Quotes

[on his performance in Downfall (2004)] Ultimately, I could not get to the heart of Hitler because there was none.

[on Downfall (2004)] What people need is for Hitler to actually represent evil itself. But what is evil itself? That means nothing to me. I have to perform a living human being. (...) We know how to judge Hitler. We don't need another film that condemns him. We already know where we stand on this. I mean, there is certainly no sympathy for Hitler in the film. [Irish Times, 2005]

[recounting how people ascribed special powers to him when they recognized him in public, because of playing the angel Damiel in Wings of Desire (1987)] People in planes said: 'Ah, no need to be afraid, because with you here, nothing can happen. Now we are safe.' Or a mother said to her child: 'Look, there's your guardian angel.' They weren't joking. [Danish film journal 'P.O.V.']