor died on Sunday morning.

Kier spent more than sixty years working in film and television and built a career that made him a standout figure in experimental and independent cinema. He acted in over 200 projects and became known for his bold choices and his long list of collaborations with major directors.

He worked closely with Lars von Trier for many years. Their partnership began in the late 1980s and grew into one of the most notable actor-director relationships in European film. Kier appeared in several of von Trier’s movies and shows, including Epidemic, Europa, Breaking the Waves, Dogville, Melancholia, and Nymphomaniac: Vol. II. One of their most famous projects together was Dancer in the Dark, which won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

Kier also spent much of his early career working with the late German filmmaker Rainer Werner Fassbinder. His roles in films like The Stationmaster’s Wife, The Third Generation, and Lili Marleen helped cement his reputation across Europe.

His path into American cinema began at the Berlin Film Festival, where he met director Gus Van Sant. Kier often said that Van Sant helped him get his first U.S. work permit and his SAG card. Van Sant later cast him in My Own Private Idaho in 1991, where Kier starred alongside River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves. The film introduced him to a wider American audience.

In recent years, Kier continued to work steadily. One of his latest roles was in director Kleber Mendonça Filho’s movie The Secret Agent, which earned actor Wagner Moura the best actor award at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.

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