German actor Udo Kier, a film veteran whose diverse body of work spanned from Lars von Trier tragedies to “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” and “Blade,” has died. He was 81.
A ubiquitous avant-garde film star, Kier died Sunday morning, his partner, Delbert McBride, confirmed to Variety. McBride did not provide a cause of death.
By the time of his death, Kier had racked up more than 200 film and television credits, most notably his collaborations with Von Trier. They worked together intermittently over several decades, starting with 1987’s “Epidemic” and last collaborating on Von Trier’s “Nymphomaniac” in 2013. Kier, also in films “Dancer in the Dark” (starring Björk), “Melancholia” and “Breaking the Waves” among others, aided Von Trier in his explorations into the bleakest of human emotions.
In addition to Von Trier, Kier starred in films from a number of other famed European filmmakers including Werner Herzog, Dario Argento and childhood friend Rainer Werner Fassbinder over the course of his career.
Kier, known for his his imposing presence and piercing blue eyes, often played offbeat and menacing characters in art-house films, including a desperate, virgin-seeking Count Dracula in 1974’s “Blood for Dracula” (“Andy Warhol’s Dracula”) directed by Paul Morrissey. A year prior, the artists collaborated on 1973’s “Flesh for Frankenstein.” Kier was often cast as supernatural, appearing in “Blade” and “Shadow of the Vampire” alongside Willem Dafoe and John Malkovich, among other horror movies.
Nearly 30 years after his breakout role in the 1966 short film “Road to Saint Tropez,” the Cologne-born Kier notably starred in Gus Van Sant’s 1991 feature “My Own Private Idaho,” sharing the screen with a young Keanu Reeves and the late River Phoenix. The film has become a cult classic, earning praise for its depiction of sex and queerness. The feature was one of 25 films selected for inclusion in the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress in 2024.
Though best known for his arthouse roles, Kier also appeared in numerous mainstream works including “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective,” “Downsizing” and “Armageddon.” His most recent film credits include “Swan Song,” “Bacurau” and “The Secret Agent,” Brazil’s international feature film entry for the 2026 Academy Awards.
Kier also starred in scores of TV projects including Von Trier’s television film “Medea,” horror miniseries “The Kingdom,” and shows “Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated,” “Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin” and “Hunters.”
Outside television and film, Kier appeared in music videos for Madonna (“Deeper and Deeper,” “Erotica”), the Goo Goo Dolls, Supertramp and Korn, among other artists. He also lent his voice to a handful of video games including “Call of Duty: WWII” and was set to collaborate with Hideo Kojima on his upcoming “OD.”
Kier was born Oct. 14, 1944, in a hospital that was being bombed by Allied forces during World War II, according to Variety. Kier’s father left before his birth and the actor was raised by his mother. In his teenage years, Kier sparked a friendship with Fassbinder.
In the mid-’60s, Kier moved to London to study English but was instead discovered and cast in “Road to Saint Tropez.” He later met Morrissey, who was closely associated with Warhol at the time, laying the foundation for his decades-long film career.
Kier lived in Palm Springs, where he was a regular at the annual Palm Springs International Film Festival.
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