German actor Udo Kier, known for his roles in ‘My Own Private Idaho’ and Andy Warhol’s ‘Frankenstein,’ sadly passed away at the age of 81

Veteran German actor Udo Kier died on the morning of November 23, 2025, with his partner, Delbert McBride, by his side, who confirmed the news to Variety. His acting career spans over 200 movies, and throughout his lifetime, he has had the chance to collaborate with notable figures such as Andy Warhol, Lars von Trier and popular culture icon Madonna.

He was born with his original name, Udo Kierspe, in the small town of Cologne, Germany. The hospital where he was born had been bombed by the Allied Forces during the Second World War in 1944, the year and time around which he was born.

At the age of 18, he met Rainer Werner Fassbinder in a bar, who gave him the opportunity to work in the entertainment industry after realizing his talent, and Udo ended up moving to London for work.

The last movie in which he appeared was "The Secret Agent," directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho.

After shuttling between Europe and the United States of America for work purposes, Udo Kier settled down in Los Angeles and Palm Springs.

Exploring Udo Kier’s filmography and his life

Udo Kier has been a part of some major Hollywood productions, including Melancholia and Blade. From his impressive 200 movie list, in which he has acted throughout his lifetime, his breakout roles with Andy Warhol were in Warhol’s 1973 ‘Flesh for Frankenstein’ and his 1974 ‘Blood for Dracula.’ Udo Kier shot to fame with both these movies, which turned out to be huge hits, directed by Paul Morrissey and produced by Andy Warhol.

Kier’s portrayal of quintessential Hollywood villains, while also bringing out their humane side, was what garnered him critical acclaim. 

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, he worked on highly successful film projects, particularly his collaborations with Rainer Werner Fassbinder in films such as ‘The Third Generation,’ ‘The Stationmaster’s Wife’ and Lili Marleen. During one of his visits to the Berlin Film Festival, he met and befriended Gus Van Sant, a two-time Oscar nominee. Kier opened up about how Gus had helped him obtain an American work permit, as well as a Screen Actors Guild card, which greatly facilitated his work in America.

In 1991, Udo acted in Gus Van Sant’s ‘My Own Private Idaho,’ a loose adaptation of Shakespeare’s Henry IV, alongside veterans such as Keanu Reeves and River Phoenix. 

During the 1990s, Udo Kier also began working with Lars von Trier in quite a few substantial films like ‘Dogville,’ ‘Melancholia,’ ‘Dancer in the Dark,’ ‘Breaking the Waves,’ ‘Nymphomaniac: Volume II,’ ‘Epidemic’ and ‘Europa,’ as well as in many episodes of von Trier’s hit horror TV show series called ‘The Kingdom.’

The most recent movie he did was Kleber Mendonça Filho’s ‘The Secret Agent,’ which won the Best Actor award for Wagner Moura at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. He spent his life living in a former mid-century library home in Los Angeles and Palm Springs. 

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