German actor Udo Kier, whose distinctive screen presence and eclectic career spanned more than 200 film and television roles across nearly six decades, died Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, at Eisenhower Health hospital in Rancho Mirage, California. He was 81.
Kier’s partner, Delbert McBride, confirmed the actor’s death to Variety. His longtime friend, photographer Michael Childers, also announced the news on social media. No cause of death was given.
Born Udo Kierspe in Cologne, Germany, on Oct. 14, 1944, Kier entered the world during one of World War II’s darkest periods. Hours after his birth, the hospital where he and his mother were staying was bombed, and they had to be rescued from the ruins of the maternity ward. His childhood in postwar Germany was marked by poverty, growing up without his father.
At age 18, Kier moved to London to learn English, where his path to acting began unexpectedly. He was discovered in a coffee shop, launching a career that would take him from European art house cinema to Hollywood blockbusters and back again.
Kier’s breakout came in 1970 with the horror film “Mark of the Devil.” His career took a defining turn after meeting director Paul Morrissey on a plane, leading to starring roles in two films produced by Andy Warhol: “Flesh for Frankenstein” in 1973 and “Blood for Dracula” in 1974. For the latter role, Kier once recalled, “I starved myself and only ate leaves and drank water. At the beginning [of the shoot], I sat in a wheelchair because I didn’t have any power.”
Throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, Kier collaborated extensively with German director Rainer Werner Fassbinder, a onetime lover, appearing in “The Third Generation,” “Lili Marllen,” “Lola,” and the acclaimed 14-part miniseries “Berlin Alexanderplatz” in 1980. He also worked with director Wim Wenders and starred in Dario Argento’s “Suspiria” in 1977.
American director Gus Van Sant brought Kier to U.S. audiences with 1991’s “My Own Private Idaho,” where he played Hans alongside Keanu Reeves and River Phoenix. Van Sant helped secure Kier’s U.S. work permit and Screen Actors Guild card, opening doors to American film productions. The two later reunited for “Even Cowgirls Get the Blues” in 1993 and “Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot” in 2018.
Madonna, impressed by Kier’s work in “My Own Private Idaho,” invited him to appear in her controversial 1992 coffee table book “Sex” and cast him in her music videos for “Erotica” and “Deeper and Deeper.” His music video appearances also included work for Korn, Eve and Gwen Stefani.
The 1990s saw Kier bring his arresting presence to numerous Hollywood productions. He played John Camp in 1994’s “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” with Jim Carrey, appeared in “Johnny Mnemonic” in 1995, and had roles in the 1998 blockbusters “Armageddon” and “Blade.” His ability to move seamlessly between art house films and mainstream entertainment became a hallmark of his career.
Kier maintained a particularly strong creative partnership with Danish director Lars von Trier, collaborating on numerous projects including “Europa” in 1991, “Breaking the Waves” in 1996, the Palme d’Or winner “Dancer in the Dark” in 2000, “Dogville” in 2003, “Manderlay” in 2005, and “Melancholia” in 2011. He also appeared in von Trier’s horror miniseries “The Kingdom.”
Known for often playing villains and unsettling characters, Kier explained his approach to such roles in a 2021 interview: “If you play small or guest parts in movies, it is better to be evil and scare people than be the guy who works in the post office and goes home to his wife and children. Audiences will remember you more.”
In recent years, Kier starred as a retired hairdresser in Todd Stephens’ “Swan Song” in 2021 and appeared in Alexander Payne’s “Downsizing” in 2017. His final film, “The Secret Agent,” released in 2025, featured him as a Jewish tailor in the Brazilian political thriller that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.
Kier had lived in the Palm Springs area since the early 1990s, becoming a fixture in the local arts community. His prolific output spanned European auteur cinema, horror films, mainstream Hollywood productions, music videos, and video games, establishing him as one of the most versatile character actors of his generation.
Throughout his career, Kier worked with some of cinema’s most celebrated directors and appeared alongside numerous acclaimed actors. His distinctive look and memorable performances made him a sought-after presence in projects ranging from experimental art films to commercial blockbusters, cementing his status as a true icon of international cinema.
