Who is Delbert McBride? Udo Kier's partner confirmed the actor's death at 81

Udo Kier, a German-born actor with a five-decade career in the global motion picture industry, passed away on Sunday (November 23) at the age of 81. Delbert McBride is Kier's long-time partner and artist and he confirmed Kier's demise to Variety. The cause of the death was not disclosed at the time.

Although Delbert McBride has maintained an otherwise low profile, he has been very close to Kier off the screen. The two were residing in the Palm Springs region, where Kier had been living for more than a decade.

McBride is well-known in the artistic circle for his paintings and sculpture. As per Soap Central, Kier helped organize one of his early exhibitions, "Going Solo" at the Shawn Savage Gallery in Palm Springs which showcased 60 of his pieces.

Veteran actor Udo Kier has passed away at 81.

He was set to star in OD Knock from Hideo Kojima, and was Yuri in the Command and Conquer: Red Alert games. pic.twitter.com/V8rfTX7rBl

— The Game Awards (@thegameawards) November 24, 2025

Udo Kier’s life in Palm Springs and career breakthrough from European Arthouse to Hollywood

Udo Kier lived in the Francis F. Crocker Library, which was a mid-century building, designed by architect Albert Frey. His love of visual arts, design, and architecture was expressed in the collections of artwork and sculptures spread throughout the property. Besides living in Palm Springs, Kier also had a ranch in Morongo Valley, where he used to garden and spend his time in outdoor activities.

Kier gained much fame through his collaborations with Andy Warhol and Paul Morrissey, where he played leading roles in Flesh for Frankenstein and Blood for Dracula. These works were a significant stage of his initial career and led to his popularity in underground and the European film industry.

Later, his connection with filmmaker Rainer Werner Fassbinder helped him connect to various productions in Europe. Kier was also a close of Lars Von Trier. Kier also extended to the American film industry after meeting Gus Van Sant at the Berlin film festival. Kier attributed his acquisition of an American work permit and a SAG card to Van Sant and was thus able to establish a career in the U.S.

Some of his best works include Breaking the Waves and My Own Private Idaho.

After years of a life of work in Europe and in America, Kier made his permanent home in Los Angeles and Palm Springs.