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IMDbPro

Sebastian Koch(I)

  • Actor
  • Soundtrack
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Sebastian Koch
Showreel Sebastian Koch
Play demo reel1:24
Showreel Sebastian Koch
21 Videos
99+ Photos
Sebastian Koch is one of the most internationally sought-after German actors of his generation. After stage engagements in Berlin, Bochum and Darmstadt, the Karlsruhe native was twice awarded the "Grimme Prize" in 2002 for the title role in Peter Keglevic's "Der Tanz mit dem Teufel - Die Entführung des Richard Oetker" (Dance with the devil - The kidnapping of Richard Oetker) and for his acting performance as Klaus Mann in the family story "The Manns" by Heinrich Breloer. He also received the "Bavarian Television Award" for his portrayal of Klaus Mann. His international breakthrough came in 2006 with director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck's Oscar-winning theatrical success "The Lives Of Others". For his outstanding portrayal of the GDR writer Georg Dreyman, Koch received numerous nominations and awards, including the 2007 Italian Foreign Press Award, the "Globo d'Oro" for Best European Actor.

He has since appeared in numerous international film productions. His performances in the historical drama "Napoleon" alongside Isabella Rossellini, Gérard Depardieu and John Malkovich, and alongside Catherine Deneuve in Benoît Jaquot's "Princesse Marie" (Marie Bonaparte, 2004) brought him great attention. He starred in Constantin Costa-Gavra's Hochhuth adaptation "Amen" (2002) and played the title role in Jo Baier's documentary "Stauffenberg". He received the "German Television Award" for his portrayal of Nazi criminal Albert Speer in Heinrich Breloer's multi-part series "Speer and Hitler".

Together with Paul Verhoeven, Sebastian Koch filmed the World War II drama "Black Book" (Zwartboek, 2006) and was nominated for an "Emmy Award" in 2008 for his portrayal of the title role in the international co-production "The Sea Wolf", based on Jack London's classic. He also appeared in Jaume Collet-Serra's "Unknown" (2011) with Liam Neeson, as well as Mike Figgis' "Suspension Of Disbelief" (2012). He assumed the lead role in the most successful Greek film of 2012, "God Loves Caviar" (O Theös Agapäei To Chaviäri), alongside John Cleese and Catherine Deneuve. Koch starred alongside Bruce Willis in John Moore's "A Good Day To Die Hard" (2013) and in the pilot of Ridley Scott's US series "The Vatican" (2014). He then co-starred with Daniel Auteuil in the German-French feature film "Kalinka" (Au Nom De Ma Fille, 2015) and with Oscar winners Eddie Redmayne and Tom Hooper in Hooper's Oscar-nominated bestselling adaptation "The Danish Girl" (2016). That same year, Sebastian Koch joined Tom Hanks in front of the camera for Steven Spielberg's "Bridge Of Spies", a story about brokering the first agent exchange in the Cold War - the film was nominated for an "Academy Award". Koch was lauded for his leading role in Kai Wessel's "Fog In August" (2016). In "Bel Canto" (2017), a film by Paul Weitz, he stars alongside Julianne Moore and Ken Watanabe. In the 5th and 6th seasons of the US series "Homeland", he played the German entrepreneur Otto Düring. The film "Never Look Away", yet another collaboration with director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, gained international attention after it premiered at the Venice International Film Festival in fall 2018 and was nominated for several Oscars and Golden Globes. Sebastian Koch received the "Bambi" in the category "Best Actor National" for the role of Prof. Seeband in 2018. In 2021, he was awarded the European film prize "Die Europa" at the Braunschweig International Film Festival. Most recently, Sebastian Koch starred in the German-Austrian thriller series "Euer Ehren" (Your Honor), which is set to air in spring 2022 on the German public broadcaster Das Erste. He was also involved in the creation of the scripts.

Sebastian Koch has been a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) since July 2019.

In addition to his acting work, he regularly delights audiences with symphonic-scenic readings, including "Paradise" with violinist Daniel Hope, "Dream Story" with the Hubert Nuss Jazz Quartet and recently "The Kreutzer Sonata" after L. Tolstoy, which Sebastian Koch dramaturgically adapted and conceived as a stage play with piano and violin.
BornMay 31, 1962
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    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornMay 31, 1962
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • Unlock contact info on IMDbPro
  • Awards
    • 9 wins & 14 nominations

Photos109

The Lives of Others (2006)
Sebastian Koch as Prof. Seeband in NEVER LOOK AWAY (2018)
Claire Danes and Sebastian Koch in Homeland (2011)
Bruce Willis, Sebastian Koch, and Jai Courtney in A Good Day to Die Hard (2013)
Sebastian Koch in Sea Wolf (2009)
Carice van Houten and Sebastian Koch in Black Book (2006)
Sebastian Koch in Bridge of Spies (2015)
Ernst Jacobi, Sebastian Koch, Philipp Moog, and Horst Tappert in Derrick (1974)
Daniel Auteuil and Sebastian Koch in Kalinka (2016)
Daniel Auteuil, Marie-Josée Croze, and Sebastian Koch in Kalinka (2016)
Sebastian Koch in Kalinka (2016)
Marie-Josée Croze and Sebastian Koch in Kalinka (2016)

Known for

Martina Gedeck, Sebastian Koch, and Ulrich Mühe in The Lives of Others (2006)
The Lives of Others
8.4
  • Georg Dreyman
  • 2006
Bruce Willis and Jai Courtney in A Good Day to Die Hard (2013)
A Good Day to Die Hard
5.2
  • Komarov
  • 2013
Sebastian Koch, Tom Schilling, and Paula Beer in Never Look Away (2018)
Never Look Away
7.7
  • Professor Carl Seeband
  • 2018
Tom Hanks in Bridge of Spies (2015)
Bridge of Spies
7.6
  • Wolfgang Vogel
  • 2015

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Actor

  • Nhiem
    • Horst Faas (1966-1975)
    • Pre-production
    • TV Series
  • Your Honor (2022)
    Your Honor
    • Michael Jacobi
    • TV Series
    • 2022
  • Der Karneval der Tiere - Ein Musikstück erzählt (2021)
    Der Karneval der Tiere - Ein Musikstück erzählt
    • Sprecher (voice)
    • TV Movie
    • 2021
  • The Defeated (2020)
    The Defeated
    • Dr. Werner 'Engelmacher' Gladow
    • TV Series
    • 2020
  • The Name of the Rose (2019)
    The Name of the Rose
    • Barone di Neuenberg
    • TV Series
    • 2019
  • 11-11: Memories Retold (2018)
    11-11: Memories Retold
    • Kurt (voice)
    • Video Game
    • 2018
  • Julianne Moore and Ken Watanabe in Bel Canto (2018)
    Bel Canto
    • Messner
    • 2018
  • Sebastian Koch, Tom Schilling, and Paula Beer in Never Look Away (2018)
    Never Look Away
    • Professor Carl Seeband
    • 2018
  • Claire Danes in Homeland (2011)
    Homeland
    • Otto Düring
    • TV Series
    • 2015–2016
  • Jeremy Sumpter and Ashley Walters in Billionaire Ransom (2016)
    Billionaire Ransom
    • Bobby Hartmann
    • 2016
  • Ivo Pietzcker in Fog in August (2016)
    Fog in August
    • Dr. Werner Veithausen
    • 2016
  • Daniel Auteuil and Lila-Rose Gilberti in Kalinka (2016)
    Kalinka
    • Dieter Krombach
    • 2016
  • Tom Hanks in Bridge of Spies (2015)
    Bridge of Spies
    • Wolfgang Vogel
    • 2015
  • Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander in The Danish Girl (2015)
    The Danish Girl
    • Warnekros
    • 2015
  • Eine Liebe für den Frieden - Bertha von Suttner und Alfred Nobel (2014)
    Eine Liebe für den Frieden - Bertha von Suttner und Alfred Nobel
    • Alfred Nobel
    • TV Movie
    • 2014
  • The Vatican (2013)
    The Vatican
    • Cardinal Marco Malerba
    • TV Movie
    • 2013

Soundtrack

  • Martina Gedeck, Sebastian Koch, and Ulrich Mühe in The Lives of Others (2006)
    The Lives of Others
    • performer: "Die Sonate vom Guten Menschen" (uncredited)
    • 2006
  • Gerd Baltus, Harald Dietl, Hannelore Elsner, and Hartmut Reck in Die Männer vom K3 (1988)
    Die Männer vom K3
    • performer: "Only You" (uncredited)
    • TV Series
    • 1996

Videos22

Showreel Sebastian Koch
Demo Reel 1:24
Showreel Sebastian Koch
Albatross
Clip 0:49
Albatross
Albatross
Clip 1:13
Albatross
Trailer
Trailer 1:54
Trailer
U.S. Trailer
Trailer 2:08
U.S. Trailer
Online Trailer
Trailer 1:09
Online Trailer
Trailer #1
Trailer 2:38
Trailer #1
U.S. Version #2
Trailer 2:30
U.S. Version #2
U.S. Version #1
Trailer 1:36
U.S. Version #1
Teaser
Trailer 1:10
Teaser
Effi Briest
Trailer 2:25
Effi Briest
The Galapagos Affair: Satan Came to Eden
Trailer 2:01
The Galapagos Affair: Satan Came to Eden

Personal details

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  • Official sites
    • Facebook
    • Official Site
  • Alternative name
    • Sébastien Koch
  • Height
    • 5′ 11½″ (1.82 m)
  • Born
    • May 31, 1962
    • Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
  • Children
      Paulina Keller

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Speaks fluent French and dubbed himself in French production "Princesse Marie" (2004).
  • Quotes
    [As someone from Stuttgart, did you ever speak the Swabian dialect?] In a terribly strong fashion. [How did you get rid of it?] Only with a lot of difficulties. The Swabian as such is generally taciturn and if he is required to speak standard German, to him it's as if he has to learn a new language. All of a sudden he is supposed to pronounce the endings of words. This scares him and so he withdraws into mumbling. It was a long way until I even dared to speak standard German.

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